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Kashmir : Anti-US protests continue

	November 12, 2001

Except for some minor incidents, Jammu and Kashmir remained relatively quiet last week. The shelling by forces on both sides of the LoC too came down in intensity. But the militant outfits managed to get a degree of cooperation from people in Srinagar for their anti-US protests and against the move to ban some of the Pak-based militant groups.

The visits to the US by Prime Minister Vajpayee and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf shifted the focus to what the US would tell the two leaders. Vajpayee stuck to his ground and ruled out any talks with Pakistan in a third country, while asserting that he was prepared to meet Musharraf in Delhi. While President Bush avoided mentioning Kashmir in their joint press meet, Musharraf kept his usual refrain of “freedom struggle” in Kashmir in his address. That the US did not adopt any arm-twisting policy to make India agree to immediate talks with Musharraf on Kashmir is seen as a diplomatic win for New Delhi. There is a new aggressive stance in India’s diplomatic moves. Whether at home in statements of Home Minister Advani or that of the PM in US, it is clear that India has got tired of being taken for granted and expected to show restraint in the face of gravest provocations from across the border.

Shorn of dramatic rhetoric, Vajpayee’s policy is one of maturity and restraint. It contrasts with Musharraf’s desperate attempts to explain to his domestic constituency the reasons for backing the US strikes in Afghanistan and allowing air bases to the US combat aircraft for bombing missions. Attempts to inflame the passions of the minorities in India have not succeeded. But for a few clerics, who had been spitting fire at the US, generally the Muslim community in India has been supportive of the government’s policy on terrorism. Alongside, the government has made it clear that it would not tolerate any attempts to create a law and order problem by a section of misguided minority groups. The recent ban on SIMI and the POTO ordinance against terrorism is seen in this light. The pro-active policy on Kashmir to curb militancy and infiltration from across the border is also meant to convey the clear message that patience was running out at the highest levels of the government in the state and at the Centre. The heavy toll of militants who were trying to sneak in is clear proof of the government’s intentions. The “right of self-defence” that is sought to be invoked by the US to justify the bombings in Afghanistan, could be also used by India at least in the limited sense of crushing militancy within the state of J&K.

Shops and business houses remained closed in the Kashmir valley last Friday in response to a bandh called by militant outfits to protest US strikes on Afghanistan and Washington’s move to enlist Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) as terrorist outfits. While vehicles remained off the roads, banks, educational and financial institutions remained closed in response to the bandh call given the pro-Taliban outfits in Pakistan and supported by radical outfits, Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen and Dukhtaran-e-Millat, a women’s outfit, in Kashmir. Government offices and semi-government offices registered poor attendance due to the non-availability of transport.

The pro-Taliban organisations had given the call for strikes and demonstrations in Pakistan on Friday to protest the US bombing of Afghanistan. Dukhtaran-e-Millat, reacting to the US move to brand the LeT and JeM as terrorist organisations, said the decision tantamounts to a ban on the Islamic religion. “It is quite evident that Lashkar, Jaish and other active jehadi groups were not terrorist organisations but were upholding one of the important aspects of Islamic teachings that is jehad,” Dukhtaran chief Syed Asia Indrabi claimed in a statement.

Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP) chief Shabir Ahmad Shah was placed under house arrest and five other senior party leaders taken into preventive custody as they tried to take out a march in Srinagar in violation of prohibitory orders to protest the US bombing of Afghanistan. Shah, who had planned to lead the march, was placed under house arrest. Later, senior party leaders, including general secretary Maulana Mohammad Abdullah Tari and organiser-cum-spokesman Mohd Saleem Geelani, were taken into custody with three others while trying to lead a march towards Sonawar in violation of prohibitory orders.

Police used mild lathicharge to disperse the slogan-shouting protesters at Zero Bridge before they could reach the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) office after efforts by top police brass to persuade them to give up failed. The protesters, who carried anti-US, anti-war placards, wanted to submit a memorandum to the UNMOGIP office condemning the killing of innocent Afghans in the US bombing campaign in that country. ‘’Terrorism can only breed terrorism. War against terrorism unleashed by the US-led coalition has made Afghanistan and its innocent people victims, the JKDFP memorandum addressed to UN chief Kofi Annan said. Condemning the September 11 attacks, it said, ‘’That was evil and this is evil too, Trying to finish terrorism by the very methods of terrorism will create more terrorism. This ruthless bombardment on the innocent people of Afghanistan must stop.’’ Shah called for a halt to the US bombing campaign in Afghanistan.

A spokesman of the JKDFP later alleged that several party workers were injured in the police action against the protesters. The spokesman condemned the police action saying that police had resorted to heavy-handed measures on what was essentially a peaceful march.



Lone gets threats from Pak-based outfits

While the J&K Chief Minister had been fuming at the Hurriyat Conference and its credentials to talk on behalf of the Kashmiri people, the Centre has reacted soberly to Farooq Abdullah’s attacks on the Hurriyat leaders. New Delhi is targeting Pak-based outfits but not those groups which may be sympathetic to the militants cause in the state. In recent weeks, some of the Hurriyat statements have made the Centre happy as the conglomerate has adopted a slightly coincilatory stance and even said violence may not be the solution to the Kashmir tangle. The recent attack on Hurriyat senior leader Abdul Ghani Lone by gunmen is seen in this context.

Lone, who survived the attack by unidentified gunmen on his Srinagar residence, has claimed that he has been receiving threats from Pak-based militant outfits for his ‘’bold views.’’

Lone’s claim is significant in view of covert efforts being made by New Delhi and Farooq Abdullah to engineer a split in the Hurriyat Conference and rope in some of its moderate faces into Assembly elections due next year. Lone is apparently playing up his image of a moderate who is a victim of violence in Kashmir. The attack on Lone’s house in Srinagar came after militant groups alleged that he and other Hurriyat leaders ‘’misused funds meant for the (freedom) movement’’. Lone has denied these allegations.

He lashed out at his main detractor, Bilal Rahi, who was recently the chief of Al Barq, a militant organisation considered to be Lone’s baby. Bilal Rahi embezzled Rs 7 lakh meant for Kashmir, Lone claimed. He was, however, non-committal on who attacked him. ‘’My security was downsized a day before to the attack.



Autonomy only solution : CM

The Centre and the J&K government are heading for a fresh confrontation over the issue of restoration of greater autonomy to the state. The Centre has again ruled out the restoration of pre-1953 autonomy to the state. But the ruling National Conference headed by Farooq Abdullah considers it the only solution to the prevailing situation in the state. Echoing the views of Home Minister L.K. Advani, his deputy I.D. Swami has also said it was not in the national interest to restore the pre-53 position to the state.

Swami has firmly said in a TV channel that there was no question of turning the clock back. However, the Centre was prepared to consider further devolution of powers to the states, in general including J&K. But Farooq, who was also participating in the programme, said the restoration of autonomy was an important ingredient to fight militancy. The CM ruled out sending fresh proposals to the Centre in this regard as suggested by Swami. He ruled out fears that his proposals meant that the state was separating from the rest of the country. Instead, relations between J&K and the rest of the country would further strengthen by granting greater autonomy to the state, Farooq maintained.

Meanwhile, Home Minister Advani has snubbed Pervez Musharraf for suggesting that the government was committing “state terrorism” in J&K. He called Musharraf’s allegation “preposterous and ridiculous.” He lashed out at Pakistan for training mercenaries to kill innocent people in Kashmir valley. More than 100,000 Kashmiri Pandits had migrated from the valley due to the fear of bullets, Advani pointed out. The Home Minister also ruled out any unilateral ceasefire during the period of Ramzan as was done previously. The government’s line was similar to that of the US which too has ruled out any break in air strikes against the Taliban network during the holy month, as is being repeatedly requested by Musharraf. Last year India went ahead with unilateral ceasefire during Ramzan. This year, the situation was much different, according to Advani. All nations had come out with a united front to eliminate terrorism from the world. India would not allow terrorists to kill innocent people taking advantage of the break in security forces’ action. So far, more than 1,400 people, including terrorists, had been killed in J&K in the past two months. Advani denied getting any information regarding US appeal to Pakistan handing over Dawood Ibrahim, Tiger Memon and others accused in Mumbai blasts to India.

Meanwhile, the killing of 54 militants in the Poonch sector during the first week of November has led to a controversy with parents of at least four Kashmiri youths claiming that they were part of 70 youngmen who were missing from different parts of the state since October 17. A group of people from Shopian village in south Kashmir are camping in Jammu to ascertain facts about a major incident in which 54 militants who the security forces said were trying to exfiltrate, were killed. The conflicting reports about the killing of 19 boys in Poonch sector when they were trying to exfiltrate caught the parents’ attention. First reports suggested that they had been arrested but later it was known that they had been killed. However the Army authorities denied that any of the killed were first arrested. The killed were militants who had their initial training in the Kashmir valley and belonged to Jamiatul Mujahideen, Tehrik-e-Jehad Islami and Hizbul Mujahideen. Most of them were foreigners, army sources said.