Kashmir Sentinel

LARGEST CIRCULATED ENGLISH MONTHLY OF J&K
A News Magazine of Kashmiri Pandit Community

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October 16th - 31st, 1999
VOL. 5, NO: 18

EDITORIAL

REAL CHALLENGE

The recent attack on the high security

Civil Secretariat building in Srinagar belies the government claim that normality is returning to Kashmir. The reality remains that the situation at the ground level is worsening. During the last few months J&K has seen massive influx of highly motivated mercenaries. There are prolonged encounters with rising casualty figures among our security forces. Media reports even speak of “liberated areas” in parts of Kashmir valley.
The centre’s initiatives so far have remained confined to counter-insurgency operations. This too on a reactive basis. Much talked about political process, initiated in 1996 has remained a non-starter. As the recent elections show, people’s alienation has only deepened.
Nation expected much from the BJP led government. As an opposition party BJP’s Kashmir policy remained high on rhetoric and low on strategic thinking. How it failed to follow its campaigns on EKTA YATRA and DODA BACHAO is reflective of this confusion. BJP has yet to come to grips with the complexities and subtle nuances of Muslim subnationalist politics in Kashmir. It is this politics which nourishes the separatist sentiment among Kashmiris.
Time is running out as international interference has become more brazen. The new NDA government has to evolve a serious perspective in re-establishing law and order, restoring the shattered confidence among displaced Kashmiris and addressing the real issues of Kashmiri Muslim alienation. BJP’s plea that it has not been allowed to do much for Kashmiri Pandits because of its allies, will have no takers now.
There are three elements in Kashmiri Muslim alienation. At common man level it is the misgovernance, while at the political plane it is non respect for competitive politics. At the psychological level it is the heightened Muslim identity consciousness, resulting from the injection of communal and fundamentalist politics over the years. Tackling this on a comprehensive basis is the real challenge before the new regime END

KASHMIR: THE REAL BATTLE

Dr. Ajay Chrungoo

The capturing of Indian peaks overlooking Kargil did pose a grave danger to the entire Ladakh region and even the Kashmir valley. But this does not sum up the entire story of Pakistani intentions. The sweeping generalisations that Pakistan expected only a low key military response from India defies simple logic. Particularly when India had shown all the resolve to defend as remote a place as Siachen in the same region at a very heavy human and material cost. It is time we look beyond the possible territorial objectives of Pakistani invasion in Kargil. There are reasons to believe that Kargil intrusion constituted a subtle politico-military manoeuvre for creating appropriate environment and pressure for the dilution of Indian sovereignty over Jammu and Kashmir state to set the stage for its final separation.
Pakistani analyst Ayaz Amir’s remarks in Dawn should have been taken note of. While making a critical apprisal of Pakistan’s operation in Kargil he makes an interesting observation. “..to put the most charitable construction on what is going on in Kargil sector, if this was the opening move in a bid to liberate Kashmir by force, something could be said in its defence. It would be seen as a part of the larger scheme of things even if this largest scheme was decried foolish or foolhardy... A war or even fighting of a limited kind as we are seeing in Kargil and Drass sectors must have a political objective if the expenditure of blood and resources is to be justified... It cannot be conquest or liberation of Kashmir because we lack strength for it. It cannot be the desire to internationalise the Kashmir problem because it is a quixotic venture to rush into a war for so a paltry aim”. The political developments prior to, during and subsequent to Kargil intrusion indicate a deft political strategy to force India a step back in Kashmir.
When Lord Avebury visited Kashmir he revealed in disgust to the media that Hurriyat was expecting some sort of a big bang which was never going to come. Subsequently the Pakistan talked of holding a districtwise plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir. Another significant political development took place when the ruling National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir submitted its ‘Autonomy Report’ in the state assembly at a time and in a way which surprised everyone in India.
During the Kargil crisis Benazir Bhuttoo proposed an approach towards solving the Kashmir problem which she called ‘deliberate incremental advance” It essentially envisages porous borders between the two parts of Kashmir; demilitarisation of entire Kashmir and its patrolling by either an international peace-keeping force or a joint Indo-Pak peace keeping force; opening of borders for unrestricted trade, cultural cooperation and exchange leading to the creation of a South Asian Free Market Zone etc. These measures Mrs Bhutto believed will act as confidence building mechanisms to pave way for negotiations after a fixed time frame for the final settlement of Kashmir issue. Benazir’s admissions that she regretted the policies during her Prime Ministership which had only led to increase in the tensions between the two countries added the flavour of reasonableness to her proposals.
The discussions between Parvez Musharraf the Pak Army Chief with the US delegation of General Anthony Zinni Commander-in-Chief US General Command and the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Gibson Lanpher as reported by Dawn showed that the Benazir’s overtures represented not just a public relation exercise in her self imposed exile but contained certain aspects of a broad consensus within the Pakistani establishment on the possible political approaches on Kashmir.
The newspaper Dawn reported that during the discussions with the visiting US delegation Gen Pervez Musharraf had hinted that Pakistan on its part would be prepared to consider as a part of a permanent solution the inclusion of the entire Valley and the Muslim parts of Jammu into the Pak held ‘Azad Kashmir’ territory-a settlement on the line of Dixon plan.
Mr Selig Harrison a fellow of the US think tank The Century Foundation, suggested during Kargil war that India for its part must show Pakistan and the international community that it is prepared to deal more sensitively with the Kashmiri aspirations than in the past by negotiating increased autonomy in accordance with the recommendations of the study recently conducted under the aegis of Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah.
All these political manoeuvres aimed at some sort of political solution for Kashmir made before and during Kargil, crisis. When studied alongwith other proposals on Kashmir made by various US think tanks from time to time, reveal an underlying commonality of purpose. All of them essentially constitute the various variants of the model for Kashmir solution proposed by Owen Dixon commonly known as Dixon plan. The district wise plebiscite as proposed by Pakistan and the ‘Autonomy’ as outlined, by National Conference constitute the two ends of the spectrum of solutions which encompass various variants of Dixon Plan like Limited or Shared Sovereignty Doctrines, Sovereignty without International Personality, Greater autonomous Muslim Kashmir etc etc.
The essence of this vision is that it endeavours to reconstitute Kashmir along communal lines, ease borders between the Indian Kashmir and Pak held Kashmir and seek nullification or dilution of Indian sovereignty in Jammu and Kashmir.
The systematically orchestrated publicity campaign over a decade has created a reference framework in India which emphasises the compatibility of ‘Autonomy Demand’ with the secular, democratic and federal structure of the Indian nation state This framework is yet to be challenged. Besides the methodology pursued by NC of articulating this demand with a very high anti-Pak rhetoric has left its impact on a section of Indian intelligentsia which actually has come to believe that the greater autonomy is a counterpoise to Pakistani aggressive machinations.
The Kargil intrusion has created subtler impacts. It has lowered the threshhold of international tolerance particularly in view of the regional nuclear environment. Besides the high cost of defending Kashmir is also being played up on Indian mind.
The tough talking which Michael Kripon is reported to have done during his recent visit to Jammu and Kashmir state and the proposal by Karl Inderfurth of US willingness to help in the rebuilding of Kashmir in case of a meaningful solution are indicative of that the ‘Autonomy Solution’, will have wider international support.
A silent consensus appears to have developed within various concerned quarters in US and Pakistan as well as the Kashmiri separatists that ‘greater autonomy’ should be vigorously pursued as a solution which may please all and break the stalemate.
For India the choice is becoming limited now, particularly as the internal war in J&K threatens creation of so-called liberated and setting up of parallel administration. Accepting the ‘Autonomy’ as envisaged by NC means according a constitutional legitimacy to Muslim subnationalism and as such accepting the two nation principle. It will knock out the secular principal as the ideological foundation of Indian nation state. Rejecting it implies basically defending Kashmir from the point of view of issues and ideology and not through expediences. It also means bidding a farewell to buffer policy which over the years only envisaged a symbolic secularism and symbolic democracy.
The political battle in Kashmir will be now won less on the game of numbers and cosmetic political manoeuvres and more by standing up to the challenges of ideology. The tragedy is that we are yet reluctant to fight this political battle from a higher pedestal END

GENOCIDE-TOPSY TURV

The Kashmir Pandit petition to the NHRC was a history sheet of happenings and events culminating in their genocide at the hands of Kashmiri Muslim fundamentalists. It is true it did not essentially conform in size and form to a petition but it did recount wants and happenings that faced the community at the hands of these well armed and treacherous people. To treat it as falling short and shora of the legal form or being lax in its strict determinations called upon in such matters in the prevailing circumstances was to expect for the moon.
The community in fear and terror, uprooted from its ethos and roots, haunted and disgraced for being Hindus i.e., Kafirs to Muslim fundamentalists, was at its wits end and even so managed to cry foul of this dread pestilence, though it may not have conformed to strict codes of ‘definitions’ formalities, which under the circumstances was neither possible nor practicable and insistence upon the same with digressions of space and time has made the petition more or less infructious merely on technicalities. It is a pity that the hon’ble Commission has not appreciated the wounded collective psyche which formed the body of the petition. It is no wonder that the hon’ble Commission none of whom had to be a witness to this high tragedy not to say suffer its agony could bring itself to the agonised level of the victims of this catastrophe and therefore not expected to do full just ice to their trauma and tragedy.
The commission has insisted too much on the letter of the law the ‘intent’, i.e. the intention. behind the collective crime to classify or place the tragedy within the ambit of ‘genocide’ which it has found lacking in the killings of the KPs by the Kashmiri Muslim fundamentalists. It has instead found the immediate intent in their i.e. of the fundamentalists urge for secession, the resultant ‘genocide’ removed a fool farther behind this urge and therefore resultant and not the instant intent. Indeed such calamities cannot be found to fit the confines of this or that authority on the subject of genocide which assumes different aspects in different historical situations. Definitions can not evunciate situations the latter in fact modifying definition from time to time according to the exigencies of each situation.
Law can not be a shait jacket if it is assumed the so, it become an ass! Any definition or motivations is provided by the circumstances obtaining in each historical case. A definition arrived at decades leak can not mechanically be transplanted and applied for entirely a different set of historical circumstances. It has to be in a flux, continuously assuming different contuous in different historical settings. It is difficult, if not impossible to find two similar cases in different historical contexts to fit squarely within the confines of an earlier definition. The definitions too do ask for enrichment a continuous involvement, or else they fade out as irrelevant. This the historically provided motivation is more relevant then any other mechanical application of “definitions” evolved in different historical contexts. There is nothing innuctable not even the so called “definition”. It is the historical motivation that is relevant and a determinant in each and every case. Let us, therefore, visit the history of Kashmir to form an idea of the intent behind the repeated ‘genocide of Kashmiri Pandits at the hands of Muslim fundamentalist from time to time, the fast impulse the first intent providing the eradication of ‘Kufur’ infidelity-either by killing them wholesale or mass conversions. And these episodes directly from the history looks written by men of faith and not Kafirs are revealing and as well instructive.
Records Baharistan-i-Shahi with the help of some of the chiefs of this land, some of them had reverted to the customs of infidels and polytheists. These apostates had resumed idolatry some of the infidels related that during the hours of offering prayers and worshipping of idols, they would place a cops of the Quran under their launches to make a seat to sit upon. Thus idol worshipping proceeded him as they sat on the divine book, when the news and details of these doings were brought to Amir Shamsuddin Iraqi he summoned Halik Haji Chak to him accompanied by Malik Ali and Kh Ahmad, his two counsellors and administrators, Halik Kaji Chak presented himself before the venerable Amir who declared to them.
This committing of idolators has after entracing and subnuthey to the Islamic faith now gone back to defiance and apartsay... Thus seven to eight hundred infidels were put to death”.
Baharistan-i-Shahi further records “those killed were the leading personalities of the community of infidels at the time, men of substance and Govt functionaries. Each of them wielded influence and sway over hundred families of other infidels and hactics. Thus the entire community of infidels and polytheisls in Kashmir was coerced into conversion to Islam at the point of sword.
During the Govt of Malik Musa Raina, all the depraved ... of this land-Kashmir-had been converted to Islam, recofs Bahrishan-e-Shahi.
The Bahrustan-e-Shahi also records But with the support and authority of Malik Musa Raina, Amir Shamsuddin Mohd. Undertook a wholesale destruction of all those idol houses as well as the ruination of the very foundation of infidelity and disbelief on the site of every idol house he destroyed the ordered the construction of a mosque for offering prayers after the Islamic manner... It is publicly known that during his life time, with the virtuous efforts and elaborate arrangements made of the fortunate Malik Musa Raina twenty four thousand families of staunch infidels and shibborn hectics were enrolled by being converted to Islam.”
Reads Tohfatul Ahbab- “At the behest of Shaus Irafi, Musa Raina had ordered 1500 to 2000 infidels to be brought to his door steps any day .. his followers. They would remove their sacred threads, administer ‘Kalima’ to them, circumcise them and thrust lumps of beef into their mouths”.
ii) As may as eighteen big temples in the city of Srinagar and in rural areas of the Valley were completely destroyed under the instructions and orders of Shamsuddin Iraqi and Malik Musa Raina”.
Towards the fag end of his life Sultan Sikander was injured with a zeal for demolishing idol houses, destroying temples and idols of the infidels. He destroyed the massive temple at Bijbehara. He had designs to destroy all the temples and put an end to the entire community of infidel-records Bharistan-i-Shahi.
“Many of the Brahman rather than abandon their religion or their country poisoned themselves, some emigrated from their houses while a few escaped the evil of banishment by becoming Mohammadans” writes Farishta. Twenty four thousand families were converted at one stroke to the faith of Islam by force and compulsion (qahran and gabran” ) Records Hassan in Tarikh-i-Kashmir page 223. Enough of these historical samples where number is though legion.
The aforesaid quotes from the histories of Kashmir are a pointer to a particularly consistent and common running through ale the loots, the massacres and killings of the community as an ethno religious minority. This has not however, been peculiarly common to a certain period in history but has been the usual feature in the modern times too from time to time the genocide of 1989-90 not being at all an exception for which any other dominating factor has to be sought for; the only distinctive feature being transition from swords and sticks to bullets and bombs etc supplied in an external agency for reasons of its own which bears a larger dimension against the Hindu majority of India. In the case of Kashmir, the perpetrators already having history of genocide propensities right for the advent and Muslim rule. Mercifully been the hon’ble commission had in its judgement in para-62 through observed interalea... And there can be no gainsaying the acute suffering and deprivation caused to the community... the commission is constrained to observe that while acts akin to genocide have occurred in respect of the Kashmiri Pandits, grave as they undoubtedly are, fall short of the ultimate crime genocide.
In other words, it is conveyed that the acts akin to genocide, the commission is restricted by the formalities prescribed in this behalf by experts who though have had an experience of an entirely different character in a different context.
The historical witnesses quoted here-in-before are proof enough of the orgy repeated genocide of Kashmiri Pandit Community from time to time for no other reason than of being a religious minority in the Valley of Kashmir, the same intent and impulse having also generated the genocide of 1989-90 in a new historical situation when the local maranders found new allies extra territorially.
The Hon’ble Commission has exclusively depended upon the reports of the state agencies and not deemed it necessary to make an independent and impartial investigation to arrive at the truth. While state has the capacity and the means to distort the truth, the dispossessed and expropriated victims have neither the capacity nor the means to compete in this sordid business in which the truth is casualty. An in-depth and impartial investigation above is expected to bring out the real truth without the need of an over dependence on professionals for their fees are supposed to represent both the victim and the bully with equanimity and the least pangs of conscience.
The acts akin to genocide having been acknowledged to have happened along with the motivation in the minds of some perpetrators. There would appear no reason why the Hon’ble Commission falling short of calling a spade a spade thus making truth itself a casualty supposedly in the minds of people on account of competitive secular--non-secular considerations.
A distinction would need to be made in the proceedings as between a commission and a govt the later strictly depending upon the capacity of the parties to prove their point on the strength of their witnesses and the capacity of the extending legal luminaries which necessarily does not lead to the divulgence of truth for both the witnesses and the law-without of course, any disrespect to any quarter can be purchased which, however, is beyond the capacity of dispossessed and expropriated community. In the process truth becoming the casualty. The Hon’ble Commission would therefore, need to go deeper into the roots of the tragedy on its own inlegal parlance suo-moto again a fresh without much dependence on the state agencies which have mutiliated and manipulated the whole truth are in every way interested in camoflouging the reality as the state administration was and is all along biased against the complainants. Indeed it is the very same cover up of the truth off and on that has perpetuated this menace. It is worth while mention here that the entire state administration a right from the beginning of the socalled, “Peoples Raj” and move particularly so since the onset of ‘terrorism’ against KP community has made common cause with this brutal force as the state bureaucracy and the law and order machinery comprise largely the elements from anti-national outfits like the Al-Fateh and Plebiscite Front etc instructed all along on the lore of Muslim fundamentalism. Thus the whole atmosphere been fouled dependence upon the state agencies to present a factual position to the commission has been misplaced which explains the imperatives of an independent enquiry; the only means to arrive at the unvarnished truth.
The state government has enlarged the time frame from 1989 to 1997 instead of restricting it to 1989-90 as such a course has provided the state statistical support for dilution of the change of genocide against the Pandits committed largely since the end of 1989 to the end of 1991 when definitely no Muslim was targeted and the ourslaught was exclusively directed against the Pandits, the only victims who had to leave their homes and hearths to escape the fate of hundreds of their co-religionists and were on notice of the terrorist outfits to quit or face the inevitable. Subsequently Muslims also fell victims of these terrorists. It was and has largely been for reasons of inter and intra terrorist gang rivalries and not for any other reason and if some of them have assumed the garb of ‘migrants’ it has been a contrived affair by both the state agencies and the political wing of the terrorists in attempt to escape the shame and slur of genocide of Pandits. Here it may also be stated that the exception of some Pandits having stayed back and survived in fact proves the rules as even in similar situations in the past which bears testimony there existed once only eleven KP families in the Valley. In any event these unfortunate Pandits are living as Pandits on borrowed time.
There still is hope in the Pandit mind that the truth will at last prevail END

INAUGURATION OF COMPUTER TRAINING COURSE-7TH BATCH

KS Correspondent

Computer Training Course in respect of 7th batch of All India Kashmiri Samaj sponsored displaced students, was inaugurated on 11th Sept ’99.
Under the guidance of their Music Teachers, students of SOS School presented hymns and national songs, invoking the blessings of Mother Goddess.
Mr Vinod Tamiri, Principal of SOS Helmut Kutin Vocational Training Centre stated that the respond to the call from AIKS in 1993, when Mr DN Munshi, the then President of AIKS and his team, drew up a plan of action for programmes of relief, welfare and in particular training for the displaced youth, the first batch of 11 youth completed their computer training followed by other batches in the succeeding years. Thus 212 youth have benefited from such courses till date. Mr Tamiri stated that the centre is affiliated with National Council for Vocational Training for Engineering Trade and with DOEACC’s Society for Computer Courses.
Mr JN Kaul President All India Kashmiri Samaj, in his speech referred to the sad demise of Dr RN Kar on 26th August ’99 in New Delhi. Dr Kar was a prominent member of Kashmiri Pandit Community and a member of All India Kashmiri Samaj Trust. Dr Kar had the highest qualification of doctorate in Engineering from the University of Munich (Germany). In particular Mr JN Kaul referred to the guidance and financial assistance of over a lakh of rupees annually, out of the corpus of Rs 10 lakhs trust created in the name of his late wife Smt Shanta Kar. The financial assistance was utilised by AIKS for subsidising the computer training programmes and for extending financial assistance to needy displaced persons.
On being requested to address the audience and bless the trainees, Mr DN Munshi, former President of AIKS and member of AIKS Trust, recalled the early days of 1990 when entire community of Kashmiri Pandits was uprooted by fanatic terrorists resulting in their forced exile to Jammu and other parts of India. The AIKS at that stage with the assistance of and in collaboration with its affiliates in India and overseas, drew up plan of projects to alleviate sufferings of KP’s and in particular for technical training of the displaced youth. One such project was initiation of computer training with the active assistance of SOS organisation. Mr Musnhi feelingly referred to the great service rendered by Dr RN Kar who extended considerable financial assistance, for many years, exceeding over a lakh of rupees per annum, out of Mrs Shanta Kar Trust, which enabled the AIKS to subside its various relief, welfare and training programmes.
Blessing the trainees of the 7th batch and extending felicitations to those who successfully completed the training courses in the earlier batches and are now engaged in gainful employment, Mr JN Kaul stated that Helmut Kutin Vocational Training Centre had a highly qualified and experienced faculty supported by first class infrastructure. He also referred to adequate hostel facilities with refrigerators, colour TV’s and medical facilities. He appreciated the assistance and cooperation extended in Jammu in making selection of candidates for the computer training course. Apart from computer training, Mr Kaul referred to the aspects of developing over-all personality health through yoga, improvement in general knowledge and spoken languages Hindi and English, under experts, so that on completion of their training, the candidates are able to face interviews with self-confidence. Mr Kaul also announced that those trainees who display excellence in their performance, would be offered facilitities and scholarships for higher training.
Mr LC Kaul proposed vote of thanks to the guests, SOS organisation and the audience. The function came to a close with singing of the National Anthem.

NO LINK WITH FUNDAMENTALISM

TERRORISM IN PUNJAB

By S.S. Dhanoa

The 10 years’ nightmare of terrorism that Punjab has undergone is generally ascribed to the fallout of Sikh fundamentalism in line with various disturbances and acts of terrorism ascribed to Islamic fundamentalism all over the world, including Kashmir in our country. This is a complete misreading of the situation so far as Punjab is concerned, and Muslim fundamentalism cannot solely account for what has been going on in Jammu and Kashmir. The use of the term “fundamentalism” by the media to explain the acts of murder and killing only confers respectability on the perpetrators of such heinous crimes against humanity.
Fundamentalism is a term of Christian origin meaning orthodox religious beliefs based on a literal interpretation of the Bible (complete acceptance of the story of creation, as given in Genesis and rejection of the theory of evolution) and regarded as fundamental to the Christian faith. It should be obvious to anyone familiar with the Sikh tenets and traditions that a true fundamentalist Sikh cannot even think of harming an innocent person what to say of the bloodbath that Punjab had undergone over the last decade.
However, the abuse of the term has become so widespread that one finds Sikh fundamentalism included in the study conducted by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences brought out in book form, “Fundamentalisms observed”, edited by Martin E.Marty and R.Scott Appleby, in 1991. Dr T.N. Madan in this chapter has observed that “Sikh fundamentalism” in marked not so much by deep theological concerns or intellectual vigour as by religious fervour and political passion. Modern scholars generally serve it, they do not lead or guide it; Sikh fundamentalism is orthoprax rather than orthodox.
Mr Paul Wallace, similarly, observed in a recent paper:”Religious revivalism and fundamentalism, therefore, were employed dynamically and violently by Bhindranwale so as to preserve and advance his visionof the community.” The scholars who have generally supported the militancy of the Sikhs deny that Sikh fundamentalism had anything to do with terrorism in Punjab. They ascribe the violence and murders as an extreme reaction to the injustice and humiliation meted out to the Sikhs, particularly after 1947. It is beyond one’s understanding as to how the injustice and humiliation could justify a recourse to the killing of innocent persons merely because they got identified as belonging to a group from among whom some individual had meted out some alleged injustice or humiliation to a Sikh or a group of Sikhs.
It is a sad reflection on the perceptive Punjabi intelligentsia that the bloodbath of a decade failed to produce any significant piece of literature or art which could have even mildly projected the reality of this great human tragedy. We have no Sadat Hasan Manto among us nor even a Taslima Nasreen of the “Lajja” fame.
Perhaps the use of the term “Sikh fundamentalism” for the holocaust muted the perception, reaction and articulation of everyone in Punjab. The late Mrs Rajinder Kaur, daughter of Master Tara Singh, was generally sympathetic to the cause espoused by the Sikh militants but even she could not refrain from observing in one of her editorials of Sant Sipahi that while the individuals associated with the earlier Sikh movements were characterised by their religious fervour, piety and devotion, the individuals associated with the recent Sikh militancy didnot seem even to do their “nit nem” with devotion nor did their .. very mjch about participating in “Sha...
The author was a witness to the shocking spectacle at Fatehgarh Saheb in 1989 where militants, after forcibly capturing the gurdwara stage,used that stage to get the congregation shout “long live” slogans for this militants or that militant by name. The author did express his anguish over the blasphemy through a letter that was published in The Hindustan Times, but neither the incident nor the letter could evoke any response from anyone who felt, in any way, concerned about it.
It is necessary to properly understand what had caused the tragegy that was enacted in Punjab. We can safely conclude that religious fundamentalism of the Sikhs was not the real cause. The study conducted by the American Academyof Arts and Sciences in its introduction describes the phenomenon that was called “fundamentalism”. They concede that they were using the term for want of coining another term to describe the phenomenon and, secondly, because journalists, public officials, scholars and policy-makers all over the world had settled on this term.
According to them, the general features of the so-called “fundamentalist” militancy are: Firstly, they react and they fight back with great innovative power, secondly, they fight for a world view that they had inherited or adopted and that they constantly reinforce. Thirdly, they fight with a particularly chosen repository of resources. Fourthly, they fight against what they choose to describe as others or enemies. Fifthly, fundamentalists fight by using the name God,or under the signs of some transcendent reference.
Without falling for the term “fundamentalism”, we may reflect on the events of the past 10 years that are now etched into Punjabi consciousness. We have to accept that Punjab militants-others than the criminals masquerading as militants-had their own construct as their world view which was basically of the hegemony of the Khalsa. Although they chose to describe the Hindus as their enemies, in fact, they were running away from the reality that they were coming face to face within their day-to-day life in having their own construct of reality. The reality that they were refusing to face, along with most of us in this country, is “that modern history is characterised by the globalisation of the Western order. The Western economic and political conquest of the world and hegemony in the modern age have engendered conditions of equally real ideological and cultural hegemony”.
Even the tallest of Indians often fail to recognise this reality and start looking for the causes of this situation in imaginary constructs of reality. These constructs could be of a Hindutva, Islamic or Sikh tradition, but all of them are away from the reality. In Punjab, this imaginary construct was of the glory of the 18th-19th century Khalsa as depicted in a selective construct was of the glory of the 18th-19th century Khalsa as depicted in a selective construct of history provided by the scholars who shared the same vision. The common feature among all militant movements not recognised by scholars is that all these movements have appeared in the societies/communities which perceive themselves as having been deprived by the march of events in the world.
In a way, the militant reaction is a revanchist reaction. If a proper term is to be used to describe this militancy, it is not fundamentalism but revachism. The movement in Punjab failed because the common man had to face the reality around him, and the make-believe world of the imaginary construct was found to be after all a false construct. Although conditions of Western hegemony are knocking at our doors all 24 hours, in our constructs we are unable to face this hegemony, so we have to have a scapegoat in the shape of a Hindu, Muslim or Sikh enemy.
In Punjab during the last decade, Hindu was seen as the enemy, at the root of every problem that Punjab was perceived to be having. Very few or our scholars have made an effort to analyse as to what had made Western society achieve this unchallengeable hegemony in all fields, including social, political, cultural and ideological, So far it seems that Japan is the only exception where people immediately recognised in the mid-nineteenth century that Commodore Perry represented a new order which they had to accept as superior and worth emulating. The result was what is called the Meiji revolution, making Japan as the only non-European member of the G-7 group of nations. The other non-European nations which have shed their complacency seem to be on the march to catch up with the West.
We have also been belatedly forced to virtually liberalise, but as an ancient civilisation, recognised as the leaders of the world in learning at one time, we have problems in joining the Western “bandwagon”. But it seems that best that we can do is to go in for the Japanese model as we cannot hope to push the Western tide back. Punjab too has to come to terms with the reality that the Hindus and the Sikhs have to live together in a democratic polity of India, respecting human rights of each other. The Khalsa hegemony has to be achieved in the realm of culture, ideas and service to humanity.
The achievement of the Jews could be emulated not for getting the state of Israel carved out but for their excellence in the field of culture, sciences and academics in the modern age.
It is necessary that a new praxis emerges in Punjab to replace the stultifying political discourse that has so far been keeping the Punjabis divided and at loggerheads with one another. We will be deluding ourselves if we go on ascribing the incidents of violence of the previous decade in Punjab to any religious fundamentalism, and do not recognise it as revanchism, which had swept Europe in the early twentieth century and for exercising it the West had to pay a tremendous price. We too have paid a heavy price for exorcising this phantom. Now let us recognise it as something like the Naxi... , and bury it for good.
Source: The Tribune

THEOCRATIC DEMANDS MUST BE RESISTED

By Satyapal Dang

It was many years ago that the demand for declaring Amritsar a holy city was raised and agitated for by the then more or less united Akali party. Indira Gandhi was not inclined to accept it.
The Akali leaders cited her attitude as proof of discrimination against Sikhs being followed by the rulers of India. They asked why Amritsar could not be declared a holy city when Hardwar in Uttar Pradesh had been declared as one. On verification, however, it was found that Hardwar had never been declared a holy city by any state government, though there seemed to be a move by the Bhajan Lal government of Haryana to declare Kurukshetra as one.
During the days of the British, the municipal committee of Hardwar had banned the sale and eating of meat within the municipal limits of the town. However, meat was apparently freely available in the town and the best quality meat was reportedly sold by the pandas there.

Akali Demand

The Akali demand for declaring Amritsar a holy city was opposed by some Hindu communal organisations which took out provocative processions to assert their right to smoke and even drink. But when a city is regarded as holy by people professing any one religion, their sentiments must be respected and honoured by other religious communities. The state should not get into the business of issuing notifications declaring cities as holy and imposing bans of various types which would be honoured more in breach. It has also to be emphasised that the natural inclination in favour of Hindus of the national leadership must be overcome and at no cost must it be allowed to lead to discriminatory policies or practices.
After many discussions at all party meetings, a consensus was evolved and implemented. The sale of cigarettes, meat and liquor was banned within a particular radius around the Golden Temple and a similar ban was imposed in relation to meat and liquor around the Hindu Duroyana temple. After many years, the issue has cropped up again in more than one form. The initiative this time comes from the Chief Minister, Mr Beant Singh. He has banned the sale and consumption of liquor not only in the whole of Amritsar but also in Anandpur Sahib and Talwandi Sabo. All three are Sikh religious places. Such demands have also been raised in relation to Hindu religious towns.
Fatehgarh and some surrounding areas, previously parts of Patiala district, have been made a district for no other reason except that Fatehgarh is a Sikh religious place where the two young sons of Guru Gobind Singh were martyred. The formation of the new districts of Fatehgarh Sahib and Mansa have given rise to demands for many more districts and also various types of agitations. That apart, demands for forming more new districts on religious grounds with no other justification too are coming up. Some argue that such measures will please the Sikhs, helping to solve the Punjab problem.
In this very category falls the demand to make Amritsar the capital of the state. It was first championed by the Congress MP, Mr Raghunandan Lal Bhatia, and according to some at the instance of the Prime Minister himself. Whatever be the other arguments advanced, the real reason for this proposition is of a piece with certain cities and towns being sought to be declared holy. The municipal corporation of Amritsar at a meeting, from which the CPI and the BJP had walked out, adopted two resolutions--one recommending the declaring of making Amritsar a holy city and the other that Amritsar be made the capital of Punjab.
Those voting in favour of the resolution were the ruling parties in the corporation--the Congress and an independent group headed by a “militant” hailing from a family of notorious terrorists. It is commonly believed that the corporation is, in fact, being run by this independent group.
Now comes the announcement made in Amritsar by a Janata Dal MP that very soon Patna, the birth place of Guru Gobind Singh, would be declared a holy city by the Laloo Prasad Yadav government. There are reports in the press that Nanded (a holy place of the Sikhs) would also be declared a holy city by the Congress government of Maharashtra.
All these measures and other similar ones are being adopted with the argument that these will win over to the mainstream misguided sections of Sikhs. Such arguments may appear plausible but one cannot be very sure about their short-term and long-term effects. This writer remembers what he said in the Punjab assembly a number of years ago when the then Chief Minister Giani Zail Singh started the construction of Guru Gobind Singh Marg and took some similar other steps calculated to please Sikh religious sentiment. Giani Zail Singh’s calculation was that such measures would weaken the Akalis and would strengthen secular forces. This writer challenged this concept and asserted that the actual result would be just the reverse. These views were widely appreciated by most people, including by large sections of Sikhs. They have been proved correct in actual practice.

Serious Apprehensions

With regard to these recent moves and counter-moves in relation to Hindus, one has reason to entertain serious apprehensions. Whatever good they may do in the short run, in the long run they will weaken secularism and may even strengthen the forces which stand for theocracy. These moves will strengthen the sentiment that Punjab must be a Sikh state and also that India should be a Hindu state.
It is not without significance that the BJP in Punjab has enthusiastically welcomed such moves. On the other hand, it is initiating moves like changing the name of Faizabad to a Hindu religious name. BJP leaders know that whoever may weaken from among the seemingly opposing sides, it will be grist to the mill of the advocates of Hindu rashtra in India. The fall-out for Punjab is dangerously obvious. The entire question requires much deeper thought.
Source: Times of India

COALITION POLITICS AND NATIONAL UNITY

By Dr. M.K. Teng

The breakdown of the na-tional consensus on a parliamentary majority in India, a phenomenon which is characteristic of the function of parliamentary governments in the developing countries, has led to a dangerous trend, to identify the federal division of powers with sub-national pluralism. In an attempt to seek legitimacy for the coalition governments, which largely depend upon the support of several regional parties, a phenomenon specified to the Indian political system, many of the political parties, which claimed to have demolished one-party dominance of the Congress, have called for the identification of the federal division of powers with sub-national identities representing the pluralist content of the Indian society. Indeed the proposals were aimed to evolve a centre of power in which the coalition constituents shared authority to sustain their power. The decentralisation of central authority on horizontal basis, it was contended would, end the quest for identity of the regionalised sub-national cultures in India, otherwise compartmentalised in artificial administrative divisions of the Indian federal organisation. The pluralisation of power at the federal centre in India and in the states, it came to be actively advocated, would dissolve the configuration of political power based upon the traditional one-party parliamentary majority which reflect the diversity of the Indian society.
Besides the theoretical proposition that all forms of federal organisation are based upon territorial division of political authority on administrative basis, not even remotely related to any social pluralities, the practical implications of seeking any identification of the federal division of powers with sub-national identities, would be disasterous for such a large country as India and would, sooner than anticipated, lead to the disintegration of the Indian federal structure.
Federalisation is a political process which underlines a division of powers on territorial basis. Whenever the territorial division of powers was sought to be identified with sub-nationalism, the federal structures disintegrated.
The Indian federal polity grew out of two diametrically divergent processes, which underlined the devolution of authority to erstwhile provinces of what was known as the British India, before the independence and the integration of the Indian Princely States, which acceded to India in accordance with the instruments of Accession. The Instruments of Accession envisaged, the procedure by virtue of which the Indian States acceded to India. The federal organisation of India, was, therefore, constituted of the erstwhile Indian provinces and the Indian Princely States, which were liberated from the British tutelage after the British colonial empire in India came to its end in 1947.
The federating process in India underlined a combination of the devolution of authority to the provincial governments on the one hand and the integration of the acceding states, on the other. The Constituent Assembly favoured a conditional devolution of the powers to the provinces. The rulers of the states, on their part too, approved of a conditional transfer of their authority to the federation. The Constituent Assembly of India, however, proved to be a great leveler and forged the provinces and the states into an irreversible union in which the Central government assumed paramount authority over the provinces as well as the States.
The political boundaries of the Indian Provinces and the Princely States, as they evolved with the consolidation of the British Power in India, overspread ethnic, cultural, religious and linguistic diversities. The Indian social pluralism did not represent any political boundaries. The ethnic divisions, religious commitments, caste gradation and cultural diversities, cut across the political boundaries, the British described, creating many interlocking segments. None of the interlocking segments presented any political uniformity and territorial contiguity.
The Indian federal organisation envisaged by the Constitution of India does not represent the division of political authority on the basis of the division of powers between the federation and the sub-national identities. The founding fathers of the Indian Constitution, envisioned integration as well as autonomy in a concrete political system. The Indian federal organisation was embedded in an environment, which was plural and diverse, but its boundaries were clearly defined.
The federal division of powers evolved by the Constituent Assembly transcended the cultural, religious and linguistic pluralism of the Indian society. The autonomy, now claimed for sub-national identities as the basis of what is called ‘cooperative federalism’, is a prescription for the dissolution of the federal relationship evolved by the Constituency Assembly of India as a basis of the Indian Federal Organisation. Any attempt, made, consciously or unconsciously, to change the territorial division of powers in the Indian federation will lead to its disintegration.
There is an inherent conflict between subnational pluralism and political autonomy. Political autonomy is a residue of political authority and therefore, complementary to national integration. Subnational pluralism is basically a function of ethnic, cultural, religious and linguistic separatism and consequently irreconcilable to national integration and nation-building.
Coalition politics is not an attribute of parliamentary government. It is a dysfunctional feature of the cabinet system of government, which is essentially founded on an ideological and political consensus on a national level. Regional aspirations, autonomy and plural sociology, are an antithesis of a parliamentary consensus. Federalisation of power in India, is reconcilable to the national census in a parliamentary government to the extent it underlines on a political division of powers, within the broad framework of a parliamentary order.
Coalitions, are destructive of the parliamentary majority. If the trend to replace, parliamentary majorities continues, the whole parliamentary systems in India will not survive for long. Nor will the federal division of powers endure for many years, because its basis in India is underlined by a consensus on a parliamentary majority END

DOCUMENT

SINO-PAKISTAN FRONTIER AGREEMENT OF 1963

Below is the text of the Sino-Pak Border agreement 1963 through which Pakistan illegally ceded 1/3rd of the territory of Jammu and Kashmir to China.
The Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of Pakistan;

HAVING agreed, with a view to ensuring the prevailing peace and tranquility on the border, to formally delimit and demarcate the boundary between China’s Sinking and the contiguous areas the defence of which is under the actual control of Pakistan, in a spirit of fairness, reasonableness, mutual understanding and mutual accommodation, and on the basis of the ten principles as enunciated in the Bandung conference;
Being convinced that this would not only give full expression to the desire of the people of China and Pakistan for the development of good neighbourly and friendly relations, but also help safeguard Asian and world peace.
Have resolved for this purpose to conclude the present agreement and have appointed as their respective plenipotentiaries the following.
For the Government of the People’s Republic of China; Chen Yi, Minister of Foreign Affairs.
For the Government of the Pakistan Zulfikar Bhutto, Minister of External Affairs.
Who, having mutually examined their full powers and found them to be in good and due form have agreed upon following:-

Article 1

In view of the fact that the boundary between China’s Sinkiang and the contiguous areas the defence of which is under the actual control of Pakistan has never been formally delimited, two parties agree to delimit it on the basis of the traditional customary boundary line including features and in a spirit of equality, mutual benefit and friendly cooperation.

Article 2

In accordance with the principle expounded in Article 1 of the present agreement, the two parties have fixed as follows the alignment of the entire boundary line between China’s Sinkiang and the contiguous areas the defence of which is under the actual control of Pakistan.
1) Commencing from its north western extremity at height 5,630 metres (a peak the reference coordinates of which are approximately longitude 74 degrees 34 minutes east and latitude 37 degrees 3 minutes north), the boundary line runs generally eastward and then South-eastward strictly along the main watershed between the tributaries of the Tashkurgan river of the Tarim river system on the one hand on the tributes of the Hunza river of the Indus river system on the other hand, passing through the Kilik Daban (Dawan), the Mintake Daban (pass), the Kharchanai Daban (named on the Chinese map only), the Mutsgila Daban (named on the Chinese map only) and the Parpik Pass (named on the Pakistan map only) and reaches the Khunjerab (Yutr Daban (Pass).
2) After passing through the Kunjerab (Yutr) Daban (pass) the boundary line runs generally southward along the above-mentioned main watershed upto a mountain-top south of the Daban (pass), where it leaves the main watershed to follow the crest of a spur lying generally in a south-easterly direction, which is the watershed between the Akjilga river ( a nameless corresponding river on the Pakistan map) on the one hand, and the Taghumbash (Oprang) river and the Koliman Su (Orang Jilga) on the other hand.
According to the map of the Chinese side, the boundary line, after leaving the south-eastern extremity of the spur, runs along a small section of the middle line of the bed of the Koliman Su to reach its confluence with the Elechin river. According to the map of the Pakistan side, the boundary line, after leaving the south-eastern extremity of this spur, reaches the sharp bend of the Shaksgam of Muztagh river.
3) From the aforesaid point, the boundary lines runs up the Kelechin river (Shaksgam or Muztagh river) along the middle line of its bed its confluence (reference coordinates approximately longitude 76 degrees 2 minutes east and latitude 36 degrees 26 minutes north) with the Shorbulak Daria (Shimshal river or Braldu river).
4) From the confluence of the aforesaid two rivers, the boundary line, according to the map of the Chinese side, ascends the crest of a spur and runs along it to join the Karakoram range main watershed at a mountain-top (reference coordinates approximately longitude 75 degrees 54 minutes east and latitude 36 degrees 15 minutes north) which on this map is shown as belonging to the Shorgulak mountain. According to the map of the Pakistan side, the boundary line from the confluence of the above mentioned two river ascends the crest of a corresponding spur and runs along it, passing through height 6.520 meters (21,390 feet) till it joins the Karakoram range main watershed at a peak (reference coordinates approximately longitude 75 degrees 57 minutes east and latitude 36 degrees 3 minutes north).
5) Thence, the boundary line, running generally south-ward and then eastward strictly follows the Karakoram range main watershed which separates the Tarim river drainage system from the Indus river drainage system, passing through the east Mustagh pass (Muztagh pass), the top of the Chogri peak (K-2) the top of the broad peak, the top of the Gasherbrum mountain (8,068), the Indirakoli pass (names of the Chinese maps only) and the top of the Teramn Kankri peak, and reaches its south-eastern extremity at the Karakoram pass.
Then alignment of the entire boundary line as described in section one of this article, has been drawn on the one million scale map of the Pakistan side in English which are signed and attached to the present agreement.
In view of the fact that the maps of the two sides are not fully identical in their representation of topographical features the two parties have agreed that the actual features on the ground shall prevail, so far as the location and alignment of the boundary described in section one is concerned, and that they will be determined as far as possible bq bgint survey on the ground.

Article 3

The two parties have agreed that:
i) Wherever the boundary follows a river, the middle line of the river bed shall be the boundary line; and that
ii) Wherever the boundary passes through a deban (pass) the water-parting line thereof shall be the boundary line.

Article 4

One the two parties have agreed to set up, as soon as possible, a joint boundary demarcation commission. Each side will appoint a chairman, one or more members and a certain number of advisers and technical staff. The joint boundary demarcation commission is charged with the responsibility in accordance with the provisions of the present agreement, to hold concrete discussions on and carry out the following tasks jointly.
1) To conduct necessary surveys of the boundary area on the ground, as stated in Article 2 of the present agreement so as to set up boundary markers at places considered to be appropriate by the two parties and to delineate the boundary line of the jointly prepared accurate maps.
To draft a protocol setting forth in detail the alignment of the entire boundary line and the location of all the boundary markers and prepare and get printed detailed maps, to be attached to the protocol, with the boundary line and the location of the boundary markers shown on them.
2) The aforesaid protocol, upon being signed by representatives of the governments of the two countries, shall become an annex to the present agreement, and the detailed maps shall replace the maps attached to the present agreement.
3) Upon the conclusion of the above-mentioned protocol, the tasks of the joint boundary demarcation commission shall be terminated.

Article 5

The two parties have agreed that any dispute concerning the boundary which may arise after the delimitation of boundary line actually existing between the two countries shall be settled peacefully by the two parties through friendly consultations.

Article 6

The two parties have agreed that after the settlement of the Kashmir dispute between Pakistan and India, the sovereign authority concerned will reopen negotiations with the Government of the People’s Republic of China on the boundary as described in Article. Two of the present agreement, so as to sign a formal boundary treaty to replace the present agreement, provided that in the event of the sovereign authority being Pakistan, the provisions of the present agreement and of the aforesaid protocol shall be maintained in the formal boundary treaty to be signed between the People’s Republic of China and Pakistan.

Article 7

The present agreement shall come into force on the data of its signature.
Done in duplicate in Peking on the second day of March 1963, in the Chinese and English languages, both side being equally authentic END

AMERICA OPENS ITS CARDS

IS KREPON THE SPECIAL ENVOY ON KASHMIR

Diplomatic Correspondent

Is Michael Krepon the US special envoy on Kashmir? In the rapid flurry of events taking place, America as a typical arrogant power has started opening its cards on Kashmir. The two-fold objectives of US policy on Kashmir are -imposing itself as the third party and secondly to create an independent foothold in the strategic territory of Kashmir. Rest of the US rhetoric on Kashmir is semantic Jugglery. American insistence on taking into account the “wishes of Kashmiri people” and tacit endorsement of the “third option” is an attempt to increase its leverage in Kashmir both against India and Pakistan.
America has been responsible for the creation as well as the sustenance of the Islamist uprising in Kashmir. It is the subtle diplomatic support, which keeps the Hurriyat leaders in good spirits. How do the Americans have come to acknowledge APHC as the real spokesperson of Kashmiris, when this organisation has yet to prove its representative character through democratic means? Farooq Kathwari, a NRI Kashmiri in US and the chief financier of the many revanchist pan-Islamist outfits in Afghanistan and Kashmir is one of the important advisors to the Americans. Kashmir Study Group, a US think-tank group is the creation of Kathwari, who is also its main financier. How this rabid fundamentalist has suddenly become the protagonist of the ‘third option’ and autonomy? What line he came to lobby for during his visit to India? It is in this background that some of the recent US moves on Kashmir need to be analysed.
The State Department is timing its initiatives on Kashmir coinciding with the installation of the new government, to put pressure on it.
In the last week of September, sixty American senators, most of them democrats called for appointment of a special envoy on Kashmir and strengthening of the UN Military Observer Group to monitor the situation along LoC. Their letter to the US President said, “The United States should help break the stalemate over Kashmir to reduce the chances of nuclear war in South Asia. Therefore we urge you to consider the appointment of a special envoy who could recommend to you the ways of ascertaining the wishes of Kashmiri people and reaching a just and lasting settlement on the Kashmir issue.”
Around same time, the influential US think-tank, Michael Krepon, Head of the Henry Stimson Centre visited India to explore support for new US moves on Kashmir. Krepon’s Centre, during the last one year had been involved in back-channel diplomacy on Kashmir. It had been sponsoring visits of bureaucrats, diplomats, politicians etc from India and Pakistan for garnering support for new US moves on Kashmir.
During his recent visit, Krepon held series of meetings with security and defence experts. He met people from different political parties and military establishment. Krepon also visited Kashmir and had a flying visit to the displaced Pandits’ camp at Nagrota. Reports say that he avoided meeting the accredited representatives of displaced Kashmiris. Krepon was mostly seen here with those people, who have known anti-Indian views on Kashmir.
What Krepon publicly said is even more revealing. He said, “It was in India’s national security interests to reconsider basic assumptions (on Kashmir) after the nuclear tests and Kargil...India’s Kashmir policy has been predicated on the passage of time theory and limited to counter-insurgency operations. The question that needs to be asked is whether or not this is working in India’s favour because as time passes, Pakistan is becoming a weaker state. And unless there is a turn around in Pakistan’s fortunes, the consequences for India are grave as it could be dealing with Kashmir like difficulties on several other fronts”.
If Krepon was subtle, Karl F.Inderfurth, the US assistant Secretary of State was more explicit. At the inaugural function of South Asia Institute at John Hopkins University he said US was ready to offer international rehabilitation and reconstruction aid for Kashmir if India and Pakistan can reach a solution for the problem bilaterally, taking into account the wishes of the people of Kashmir. He added that India and Pakistan can reach a long-term solution for Kashmir if they approach the issue with a “dose of realism” and “dose of creativity” to determine what are the ways that the various needs of all parties can be met. Raising the bogey of a nuclear war, Inderfurth drew parallels with efforts of Bill Clinton, in Middle East, Northern Ireland, Greece-Turkey. About Kashmir, he said Clinton has become personally involved in this effort and added “we think it is something overdue for that kind of effort to take root in South Asia.” Inderfurth claimed that there is a feeling in the international community after the Kargil crisis that it has a rightful role and it is willing to assist in a supporting function in whatever way the parties want. He observed that the US does believe that there is a role to be played (by the US) to support, underpin and facilitate whatever bilateral efforts are going on.
Inderfurth asserted that US is an interested party after Kargil and “some method should be found to take into consideration the views of Kashmiri people in settling the 52-year old dispute”. While he was eloquent on the “sufferings” of Kashmiri Muslims, Inderfurth avoided any reference to the plight and rights of ethnically cleansed Kashmiri Pandits.
The Indian response to such blatant interference was articulated by the J&K Chief Minister. He commented, “Americans will not be able to do anything. If anything happens to this state, millions of Hindus and Muslims will get murdered. And their blood will be on our head. It will not be just one Bosnia. There will be several Bosnias here”.
The official Indian view was quite guarded. The MEA spokesman said that “elected governmented is already making efforts to revive the developmental activity. There are well-established and well-known procedures for dealing with offers of assistance and cooperation in any part of India..all such projects are discussed and finalised between the government of India and the agency or government concerned.”
US Ambassador in Pakistan, William B.Millam and Madam M.Albright, US Secretary of State have also been vocal about “ascertaining the wishes of Kashmiris”. Millam told the leading Pakistan daily The NEWS, “we are clear that this issue can be resolved by the two sides taking into account the will of the Kashmiri people as a major part of this equation. We abhor all human rights violations and extrajudicial killings that have been committed by the Indian and whoever”. He clubbed Indian security forces trying to restore law and order with fundamentalist mercenaries sent from across the LoC.
Madam Albright told the Pakistan Foreign Minister Sartaz Aziz in New York that India and Pakistan should try to resolve the matter bilaterally taking into consideration the views of Kashmiris.
In September last, Prof Robert W Wirsingh of University of South Carolina who heads Kashmir Study Group, KSG while releasing the map of “new Kashmir” said “without a US role as something akin to a mediator, there was virtually no possibility of resolution of Kashmir issue.” KSG functions as an advisory body of US State Department. The “new Kashmir” map clubs all the Muslim-majority areas of J&K-Kashmir valley, Doda, three tehsils of Rajouri, Poonch and Gool-Gulabgarh. It proposes three options-Two Kashmiri entities on either side of LoC, one entity straddling the LoC or just one entity on the Indian side of LoC. It says these entities shall have “their own government, constitution and special relationship with India and Pakistan”. KSG claims that these proposals are said to be under discussion “at different levels” in both countries. It calls LoC “dysfunctional” and “without any logic”.
Given this mindset of Americans on Kashmir, India has to be wary of US “baits”. US has offered to train Indian security personnel in sophisticated counter-insurgency combat and sought Indian concurrence for setting up of permanent office of FBI in New Delhi. Informed sources say that during his diplomatic mission to New Delhi at the height of Kargil crisis, Admiral Zinni had offered to station a special US Task Force in Kashmir. This was firmly turned down by the Indian Prime Minister.
US’s “changed attitude” is not aimed at helping India to fight out the terrorist menace in Kashmir. It is guided by its own compulsions of isolating China and tackling the immediate threat of rogue PanIslamist leaders like Laden. Taliban militia and Laden have been actually the US creation. Since Laden has challenged the Americans, so they have became suddenly alive to the Laden threat. Meanwhile, US has set up a nuclear window in Kazakistan to spy on Indian nuclear actions END

DID NIAZ NAIK LIE

KS Correspondent

The former Pakistan Foreign Secretary and Nawaz Sharif’s personal emissary during Kargil crisis stunned Indian and Pakistanis, when last September he claimed that India and Pakistan had virtually clinched a deal on Kashmir. According to him the agreement was to be signed in September or October had Kargil crisis not erupted. Naik blamed the Pakistan army for sabotaging efforts aimed at reaching a settlement. The Pakistani diplomat claimed that Mr Vajpayee showed keen interest in the time-bound framework for solution to Kashmir crisis. Putting words in Mr Vajpayee’s mouth, Naik said that Mr Vajpayee told him in April that only eight months remain to the end of the year and two months had already been “wasted in procedural matters”.
According to Naik, Sharif was “not properly aware” and did not have “proper feedback on Kargil operations as “there was no coordination among its planners”. He said that Vajpayee and Sharif were in touch on phone and the only handful people who knew about it were Mr Sartaj Aziz, the Pakistan Foreign Minister, Mr Shamshad Ahmed, the Foreign Secretary, Mr Tariq Fatimi the Foreign Ministry spokesman. Naik told pressmen that Pakistan Army was not aware about it.
To rebut Pakistan Army’s criticism on Sharif’s handling of Kargil, Naik claimed India was about to enter Neelam Valley and attack Athmuqam and other vital security installations in Pakistan. Naik said during his mission to Delhi he proposed i) Sancity of LoC ii) recommitment to Simla and Lahore agreement iii) stopping aerial attacks and other military operations iv) resolving all issues including Kashmir as per Lahore process.
Writing about Naik “solution”, Talat Hussain wrote in the Nation that if implemented this would have implied division of J&K. “The division would have meant formalisation of LoC with some mutually accepted adjustments in Jammu, Ladakh and Kashmir, which would have given time-bound autonomy to the respective regions,” adds Hussain. Naik called it the “Chenab solution”.
Talat Hussain says that Naik during his many rounds of talks with bureaucrats and diplomats had given these details in the past as part of larger, workable and permanent solution. These talks had been going on since March. Naik has claimed that he had in his possession three documents-the first draft proposal, the Indian response and the Pakistan reply to it.
Naik has also said that he held negotiations with Bill Clinton on some of those points discussed with Mr Vajpayee, while the fifth point related to Clinton’s personal interest.
Did a diplomat of Naik’s standing lie? If this was part of back-room diplomacy, why did Naik go public to sabotage it? Was Naik by going public on the formula trying to pit US against the Army hardliners? or was it simply to test the public reaction in India and Pakistan?
Naik’s “revelations” many contradictions. The Pakistan Army described his utterances as “irresponsible and sponsored propaganda against a disciplined, highly professional Pak Army and its command.” Both India and Pakistan have officially contradicted Naik’s statements. Naik has claimed that Nawaz Sharif came to know about intrusion only on April 26. There is plethora of evidence which speaks how Sharif had been himself actively involved in it. Kargil intrusion was given go ahead, just before the Lahore summit took place. Mr Altaf Gauhar, the leading Pakistani journalist and the former Information Secretary to President Ayub Khan has spilled the beans. He wrote recently in the Nation that Kargil intrusion was planned in 1987 but following opposition based on logistic grounds and possible internation reaction by Sahibzada Yakub Khan, Zia-ul-Haque shelved it. The plan revived in 1998 was not okayed by the former Chief General Karamat. The general was forced to resign by Sharif.
If Naik was lying, why did he visit India again. BJP govt is not speaking fully and explaining all about the socalled backroom diplomacy. Why at the height of Kargil crisis BJP leadership claimed that Sharif and ISI were not in the know of Kargil crisis?
Recently, Lt Gen Talat Masood, who visited India along with Naik as part of track-II diplomacy, has claimed that India has shown willingness to enter into meaningful dialogue with Pakistan before the end of the year with a view to resolving outstanding issues between the two countries. He said, “There is a visible willingness on the part of India to make headway in improving bilateral relations and also settle the Kashmir issue.” About LoC he added, “it would not be a solution of the problem and added some acceptable adjustments will have to be made to satisfy all the parties to the conflict.” Gen Masood made these observations, while speaking to the Pakistan observer.
In London on October 4, the former Pakistan Premier Benazir Bhutto asked Sharif government to immediately initiate talks with India for opening up borders between two parts of Kashmir state in a bid to “end the misery of Kashmiri brethren”.” She also asked Pakistan to unilaterally sign the CTBT. Benazir stressed involvement of Hurriyat Conference in confidence building measures with regard to Kashmir and beginning of talks for mutual arms reduction and redeployment of forces.
Sartaz Aziz has hinted that Indo-Pak dialogue would be resumed soon claiming international pressure was working on New Delhi “to deal absolutely with the Kashmir issue.”
In India also, some responsible people have been talking that deal on LoC was virtually finalised and the Jehlum Valley road would be reopened. The military coup seems to have put a dampner on the back-channel diplomacy. Is military coup aimed at paving way for installation of Benazir Bhutto is too early to say END

ACCEPT REALITY AND FIGHT IN COHESION

By S.M. Pandit

Close on the heels of militants daring attacks on army and security force establishments, Inspector General BSF Baramulla AS Mangat and some other senior officers of BSF made disclosures of serious nature. These officers, as per newspaper reports, admitted that Army and BSF, who are fighting Pakistan sponsored proxy-war in J&K, feel handicapped as some mainstream politicians and some moles in state police force are in league with militants. Giving details of modus operandi, they said that these politicians provide vehicles for transportation of weaponry and militants and also provide hideouts. Some black sheeps in police force, they said, pass on anticipatory information to militants of planned operations to help them abscond before the operation. These black sheeps also manipulate immediate handover of militants from BSF and others and thus deprive these agencies of interrogation to illicit vital information from the arrestees. However, BSF is all praise for state police for their help in counter insurgency operations particularly crossing the communication barriers. BSF officers also questioned the claims of normalcy on basis of tourism or shooting of Bolywood as, they claim, these things have tactical blessing of terrorists to win over the confidence of general people.
Reacting quickly to BSF allegations, Farooq Abdullah, Chief Minister of the State and Chairman of the Unified Command, refuted the allegations and gave a clean chit to police force and all main stream politicians saying that no one is involved and on contrary they are victims of militancy. Turning buck on BSF, he expressed surprise how thousands of militants infiltrated in the state in recent past. (BSF is responsible to man LoC and international border). Dr Abdullah also slapped ban on briefings by security agencies without his permission in capacity as chairman of the Unified Command.
Generally, people feel that BSF official’s cannot be speculative and that the allegations cannot be wished away by mere refutation. They feel that though the situation has gone a sea change when it was feared that state machinery is in the hands of terrorists, but there are still moles in administrative set up who overtly or covertly are helping the terrorists. To substantiate their views these sources site examples of escape of dreaded terrorist Irafan and others from Kotbalwal jail, subsequent escape attempt from same jail, attack on DIG Vaid as these could not have materalised without the connivance from within.
It is alleged that instead of weeding out militant friendly elements from state employment, the departments have been impregnated with the unscrupulous elements because of flawed recruitment policy and lack of proper screening.
It is also alleged that even some of those who were dismissed from their services for anti-India role have manipulated their reemployment. Some recent happenings have proved beyond doubt that terrorists have succeeded in planting their sources in police department to carry out their obnoxious plans from within.
Sometime back, the terrorists massacred the cops of a police post in Kashmir valley and surviving SPO reportedly turned out to be a planted person. Recently, an SPO deserted his police post in Udhampur district alongwith some rifles to add to the terrorist weaponry.
There are reports that some elements are simultaneously on pay rolls of ISI and Indian Intelligence Agencies playing the character of Ranjit Basu of famous tele serial ‘Yug’ but with a difference. Ranjit Basu helped nation by befooling imperlatist enemy (the British) but here these elements are befooling nation (the Indian intelligence agencies) to favour enemy (Pakistan). The apprehensions were authenticated when most of the terrorists arrested from Turtuk and other suspects in Kargil turned to be the army porters or informers to Indian agencies.
Notwithstanding open support of separatist leaders to the terrorists, the fact cannot be denied that activities of some mainstream politicians also go in favour of anti-India elements. There are news reports when weapons were recovered from the premises of mainstream politicians. Not to speak of lower levels political workers, even a cabinet colleague of Farooq Abdullah, tried to boil an alleged rape case out of proportion. He tried to make hill of a mole by questioning the medical examination of the victim by local doctors. If it will not be wise to question the credentials of the minister, but such activities are detrimental to national interests.
Even Farooq Abdullah’s attempt to exonerate all politicians is it self a contradictions as he is on record accusing some politicians of militant friendly behaviour. His son Umar Abdullah went a step forward by accusing Mufti-Mehbooba, father-daughter duo, of being “hand in glove” with militants. Kuka Parrays allegations followed by reported IB information about involvement of some legislatures and bureaucrats has added to the confusion.
The urgency of the situation is that the reality is accepted and cohesive efforts made to identify, isolate and eliminate all those elements from within or out side who are connived with terrorists.

LETTER

THIRD PARTY MEDIATION

Sir,
Recently PM of India clearly ruled out third party mediation on Kashmir. Both India and Pak should solve pending issues and talks on Kashmir as per Simla Agreement and Lahore Declaration. Farooq Abdullah also ruled out third party mediation on Kashmir.
CM, Mr Farooq Abdullah said that Pak is pushing mercenaries in J&K to create trouble in J&K but people have frustrated their evil designs and again Farooq got all NC seats in Kashmir during Lok Sabha elections and got 4 out of 6 seats. CM decided to join BJP led NDA and so did Umar Farooq to join, mainstream.
Recently Karl Inderfurth, US Assistant Secretary stated that USA cannot afford to be on tenter hooks in South Asia and remarked. “It is absolutely essential that India and Pak to resolve this dispute as quickly as they can”. Earlier Albright had stated that US will not hesitate to take a positive step to ensure peace. But China, N. Korea, etc continue to help Pak in ballistic missiles and recently Pak again tested Ballistic missile which can cover even Bangalore. CIA was reported to have discovered that China exported nuclear weapons technology to Pak.
Infact it is USA double policy which actually initiated arms race in the sub-continent by supplying dreaded weapons to Pak. Since 1947 on pretext of Russia and China threat as it had formed SEATO CENTO and Bhagdat pacts with Pak.
--Omkar Nath Moza,
Jammu END

SONIA GANDHI

Sir,
One Ram Dass Sharma, 1624-92, Street Missi Saga, Canada has in his letter dt: 29/8/1999 in Hind Samachar, Jallandhar, made a revelation that Feroze husband of Indira Gandhi nee Nehru in fact belonged to Gandi (distinguish between Gandi and Gandhi) family and not to Gandhi family. It was the media marvel that the English made a Parsi Gandi into a Hindu Gandhi. The record of ‘Hind Samachar’ bears witness to it.
Feroze, Ram Dass continued, was a self-respecting and a self-restrained gentleman. He all his life took his meals in the hotel but did not condescend to sit on the dinning table of Nehru’s. Now the media tortures its own throat by crying at the top of its voice that Sonia Gandi is Sonia Gandhi which is absolutely wrong. He has further said that Sonia in her utterances seldom names Nehru in her speeches but trumpted the name of Gandhi. foreign press is so obsessed with the ancestry of the family that it assumes that Sonia has somehow some connection with Gandhi family, which is far from truth, Ram Des asserted.
It is a fact that Feroze was a Parsi boy and had secured entry into the Nehru family where he enticed Indira and married her though Nehru very reluctantly gave his assent to the matrimonial alliance. Nehru was a consmopolitan, devoid of religious prejudice and any other binding and must have agreed to the marriage otherwise a Hindu (Brahmin) girl could hardly have married a Parsi boy. As such we should call Sonia as Sonia Gandi and not Sonia Gandhi.
--R.K. Sher END

HYPOCRISY OF THE POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT

Sir,
The August 98 issue of Kashmir Sentinel gave Sumer Kaul’s article, wherein he has lauded the soldiers for winning back “our land”. Mr Vajpayee all through the war and thereafter has praised the soldiers for sacrificing their lives for saving their motherland. Even Farooq Abdullah has been shown by the media, visiting the battlefront, wherein he ranted and raved about Pak misadventure. What a hypocrisy! The land that our young jawans and officers have defended by sacrificing their lives is “out of bounds” for them. They have no right to till this land or own it because of restrictions imposed by shortsighted agreements of the political masters of the time in 1947. So communal has been the practice of this agreement, that genuine J&K citizens, who were displaced from what is PoK now, were pushed out of the Valley and forced to live in Jammu without state citizenship rights.
The only viable solution to save our frontiers in Kashmir from Islamic zealots is to give the “right to till” the vacant land on the borders to our brave soldiers. Then alone our politicians will be seen as meaning business and not hypocritical.
Farooq Abdullah owes it to the people of Kashmir to save them from the onslaught of the deadly mercenaries, who are out to destroy the purify of race among Kashmiris. The Kashmiri Hindus were forced to flee and the way the mercenaries are out to perpetuate rape and plunder among the left over Kashmiris, it is doubtful there will be any genuine Kashmiris left in the Valley, after a couple of generations.
The Indian army given its fine traditions of descipline is the best bet for Kashmiris to save them and the only way is to allow the soldiers to settle down on the frontiers of Kashmir. The scenario otherwise is frightening.
--Brigd. Dr. Khanna
SFS Aptt.
Hauz Khas, New Delhi END

ELECTIONS-1999

NATIONAL CONFERENCE GRIP LOOSENING

KS Correspondent

JAMMU: For nearly six decades the National Conference in its different incarnations remained undisputed spokesperson of Kashmiri Muslims. No other political force could emerge to challenge its hegemony. Now when the third generation of the political dynasty is trying to takeover the reins of leadership, its loosening grip has become a matter of concern for its leadership. The party is showing signs of factionalism with grassroot workers sulking over their neglect by the leadership.
For National Conference the ‘democracy may have triumphed’ since it won four of the six parliamentary seats. Its legitimacy stands eroded in many ways. There is total alienation of people from it due its misrule during the last two years. During elections the independent media and its political adversaries accused NC of engineering bogus votes and serious electoral malpractices. The Election Commission observers for Anantnag Parliamentary Constituency in their report to EC wrote. “The election was neither free nor fair but full of violence”. The report also talked of coercion in voting and bogus voting through mobile voter teams. The observers, senior IAS officers from Maharashtra, Gujrat, Bihar and UP also said that there was a total breakdown of security system at the polling booths.
The inability of National Conference to mobilise people for participation in elections indicates that its grip is loosening. Its adversaries alleged that NC in areas hostile to it tried to actually enforce this boycott, by spreading rumours of widespread violence.
In the polling in Anantnag, the percentage of voting, itself reveals a pattern: Noorabad 40%, Dooru 23%, Bijbehara 16.6% Rajpura 16%, Pahalgam 15%, Shangs 14.2%, Devsar 15.5%, Kokernag 10%. The lowest percentages were recorded in Pampore 0.9%, Traal 2.6%, Pulwama 4.5%, Homshalibug 8%, Anantnag 3.5%. The low polling recorded in PDP and NC strongholds is a sad commentary on the political effectiveness of both the parties. Tral the home town of NC candidate, Mr Naik recorded just 2.6%, while Anantnag parliamentary constituency recorded just 14% turnout.
The Baramulla constituency registered an overall turnout of 24%. Here Sopore town saw 5% polling, while in adjoining Sangrama it was 2.5%. Surprisingly in the worst hit Kupwara it was 25.3%. In border towns of Uri and Gurez the voting was 46% and 50% respectively.
The low-turnout of voters is being attributed to strong sense of disillusionment against the ruling NC. Referring to this, Prof Rekha Chowdhary, a political scientist comments, “The general refrain may be-why risk the wrath of militant if nothing much is going to change even after the elections? Poll boycott, therefore, rather than a response imposed by the fear, seems to be a deliberate choice if not an active decision to vote”.
The results announced reflect some interesting trends.
In Srinagar Parliamentary Constituency, in Zadibal assembly segment, out of 2746 votes polled, Congress got 1426 votes as against 1232 votes by NC. It is a Shia-dominated constituency, held by Mr Sadiq Ali of NC. In Chrar and Kangan segments, which recorded heavy turnouts, PDP candidate got sizeable votes. In Kangan while NC candidate polled 7588 votes, PDP got 3747 votes. This indicates that in heavy turnout, the opposition candidate was the choice of people.
In the Baramulla constituency the PDP candidate led in the Baramulla assembly segment, while the PDP supremo in Anantnag led in assembly segments of Pahalgam, Bijbehara, Shangus and Homshalibug. The CPM candidate led in his home constituency of Kulgam. Mufti Mohd Sayed also got sizable votes in NC strongholds of Noorabad and Doru, which witnessed good polling. In Jammu BJP won in thirty one assembly segments and its candidates improved their victory margins.
NC received serious setback, when it lost both the byelections to the assembly in Kashmir valley. In Bijbehara PDP candidate Abdul Rehman Veeri trounced NC candidate by over 1050 votes. Even Awami League polled 1200 votes here, while in valid votes stood at 1100. In Langate constituency, the independent candidate who had sought PDP ticket, Mohd Sultan Panditpuri won against NC candidate, Bashir Ahmed Kar. Congress got 3757 votes, while NC candidate polled 4465 votes.
The other phenomenon noticed was the increasing number of invalid votes. The number of invalid votes were: Anantnag 10.73%, Baramulla 9.63%, Srinagar 4.8%. In Rafiabad assembly segment the number of invalid votes was as high as 23%. In Jammu it was just 1.59%, while in Udhampur it was 1.49%. In other assembly segments the figures were Shangus 22.32%, Traal 19.03%, Anantnag 18.8% and Sangrama 15.89%.
The Election Commission had rejected over 3300 ballot papers of displaced Kashmiris. Of these 2000 were for Baramulla Constituency and 1300 for Bijbehara assembly seat.
The former NC leader, Mr Saifuddin Soz’s claim that he spoke for people of Kashmir proved hollow. He polled just 11,000 votes. Feeling bitter over his performance, Mr Soz alleged at a press conference that “the ruling NC had magnified the secessionist sponsored poll-boycott call to create a sense of fear among the voters so as to implement its pre-planned rigging designs to perfection”.
The Congress leaders, Mr Taj Mohiuddin and Peerzada Mohd Syed accused NC of encouraging poll boycott and resorting to large-scale rigging causing extensive damage to national interests. They alleged that “by doing so Dr Abdullah and his govt strengthened the hands of separatist forces for his petty party interests” and demanded his dismissal.
The defeated PDP candidate from Baramulla, Mr Muzaffar Beig remarked “we have just come out of a great fraud. We would have accepted the genuine results but when these are most distressing and manipulated by the ruling party, it hardly makes any difference to accept or not to accept the final results.” He also blamed Hurriyat Conference for his Party’s defeat, Mr Beig said, “APHC gave a call for boycott but National Conference enforced it on ground. By giving such calls, separatists are doing no good to society. This will prove counter productive to them in the long run”.
Dr Abdullah speaking on the victory of his candidates said it was “triumph of democracy”. His son, Mr Omar Abdullah said his victory was endorsement of policies of NC by the people. Beaming Baramulla winner, Mr Abdul Rashid Shaheen remarked, “I will not let my party down. I will work for the restoration of autonomy which is our party’s prime goal”.
Meanwhile, the two BJP MPs from Jammu and the BJP state president, Mr Daya Krishan Kotwal opposed the inclusion of any NC member in the central ministry. They said this would be detrimental to the interests of BJP, since NC has pledged to work for greater autonomy END

SEPARATISTS SEEKING COVER UNDER HINDU ORGANISATIONS

KS Correspondent

JAMMU: A number of incidents happening recently point to a new strategy of ISI. Under this gameplan, ISI, reports say, has directed its moles to infiltrate Hindu and the nationalist organisations. The purpose being two-fold-to seek immunity from security forces and secondly to subvert these organisations from within. Many of these “moles” are apparently working as double agents.
Recently, the police arrested Abdul Rashid war, Vice-President of the Akhil Bhartiya Shiv Sena. During interrogation, war is reported to have admitted that he had hatched a conspiracy with the militants to rob arms of his own security guard. Police suspect that he is a “company commander of the pro-Pak Hizbul Mujahideen”. Police had recovered a stamp bearing the name of Gazi Aijaz, company commander, HM for Zainageer belt of Sopore. As per police version “Gazi Aijaz” was apparently war’s code name.
After meeting a hard-core militant of HM, Fayaz Kandroo, war told his guards to escape from the house without weapons as 60 militants had entered into his compound. When the cops fled three militants came and took away the weapons.
The police believes war was associated with militancy since last ten years. As secretary of “Shariat Board”, between 1989-93 he had been delivering ‘death warrants’ against persons not endorsing militancy. From 1993 to 1998 war was involved in undercover and overground secessionist activities, working with top militants.
Zia’s ‘op-Topac plan’ mentions that at certain time some of its agents will contest elections to hoodwink the administration. In May 1998, war had contested Lok Sabha elections as an independent candidate. Later he sought security cover. When the security cover was withdrawn later. War rushed to Jammu and got himself nominated as Vice-President, Shiv Sena. This Shiv Sena outfit is reportedly not linked to the Shiv Sena led by Sh. Bal Thackeray. Police was forced to extend security cover again. There are many militants enjoying security cover of the police. War, is reported to have confessed his links with HM district administrator Abdul Gani Pir alias Noorul Amin. He also disclosed the names of two of his associates of erstwhile ‘Shariat Board’.
Virtually similar things have been happening in Kashmir-based unit of BJP. A senior BJP leader Dr Abdul Rehman, whose son was kidnapped, after he filed his nomination papers for Anantnag seat blamed a rival group of renegades in BJP for killing of Noorani and then the kidnapping of his son. He had to pay Rs 2.5 lakh for his safe release. Dr Rehman also alleged that some BJP leaders from Jammu were giving free deal to dubious elements in Kashmir BJP.
Misappropriation of funds, indulgence in illicit relations and vendetta killings are the charges being levelled against these dubious elements in nationalist organisations END

INDIA RAPS KOFI ANNAN

KS Correspondent

India has strongly criticised the “rising interventionist impulse” under the pretext of defending human rights and warned that it runs the danger of “exacerbating conflicts” between and within nations.
Intervening in the debate on the report of UN Secretary-General in General Assembly, the Indian representative, Mr Kamlesh Sharma said “what some might regard as humanitarian actions others would consider as war crimes”. In his report, Mr Annan had made a forceful plea for intervention by nations or groups of nations in humanitarian conflicts without UN sanction. Mr Sharma replied that deep concerns at humanitarian crisis should not obscure the reality that such action is “prone to being viewed through a political prism.” He added that, “another danger is that theories of intervention seeking to justify interference and use of force to fight alleged repression might end up strengthening the hands of covert interventionists”. Mr Sharma observed that “the call for intervention is being heard when regressive elements are espousing ideologies supporting enforced homogenization or separation of ethnic groups as against support for ideals of multi-cultural and pluralistic societies, which respect human variety.” END

PAKISTAN : SHIAS UNDER PRESSURE

KS Correspondent

Shias in Pakistan have become vulnerable in the ongoing sectarian strife. In PoK the Taliban militamen, who are being resettled under a sinister plan, have let loose a reign of terror against the Shia community of Northern Areas. Immediately after the Kargil misadventure by Pakistan, people in Northern Areas, had protested against their menfolk being used as the cannon fodder. Serving in the Northern Light Infantry, their bodies had been left to rot in the mountains of Drass and Kargil. Riots took place in August. On July 27, there was a massive bomb blast near Dansam in Northern Areas. Anti establishment protests were also reported from Kharmang, Shingo and Satpara in early August. The local Shias demanded that the Mujahideen be removed from Skardu. The Commissioner and DIG, Police, Chitral rushed to affected areas and an additional 10 platoons of para-military forces were sent to defuse the situation. To neutralise the growing resentment of the locals, the Pakistan government has now offered a constitutional package to Northern Areas. This includes a legislative assembly, a high court, and a university. Besides this Northern Light Infantry has now been bestowed the status of a regular infantry battalion.
In the mainland Pakistan Shias are being targeted by a Sunni fundamentalist militant outfit, Sipah-i-Sahaba. The campaign started with the gunning down of a top Shia religious leader Khurshid Anwar, an advocate, his young daughter and his guard by Sipah Sahiba militants, in Dera IsmailKhan on September 28. His wife and another guard were critically injured in the attack. Just before the killings, Maulana Azam Tariq, a leader of Sipah Sahiba from Punjab was released, after being tried by the court on charges of involvement in murder of Shiite Muslims. Reacting to the killings, Allama Rashid Turabi, leader of Shiite Tehrik-i-Jafria Pakistan alleged that Sipah Sahiba militants were responsible for killings and said “they want to eliminate the Shia community”.
On October 1, another nine people belonging to Shia sect were gunned down, when unidentified assailants opened indiscriminate firing in a mosque. As per police, four unidentified persons with automatic weapons entered Masjid Hur Imam Bargah in Golden Town District East Karachi. They sprayed bullets at the people performing their morning prayers.
On October 2, an Assistant IGP of Police, Farooq Haider, a Shiite Muslim was gunned down by Sipah activists in Peshawar as he came out of his house to go to office. In another incident in the southern Punjab town of Muzaffargarh two activists of Shiite Tehreek-e-Zafriya Pakistan (TJP) were shot dead by unidentified gunmen.
On October 7, a senior official of Pakistan TV channel-2 (PTV-2), Aun Mohammed Rizvi was killed. Same day three doctors and a shopkeeper, were killed in Karachi. The police failed to arrest a single culprit. All the deceased belonged to the Shia community.
The anti-Shia violence claimed more than 30 lives. Shia leaders belonging to Shoora Wahdat-e-Islami and Tehrik-e-Jafaria accused Chief Minister of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif of releasing terrorists and fanatics from jails. “ Just to collect political support”. The recent spate of violence against Shias was a result of the same action, they alleged.
Meanwhile, Shia leaders served an ultimatum to the Pakistan government to immediately stop the anti-Shia violence.
There is a widespread belief that the ongoing violence against Shias is being engineered by Pakistani security agencies in an attempt to dislodge the Nawaz Sharif government. To cover up its complicity, the agencies tried to implicate RAW. As this had few takers in Pakistan, on Oct 6 Pakistan lodged a strong protest to Taliban over the involvement of youth trained in Afghan camps in the recent spate of sectarian violence in the country. It has also demanded that the Taliban hand over some of Pakistan’s most wanted terrorists believed to be living in camps inside Afghanistan. Several of the most wanted sectarian terrorists like Riaz Basra escaped to Afghanistan early this year following a police crackdown back home.
Reacting to the sectarian violence the leading English daily, Dawn commented: “The problem in Pakistan is that religious bigotry and fanaticism have acquired militant overtones. Virulent hatred towards members of different sects is not only preached but glorified. Not surprisingly, those who distinguish themselves in acts of sectarian violence are revered as holy warriors and extolled as examples to be emulated. Thus an entire culture of religiously-inspired militancy has evolved which threatens the peace and security of the country.” END

SEPARATISTS TARGETTING DELHI

KS Correspondent

JAMMU: Doda is emerging as the new centre for transportation of arms to Jammu and other cities in Northern India. The seizure of weapons by the police recently point to the larger designs of ISI-backed separatists. These designs go beyond the secession of J&K and point to a game-plan that seeks to destabilise the entire Northern India. What is alarming is that the police did not have any clue to many of these arms shipments”.
Recently on Oct 6, troops of 11 Rashtriya Rifles and police intercepted a bus bearing No: 3215 JK02 at Chatru (Kishtwar). The bus was on its way from Chingam to Jammu and was carrying arms and explosives consignment of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit. During the search two-three large bags carrying arms and ammunition, hidden under the seat were seized from the bus. The total recovery included one Chinese pistol, one hand-grenade, 10 IED detonators and 10 rounds of 7.62 mm SLR besides some explosives material.
Earlier, on Sept 30, an accidential head on-collision between two trucks near Patni Top unravelled how arms for subversive activities in Delhi were being transhipped. The truck carrying fruit boxes from Ganderbal (Srinagar) was on its way to Delhi. When the accident took place, it were the curious onlookers who first found some pistols and ammunition lying scattered near the truck. They immediately alerted the police.
The terrorists travelling by the same truck escaped into the nearby jungles. The police were, however, able to arrest the driver and the conductor of the truck. They admitted that six militants were travelling in the truck and that they had planned to create disturbances in Delhi. The recoveries included two rocket launchers, 20 IEDs, nine wireless sets with antennas, seven AK 47 rifles and two pistols along with ammunition, 25 remote control devices, one big box of detonators, ten land mines, one packet of RD