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Kashmir no issue for world
September 09, 2011
Kashmir is the bone of contention between India and Pakistan. Both have fought many wars over this issue and it is a possibility that the future war may be nuclear. It would be difficult to establish peace in the region without resolving the Kashmir imbroglio. According to APHC, Kashmir has lost more than 100,000 people since 1989. Today, security situation in Kashmir is perilous, but the so-called guardians of peace in the world are silent over Indian atrocities in Kashmir. Indian army, police and paramilitary troops are involved in extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, torture, unlawful detention, and rape in Kashmir. According to different rights groups, Kashmiri women suffer sexual violence the most in the world.
The Indian army’s wicked role in Kashmir is not hidden by the international community but unfortunately they are silent and not playing their due role in resolving this issue. The Indian army is involved in the unlawful killings of innocent Kashmiris and trying to link it to Pakistan. For instance, according to Wikileaks, a cable (ID 95785) issued on 2/8/2007 from the US embassy in New Delhi revealed that the Indian army tried to link Kashmiris with Pakistan after killing them in 2007. A Wikileaks cable reveals that “Kashmiris were in a state of anguish and grief over extra-judicial killings during 2007. The Indian army labeled the victims as Pakistanis after killing them.” According to the leaked cable, the website said that a Kashmiri carpenter, who was killed in 2007, was labeled as a member of Lashkar-e-Taiba and a resident of Multan. Such inhumane acts have exposed the myth of secular India. The story does not end here; there might have been thousands of such extrajudicial killings by the Indian army, police and paramilitary troops deployed in Kashmir.
Latest report by the Human Rights Commission of the Indian-controlled portion of the state of Jammu and Kashmir reveals: “It has found 38 unmarked sites with thousands of bodies. Several hundred of these are believed to be of civilians who went missing since the onset of an indigenous ethno-religious insurgency that erupted in 1989.” It further denotes that the bodies of hundreds of men described as unidentified militants were buried in unmarked graves. But of the more than 2,000 bodies, 574 were identified as local residents. Such horrendous act by the Indian army is condemnable and against humanity. It is imperative for the UN to investigate this matter independently and put hold on such malpractices in future.
The unmarked graves or mass graves issue is not new in IHK. In 2008, a rights group reported unmarked graves in 55 villages across the northern regions of Baramulla, Bandipore and Handwara, after which researchers and other groups reported finding thousands of single and mass graves without markers. But this is for the first time that India has acknowledged that civilians had been killed in the two-decade conflict and may have been buried in unmarked graves, but different rights groups say some 8,000-10,000 people have disappeared from 1990 till-date. It is a possibility that the Indian army has staged gun battles to cover up extra-judicial killings. Most of the suspected militants have never been released by the Indian forces.
It is unfortunate that the proponents of peace like the US, the UK, France, and Russia are not playing any substantial role to resolve the Kashmir issue. A question arises why major powers don’t see bloodshed in Kashmir and why they are not asking or pressurizing India to stop suppression of Kashmiris and give them their right of self determination?
Major powers like the US, Russia, France, Germany, and Britain are some way or the other want to benefit from India’s economic boom. The US is in strategic partnership with India. It has signed a 10-year deal with India to supply fissile material, nuclear technology, dual use items and expertise. The US is also supplying latest weapons and equipment, heavy lift aircraft and helicopters worth billion of dollars to India. This is the reason that America is unable to facilitate any amicable way out for Kashmir impasse. Instead of support to Kashmir cause it has arrested a Kashmiri leader and a dissent voice against Indian oppression in Kashmir Mr. Ghulam Nabi Fai.
France is also a key player in the global arena. It is a permanent member of UNSC and can play an important role in the resolution of Kashmir issue but it is also silent because of its share in the Indo-US deal. France will also benefit from this deal because the Indo-US deal has opened the gates of international nuclear market to India. France is also in defense deal with India for the maintenance of its aircraft and supply of other important weapon and equipment. With such interests involved France will not play any considerable role for the resolution of Kashmir issue.
Germany is unlikely to play any significant role for the resolution of Kashmir problem. India and Germany both are in the multibillion dollar deal for the supply of latest submarines for Indian Navy. The UK is also reluctant to play any noteworthy role for the resolution of Kashmir issue. It is enjoying billions of dollars trade with India. It will also seek a major share in the nuclear energy trade with India. With such interests involved, it is difficult to ascertain that the UK or Germany will facilitate any significant negotiations for the resolution of the Kashmir issue.
Russia is a major player at the global level. It can play a vital role for the peaceful settlement of Kashmir dispute but again the issue is of interest based approach. India is dependent on Russia for its 70% of weapon and equipment needs which include aircraft carriers, latest SU-30 aircraft, nuclear subs, T-90 MBTs and other weapon and equipment. Russia will never compromise its billions of dollars revenues for Kashmir issue.
In reality, every major power mentioned in this article is pursuing its own interests and is least bothered about the mass killings, unnamed graves, rapes, kidnappings, missing people and most of all the right of self-determination of the Kashmiri people. This is the reason that despite so many resolutions from the UN, Kashmir issue is still unresolved. Kashmir is of paramount importance. If this issue is not resolved in the near future, it may trigger a major war between India and Pakistan which may have nuclear facet. It is necessary for the international community to play it due role for the long-term peace and stability of south Asia.
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