Ref:- Invocation of Kashmiri martyrs , the only leverage left for Kashmir solution.
Dear Sir
This refers to the statement of Indian prime minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh at a function on Sunday in Jammu where he proposed (a)- the turning of LOC into a line of peace with free flow of ideas, material and people across the border and (b)- Land and water resources of entire J&K (including PAK) can be used jointly for the benefit of people of J&K living on both sides of LOC.
Manmohan further informed that rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pundits (KPs) will be done in Jammu and in other places, out of Kashmir valley.
This has angered:-
(A)- Hindu Kashmiri Pundits ( with self respect) because it tantamount to conferring permanent refugee tag to KPs and talks nothing about rehabilitating KPs in their original / native land, the Kashmir valley.
(B)- Kashmiri Muslims because it tantamount to maintaining the status-quo where Kashmir will remain divided along LOC, where as for unified Kashmir more than 80,000 Kahmiris (mostly Muslims) as per EU report have already sacrificed their lives.
In this statement of Manmohan if we also add the statements of Musharraf given during last few months on Kashmir problem then it is quite clear that (except one saving grace where both India & Pakistan are prepared to allow the use of land and water resources of entire J&K, jointly for the benefit of people of J&K living on both sides of LOC) India & Pakistan both have raised their hands in solving core Kashmir problem which is nothing but unified Kashmir.
Two factors go in favour of unified Kashmir:-
(i)- During partition of India in 1947 Punjabis and Bengalis were partitioned on the basis of religion but in case of Kashmiris the people having predominantly same religion and language have been partitioned along LOC hence status-quo suggested by both India and Pakistan, being absurd, can not be accepted by Kashmiris.
(ii)- More than 80,000 Kashmiris have lost their lives for unified Kashmir hence normally any community which lays down so many lives for a cause do not remain without being master of their political destiny.
In this back drop of helplessness / apathy of India, Pakistan and international community, Kashmiris, if they are really serious about proving that the martyrdom of these 80,000 Kashmiris have not gone in vain, then are left with only one leverage for solving Kashmir problem i.e. the invocation of Kashmiri martyrs and for which:-
(1)- First of all Kashmiris should unite and for this some influential political party or organisation of Kashmiris should come forward and should openly take the responsibility of ensuring that all the willing KPs are rehabilitated back in Kashmir valley.
(2)- Kashmiris should mobilise the Governments of India and Pakistanto to launch joint Industrial Corporations, Joint Electricity Boards etc. in order to exploit the land and water resources of entire J&K (including PAK) which can be used jointly for the benefit of people of J&K living on both sides of LOC.
(3)- As a fitting tribute to departed souls of 80,000 Kashmiris all the surviving Kashmiris should take a vow that either they will totally boycott the coming assembly & parliamentary elections 2008-2009 or will participate in it conditionally (so that all the participating political parties will meet quarterly to review the progress of time bound program for unified Kashmir).
(4) While fighting this decisive battle for the unification of Kashmir, the Kashmiris need not be disheartened by the demoralising talks of status-quoits because let us not forget that the last world on India’s partition is yet to be written. Moreover Federation of secular democratic SAARC countries is not a far fetched idea.
(5)- Also Kashmiris who think that Trustee Ship under UN for J&K (or for Kashmir) may also be the solution (as some Kashmiris are going to discuss it on the topic “Resolving Kashmir Dispute: Innovative Models” during Seventh International Kashmir Conference being arranged by Association of Humanitarian Lawyers & Kashmiri American Council / Kashmir Center on July 26, 2007 at the Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. ) then they do not know the abcd of Hindu Psyche who (being still not reconciled to India’s partition) will never allow its further emasculation by compromising, in any manner, its sovereignty or territorial integrity on entire J&K, including PAK.
Participation of Kashmiris in election process give propaganda advantage to India as it gives the impression – ‘that these 80,000 departed Kashmiris were merely terrorist misguided by fundamentalist Pakistan whereas saner element of Kashmir valley representing the majority of kashmiris are quite content with status-quo hence happily participate in these elections without least bothering about time bound solution to Kashmir problem’.
To what extent the boycott / conditional participation of these election by Kashmiris will give a stunning jolt, in the interest of early Kashmir solution, to not only India but also to Pakistan and international community , does not require a genius of political science to fathom.
But to ensure this boycott / conditional participation , a lot has to be done before elections by Kashmiris hence time is running out. Because any person or organisation who does not have a sense of timing does not stand any chance for success and does not deserve to be in politics / political mobilisation especially in such a grave and serious matter which has already seen 80,000 martyrs.
Yours truly
Hem Raj Jain
208, Supriya, Plot #20, Sector – 10, Dwarka,
New Delhi -110075, INDIA .
Ph: – +91 11 32940177, Mob: 09871194983