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Initiatives to solve the Kashmir issue

	November 15, 2004

India took two major initiatives during the last week to move on the path towards a solution of the Kashmir issue. The initiatives tackle both the internal and the external aspects of the problem. The Prime Minister, on the eve of his visit to Jammu and Kashmir starting on November 17 announced that troop levels in the state will be reduced during the winter. This is aimed at both the separatists within the state and at the same time is a confidence building measure addressed to Pakistan. Another significant step taken by the Manmohan Singh Government was the announcement that India is prepared to look at the formula proposed by Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to resolve the Kashmir issue if it comes in a formal shape.

External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh told newspersons who accompanied him to the funeral of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat that if Pakistan makes a formal proposal on the lines of General Musharraf’s recent remarks, India would certainly look at it.

Earlier, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had said during his visit to The Hague that if a proposal is made through the media, it cannot be accepted as a formal proposal. About a fortnight ago, Musharraf had suggested at an Iftar get-together that India and Pakistan consider making some areas of Kashmir independent or place them under the joint control of the two countries or under international supervision. At the same time, Manmohan Singh had made it clear that Kashmir is a bilateral matter and no third party is involved, and no third party mediation will be acceptable to India. Referring to US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage’s remarks that Musharraf’s formula was forward looking, Manmohan Singh said India appreciates American interest, but there is no question of any third party getting involved in mediation. He also saw no role for the United Nations in the resolution of India-Pakistan differences. He said even Gen. Musharraf is not talking now of UN resolutions, self-determination or plebiscite for solving the Kashmir issue.



PM’s five points to solve the Kashmir issue

In an interview to the Financial Times coinciding with his visit to The Hague, the Prime Minister has made it clear that India is ready to discuss all possible options for a solution to the Kashmir issue. He said : “We are thinking about a new chapter and a new beginning in relations with Pakistan.” Manmohan Singh made five points in the interview for solving the Kashmir issue. These are (1) Both India and Pakistan must be sincere in finding a solution; (2) Pakistan should place on the table those proposals that are not unacceptable to India and Pakistan; (3) Pakistan must remain committed to its January 6, 2004 commitment to end cross-border infiltration; (4) There is no question of involving a third party, and (5) A solution has to recognise the history between the two nations as well as ground realities.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz is visiting New Delhi on November 23 in his capacity as the outgoing Chairman of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). The matter may come up for further discussion at that time though this is not the primary objective of the visit.



Roadmap for troop reduction

Meanwhile, the armed forces have started preparing a roadmap to implement the Prime Minister’s decision to reduce the troop strength in Jammu and Kashmir. Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee told a newspaper that the armed forces will work out the number of troops to be reduced, the sectors in which the cuts will be enforced and the timeframe for the reduction. He said the reduction in the troop strength does not amount to a withdrawal. Pranab Mukherjee said : “As per our assessment, infiltration has decreased. But it is not because of Pakistan. It is despite Pakistan.” According to inputs from intelligence agencies, terrorist training camps are still operating in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Many terrorists are ready to infiltrate, but they have not been able to do so in the same numbers as earlier because of the vigilance of the Indian armed forces and fencing of the Line of Control (LoC).

Pranab Mukherjee denied that the announcement of troop reduction amounted to tokenism and said the roadmap being prepared by the armed forces would show that the desire to reduce the troop strength in Jammu and Kashmir was genuine. He said the Cabinet Committee on Security took the decision in consultation with the Defence Ministry. This is the first time since the start of insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir that the Central Government has decided to reduce the number of troops deployed there. Over the past two years, the process of formation of additional battalions of the Rashtriya Rifles, a specialised force, to fight insurgency, has been speeded up.



Reactions

Manmohan Singh’s announcement has been widely welcomed, both in the Kashmir valley and across the border in Pakistan. The Hurriyat, the grouping of separatist parties, in the valley, and other political parties in Jammu and Kashmir, have welcomed the proposed troop reduction. The leader of the moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference, Maulana Abbas Ansari, said that it is a good step, but added that what matters is the behaviour of the troops and how they treat people. Another Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said the Hurriyat executive will meet soon and discuss the matter threadbare. The Chief of the People’s Conference, Sajjad Lone, however, said : “Let’s us see whether the troops are reduced in practice.” The Chief of the Democratic Freedom Party, Shabir Ahmed, said : “If soldiers are withdrawn from the border and placed back in their barracks, it will not do any good.” The Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Forum chairman, Javed Mir said : “If it is part of a step-by-step solution to the Kashmir issue, we welcome it.”

Across the border in Islamabad, Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan said : “Pakistan will be looking forward to this decision’s physical manifestation in the coming days and weeks.” Reduction in troop strength has been one of the key demands made by Pakistan from time to time for creating confidence between the two countries.



Union Home Minister ends his visit to Kashmir

Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil who visited Jammu and Kashmir from November 6 to 8 briefed the Prime Minister about the situation in the state on his return from The Hague. Patil said that he apprised Manmohan Singh of his discussions and meetings with a cross-section of the people. He said that there are short, medium and long-term measures that can be taken in Jammu and Kashmir to bolster all round development and tackle the security scenario. Some of the key sectors which could see more investments and projects are power, infrastructure and raising of the India Reserve Battalions that will provide employment to local youth.

A statement made by the Home Minister during his Jammu and Kashmir visit created a lot of controversy. He had stated that the Hurriyat was under pressure from Pakistan for not starting a dialogue with the Centre. The Hurriyat issued a statement saying that it is unfortunate that the Union Home Ministry has stated that caretaker chairman of Hurriyat, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is under pressure from Pakistan. The separatist organisation said its leaders want to go to Pakistan for consultations with separatist leaders living there to evolve a consensus on Kashmir before entering into dialogue with New Delhi.

National Security Adviser J.N. Dixit has criticised the Hurriyat leadership for delaying the resumption of the dialogue with the Centre. He said they are insisting on talking to the Pakistan High Commissioner in New Delhi, but are not prepared to talk to Home Minister Shivraj Patil.

Another issue which had the potential of vitiating the atmosphere in the valley during Home Minister Shivraj Patil’s visit was the alleged rape of a woman and her daughter by an Army Officer in Handwara area. There were protests and demonstrations in the valley against the incident. The Army authorities have since ordered a probe into the incident and suspended the officer involved.