People's Democracy

Editorial

J&K: Need For A Multi-pronged Approach

WHAT appeared to be an intractable crisis for the Congress-People’s Democratic Party coalition government in Jammu & Kashmir has passed away for the time being without creating any political instability in the state. The PDP had been demanding the withdrawal of the army from the state and the withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Power Act, 1958 (Act 28 of 1958). The Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has agreed to constitute a group of security experts to assess the situation. 

For nearly two decades, the people of Kashmir were forced to bear the brunt of terrorist and counter terrorist violence. As always, in the crossfire, it is the innocent who pay the price with their lives. The Kashmiri people’s yearning for peace and normalcy had deeply influenced the political leadership of India and Pakistan into taking certain confidence building measures. The opening of new lines of communication, long abandoned since the days of the partition, have been widely welcomed and greeted with popular enthusiasm on both sides of the line of control. 

Despite the presence of over 1 lakh armed troops, the people of the state remain vulnerable to terrorist violence. Despite some break-through leading to the initiation of certain confidence building measures, instances of cross-border terrorism continue to make this area vulnerable. Recent reports of misuse and abuse of power by the armed forces led naturally to widespread protests and deepened the sense of insecurity. 

On the positive side, it is a relief to note that the year 2006 witnessed a 16 per cent decline in the number of terrorist incidents and a 28 per cent decline in civilian killings. The number of civilians killed in 2006 is perhaps the lowest in a calendar year in the two-decade long history of militancy in the state. 

It is absolutely imperative that the people of Kashmir must be given both moral and material support in these beleaguered times. We have consistently been advocating a multi-pronged approach to tackle the situation. First, there can be no compromise in meeting the threat to India’s internal security. All measures required for meeting the terrorist menace must be undertaken and there can be no lowering of guard on this score. Secondly, all the political forces in the state, both in and outside of the government, must be brought into the ambit of talks and consultations to evolve a political solution. Thirdly, the dialogue with Pakistan must continue and the possibilities of accepting more confidence building measures must be explored and implemented. Fourthly, an increase in developmental activities to strengthen the economic and social infrastructure in the state and providing employment opportunities for the Kashmiri people must be implemented. Fifthly, confidence-building measures must be initiated to strengthen the resolve of the people in Jammu & Kashmir. 

On this last count, the CPI(M) had suggested way back in November 2004, through its state secretary, the identification of peace zones within the state from where the centre will withdraw its armed forces. Those who argue that such zones can become magnets for terrorist activities will do well to remember that the state police and other armed wings will continue to ensure peace in these regions. The state capital, Srinagar, for instance, today has no or little presence of central forces. However, this could be tried out for a certain period of time and, if indeed, terrorist activities increase in these areas, then the necessary steps can be taken by re-inducting the central forces. 

The declaration of such peace zones, in itself, we believe, would send psychological as well as material signals to the people of the state that their Indian brethren are in solidarity with them. Naturally, economic activity in such peace zones will also increase negating the terrorist effort to pulverise normal economic and social activity in the state. 

To begin with, at least some pockets in the state need to be identified in this manner. If they succeed, then their extension to larger areas must be considered. However, we repeat, this should be done with the involvement of all political forces in the state of Jammu & Kashmir. Most importantly, this should not be, in any way, linked with other political agendas of domestic political compulsions in the state. For instance, the demand for the withdrawal of the central armed forces cannot and should not be linked with the issue of governance of the state like the PDP has recently suggested. 

The efforts to restore normalcy in the state must be based on the five point multi-pronged approach suggested above.