Kashmir Issue: New Perspectives

 To avenge their defeats at the hands of India, Pakistan embarked on sponsoring terrorism in Kashmir. It is a matter of common knowledge that, for the last 10 years, the people of Kashmir, particularly Kashmiri Hindus and Hindus of the Doda district in Jammu, in particular, are under perpetual threat from the Pakistani-sponsored militants. They lured and tempted the uneducated youth to take arms against their own brethren with whom they had lived for centuries in peace and tranquillity. 

 Pandit community was the prime target of the brutalities perpetuated by the armed terrorists. A reign of terror was let loose in January 1990 and the minority Kashmiri Hindus were driven out at gun-point from the Valley. They became refugees in their own homeland and sought refuge in Jammu, Delhi and various other places. They left their homes and hearths behind which now stand destroyed or have been forcibly occupied by the armed insurgents. 

 The Pakistan government has a direct responsibility for the disaster which the armed insurgents have heaped on the Kashmiri people. It is shocking that this is being done in the name of religion. The wholesale massacre of the Kashmiri population who are innocent and unarmed is termed as 'Holy War'. 

 Plebiscitc/referendum has become obsolete as the solution for the Kashmir problem. For conducting plebiscite, other pre-conditions were to be complied with by Pakistan. They had to withdraw their entire army from every part of Kashmir and restore possession thereof to its erstwhile ruler whose 
successor in interest is the Government of India. Without complying with these fundamental conditions, the holding of plebiscite could not be considered. Pakistan has frustrated UN resolutions in this regard. They agreed after a gap of about 24 years, considering the futility of the UN resolution, to resolve the dispute bilaterally, peacefully and without the intervention of any third party. 

 Moreover, Pakistan was aware that much water had flown under the bridges of Kashmir and the people have been living in peace there after having thrown their lot with the Indian Union. By now, general elections have taken place to the Legislative Assembly there nine times since 1952 and the people of the State have voted consistently in accordance with democratic norms and have elected governments of their choice. 

 We are the citizens of the largest democracy of the world, that is India, who are inspired by the British system of rule and by its democratic concepts; we do hope that the British government will come forward and raise its voice against the barbaric and inhuman killings of Kashmiri people at the hands of Pakistan-sponsored terrorists. 

 The only issue which needs to be resolved at present is the withdrawal of armed insurgents from the soil of Kashmir and stoppage of the shedding of blood and the killing of innocent people in Kashmir. Pakistani-sponsored terrorism has been violating human rights continuously for the last one decade. The British government is worried about the rights of armed terrorists and do not care a fig about the violation of human rights of innocent people who are considered a soft target by being killed by the armed insurgents. 

 Of late Pakistan has been pushing Afghanis, Sudanese and Pakistanis inside Kashmir itself to continue the killing of innocent Kashmiris. These mercenaries have hijacked the terrorism and are perpetuating brutal killings on Kashmiri people. The local Muslims have realised the nefarious gameplan of Pakistan and are disgusted with the ugly situation brought about by the terrorists. People in Kashmir want to live in peace. They abhor bloodshed, violence and killing of their fellow Kashmiris. 

 The British interest is not going to suffer if they raise their voice against the brutalities of the terrorists in Kashmir and if they advocate that war against the innocent people ot Kashmir must be stopped forthwith and Pakistan be treated as a terrorist country. The British government will be acting only in tune with its glorious traditions. 

 Three lakh (300,000) members of the Kashmiri Pandit community need to be saved from extinction anti it is time that the world community in general old the British people in particular, considered the necessity ot their rehabilitation in their homeland. This is possible only if terrorism is stopped and Pakistan is told in clear terms by its friends, including the Labour government, to withdraw the mercenaries from the soil of Kashmir and put an end to all types of terrorism. An atmosphere of peace and tranquillity is to he restored which has been spoiled by Pakistan's machinations. 

 We have deep faith in the democratic values, peace and love for humanity. We do not consider violence as a solution tor resolving any problem. Our deep faith in peace has prevented us from advocating and preparing our youth to resort to arms, to retaliate to the terrorist brutality in the stale of Jammu and Kashmir. 

 During the last two years alone, militants have killed hundreds of people, including a large number of women and children, and even infants have not been spared. In Sangrampora and Wandhama villages of the Valley, 35 Kashmiri Pandits were killed, in Chapnari village of Jarnmu 26 innocent Hindus were killed, in Shahna-Thakraie village of Jammu 16 innocent people were killed, in Gool Gulabgarh village in Jammu 6 Kashmiri Pandits were killed and another 26 people were killed in Chamba village. 

    Pakistanis engaged in trans-border terrorism and indulged in international crimes characterized as gross human rights violations. The devices of pilotless aircraftslaid with lethal material are being sent to J&K state. The mercenaries, after wearing Indian Army uniforms, indulge in killings masquerading as army personnel to unleash hatred against the security forces who are engaged in safeguarding the lives and property of the people. The international terrorist Bin Laden is threatening to send Islamic mercenaries to Kashmir for making it a graveyard. This calls for a grave concern of the international community for the human rights situation of the people in Kashmir. 

 The countries from where the terrorists receive support and material and moral back-up should be put on notice, that if they do not stop arming, training and supporting the trans-border terrorism and bring the perpetrators of human rights violatios to book, such country shall be declared as a 'Terrorist State' by the international community and severe sanctions and censures shall be applied, then only the menace of terrorism can be effectively eliminated and perpetrators of massive and gross violations of human rights can be punished. 

 The NHRC has heard the petitioners in person and through their lawyers, issued notices to the Union of India and J&K Government. 

 The hearings have reached advance stages. Full quorum of NHRC visited J&K State in November 1998 and interacted with wider sections of people and the Kashmiri Pandits. 

 A team headed by Director-General Investigations of the NHRC went to the State in February 1998 to probe into the causes of killing of 26 innocent Kashmiri Pandits, including 9 women, 6 children and 2 infants, besides investigating the other violations of the human rights. Interim measures to provide security and compensation to the remaining Kashmiri Pandits was instantly taken by the NHRC. The lone survivor, a young boy, was provided with necessary wherewithal for his upbringing, including his education, till he grows up. The NHRC is presently looking into the problem of and causes for distress sales of immovable properties by the Kashmiri Pandits, left behind in Kashmir. The J&K Govt. has been called upon by the NHRC to prepare details and inventories of the properties left behind at district levels, and submit the same to it. 

 Today Kashmiri society is on historical cross-roads. Its peaceful ethos, its liberal Islam, its culture of Sufi saints, its Kashmiriyat and its image as a strong citadel of co-existence and pluralistic society lay shattered and devastated by the decade-old violence by terrorists and mercenaries. The threat of foisting an alien way of life on Kashmiris by pan-Islamic fanatics is very grave. The Kashmiri society, which is predominantly Muslim, has to make the choice between the Taliban-type pan-Islamic fanatic way of life and/or the pluralistic, peaceful democratic and modern way of life. Kashmiris have to decide for themselves. They have to seriously introspect the happenings and violence of the past one decade and decide about the future socio-political dispensation under which they have to live. 

 The ethno-religious minority of Kashmiri Pandits which has the original indigenous roots in history linked with Kashmir, have inalienable right of life in that land. Nobody can wish away their rights in the land. If the democratic way of life has to exist and function genuinely in Kashmir, all the violence and terrorism has to end. The violence perpetrated from across the border by Pakistan, ISI operators and other groups has to come to an end. There is a need to enlarge the political space in Kashmir to encompass the views which have not yet been heard, or have not yet participated, for setting up the trend towards a greater tolerant and pluralistic process. Kashmiris are today longing for deciding their matters through peaceful and democratic process - we all must nurture and develop such processes which can put an overall end to the death and destruction phenomenon unleashed by violence in the beautiful vale of Kashmir. 

 Any new dispensation for lasting solutions in whichever form is incomplete without the presence, participation and physical involvement of the Kashmiri Pandit community as a whole in the overall length and breadth of the Valley. 

 We humbly appeal to the United Kingdom's public and official opinion to emphatically urge Pakistan to stop trans-border terrorism on the peaceful people of Kashmir and allow us to pick up once again the peaceful, pluralistic and democratic way of life. Enough is enough. In Kashmir, much blood has been shed by now, please allow us to reknit, reweave and revive the ethos of Kashmir once again for the full enjoyment of human development. 

 All the measures that reduce tensions and build confidence must be pursued by India and Pakistan bilaterally and the international community, including Great Britain, must sincerely strengthen such processes, to live up to the ideals of universal peace and for upholding the human rights of all and one.