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 In the aftermath of 3 days of tragic drama in Mumbai, politician and media commentators trying to put the pieces together, and Indian people are asking many questions and demanding answers from their leaders and the security forces.
Maninee Misra, a Bollywood actress in her piece under Comments & Debate in today’s Observer (30.11.2008) “I want to ask our leaders: how long are you going to put us in the line of fire? How long are you going to sacrifice innocent lives? Why are the voices, so loud when asking for our votes, silent now?”
William Dalrymple on the same page in the Observer his main article, with his deep knowledge of the sub-continent, goes looking into the root causes of the problem, and examines the problem in wider context. He also answers some the above questions asked by Misra, though the answers may not be ones she wants to hear.
According to Dalrymple’s conclusions that Kashmir problem remains the soar spot after more than 6 decades of partition of India, as Palestine problem is in the Middle East.
I as an Indian settled in UK, and many others; continuously ask the same or similar questions, if Berlin Wall could come down, why can’t the Kashmir problem be solved without the use of bullets? If Britain and Germany those fought tooth and nail in the Second World War could become equal partners in European Union; why can’t the Kashmir problem be solved and India Pakistan become partners in the development of the sub-continent?
After the Independence / partition of India in 1947, M.K. Gandhi (nation’s father) suggested that India should treat Pakistan as a younger brother in the family and offer it help and support in its development. Had India followed such advice, Pakistan may have given up its claim on the Kashmir. Even had the two countries allowed the trade to continue, the problem of Kashmir would have diminished its significance. As we know these problems are as big as two parties perceive them.
About the will of the people of Kashmir, were they given the free choice to stay with India or join Pakistan or go as an independent territory, considering the benefits they get from remaining under Indian umbrella, they would have most likely chosen to do so.
Mediation
Indian political leader and people are very touchy and adamant on this matter and made the Kashmir issue a national prestige. Indian Government has repeatedly rejected any out side mediation. How long India would continue with this approach, when as the present policy has not solved it over six decades. There are clear examples of international mediation in solving several complex problems. Labour Government in Britain realized the mounting cost of Northern Ireland problem and solved the problem by accepting outside mediation.
Writing on the newvine.com, Abbas Jaffery compares the Kashmir problem with N. Ireland problem, which was solved once Britain accepted mediation. But according to VOA news-site “Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has recently rejected any efforts on the part of the USA to mediate between India and Pakistan on Kashmir issue.”
Status Quo must change
Those people are in favour in keeping the status quo or allow this wound to be left bleeding; they should look at the shocking calculations on this link http://www.strategicforesight.com/sfgnews_85.htm and another article worth reading too http://www.usip.org/pubs/specialreports/sr121.html
Today in the aftermath of 26/11 frustrated Indian people are asking when the Indian Government would put the country’s needs first.
When the government is Delhi comes to realize that times has changed and 20th century arguments can not and will not continue to serve their purpose in 21st century; only then a solution to the problem will be found.
There was a time when a local problem in one part of world was something happening far away, did not bother rest of us, as long the stray bullets did not reach us. In this age of fast communication, watching live the terrorist attacks in Bombay were felt by the people all over the world; in the same manner news of the abuse of human rights by the Indian army in Kashmir was also felt by rest of the world, especially by the fellow Muslims in every corner of the globe.
Choice to go Federal
We need to go back to speeches made by Nehru before the independence, when he said, ‘India will follow the model of a federal Government where all States may pursue their own dreams and aspirations.”
But once the independence was achieved, idea of federalism was put away in the name of central need for development of the whole country. Had the federal system been introduced from the beginning within first few years, a lot of today’s problems would have been avoided.
Whatever one may think of Tony Blair’s contribution as Prime Minister, he certainly devolved of Power to Scotland and Wales. He even went to campaign to Scottish people that they vote to claim their independence and to establish their own parliament. You can’t name one Prime minister in Delhi who had devolved an iota of power to the States, what they could keep in their hands.
Introduction of Federal system will also be a solution, which would take the wind out not only the Kashmir problem but also the problem of Assam, Nagaland and others.
If United States of American can survive/thrive as one country with 51 Federal States, why India could not survive as one country with 20+ states?
European Union Model
We need to look at the examples such as Europe, where handkerchief size countries such as Andorra, Lichtenstein and Monaco are given the freedom to enjoy their independence without any pushing or pulling from their neighbours. Why can’t the Indian people and government can allow an unwilling member of the family go independent without the bloodshed without the bloodshed?
Coming back to possible solution/s to the problem of Kashmir, India needs to implement the Security Council Resolution 47, passed on 21 April 1948, where the resolution asked the Indian Government to hold a plebiscite in Kashmir under the supervision of the UN.
To be fair to majority Hindu and Sikh population in Jammu, and Buddhist population in Ladakh, they should also have the freedom to stay with India if they vote to do so; only the Muslim majority of Valley of Kashmir may choose to go with Pakistan or go independent. If Muslim population chose to go independent there is strong possibility that Hindus of Jammu & Buddhists of Ladakh may choose to join them keeping the whole state as one independent entity.
No one can put a figure on the human and material cost of the conflict over six decades. There has been even bigger loss of lost trade between two countries. Imagine what contribution these wasted resources could do to the development of the subcontinent.
Once the Kashmir problem is solved, above solution may not solve the global problem of terrorism; which mainly stems from the misinterpretation of teachings of Quoran. This is problem of Muslims all over the world need to deal with. It will be foolish of an outsider like me to make any suggestions/comments on these matters.
But al least, solving the Kashmir problem is task India needs to deal with for its own sake, to solve is decades old problem, and then stand proudly on international stage.
India needs to think and to act like a global power to become a global power, as it aspires to gain its place on Security Council. Solving the Kashmir problem will greatly improve its chances to achieve its place.
Jeevan Deol writing in the London Guardian, 1. December, 2008 emphasizes “The risks of not finding a solution are equally clear: Pakistan will continue its slide toward becoming a failed state, and India will forfeit its aspirations to become a player on the world stage.”
Let’s hope that after 6 decades of keeping the status quo the Indian Government would change its course; this may be one positive result of this tragic atrocity in Mumbai.
Avtarjeet Dhanjal
November 30, 2008
Selected relevant links:
http://trueorfalse.newsvine.com/_news/2008/11/11/2099415-third-party-mediation-in-kashmir
http://www.voanews.com/bangla/2008-11-09-voa3.cfm
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/In_Kashmir_theres_azadi_in_the_air/articleshow/3372070.cms
http://www.netpakistani.com/kashmir/hidden-cost-of-kashmir-conflict/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/dec/01/mumbai-terror-attacks-india
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