Kashmir: Political Engagement and Counter-Narrative - The Way Ahead
To those who are observing unfolding the spiral of violence in the Kashmir Valley in the past week, the scenario may appear ironic. Estimates indicate that the number of active militants in 10 districts of Kashmir is 140 with 90 indigenous youth of which 65 are from South Kashmir.
These numbers seem adequate to raise a surge of revolt resulting in anarchy in the Valley after Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist leader Burhan Wani was shot dead by security forces in an encounter on 8 July should set the alarm bells ringing in the right quarters.
Officials were quick to claim that the killing of Burhan Wani was a major success in countering, “militancy,” in the Valley. The surge of protests was seen as a reaction to the death of a local boy which would be managed though the spiral of violence continues with many lives have been lost in clashes with security forces. Much more have been maimed with the loss of eyesight looming large on the horizon for youth who faced the non-lethal pellets.
Thousands of tourists include those attending the Amarnath Yatris were stranded; their sojourn tragically cut short or disrupted.
The wave of violence cannot be merely explained as a spontaneous reaction to the killing of a local militant commander who carried a reward of Rs 10 Lakh on his head, someone who had acquired a larger than life image in the youth in Kashmir, which permeated across the people at large.
The trend where large scale protests have been held across the Valley even when encounters have been on for the past six months cannot be overlooked. This is invariably followed by the large turnout at funeral processions of terrorists killed including foreigners.
Separatists who have been recently united have raised the ante, and the killing of Wani has only added to their fire of words calling for extended bandhs.
Undoubtedly there is a foreign hand namely Pakistan, which is playing up the issue through overt as well as covert means to fan the flames of dissension in a targeted manner.
The Burhan Wani killing came up at a time when there were “elections” (sic_ in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK). Thus Pakistani leaders including Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif seem to have gone overboard while internationally banned terrorist leaders as the Lashkar E Taiyyaba head Hafiz Saeed has been allowed to make public statements which were also shown on Indian media.
The Pakistani hand so to say will have to be addressed separately either diplomatically or otherwise.
Beyond the daily bloodletting, there is a sense of doom in some quarters given the surge of protests which have swept the Valley going beyond the traditional hot spots. South Kashmir, which has seen maximum violence in the recent past, seems to have been on the brink. As per reports most deaths from 8 - 12 July have taken place in Anantnag district (16) followed by Kulgam (eight), Shopian (five), Pulwama (three), Srinagar and Kupwara (one each).
Every crisis also provides an opportunity, in Kashmir, the first emergency situation faced by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) coalition should result in a will for a permanent resolution of the spiral of violence that rocks the Valley intermittently.
The main issue is political solution which has evaded Kashmir for over a decade plus after violence dropped below 1000 in 2007 (777).
2007 was also the year when the famous Manmohan – Musharraf dialogue had created an atmosphere of trust on both sides of the Line of Control but the moment was soon lost and has not come back again.
With the current environment in Pakistan, there is unlikely to be any return to trust on Kashmir or any other issue for some time to come.
The need of the hour is to look for solutions internally and undertake a serious exercise in introspection involving Kashmiri leadership of all hues in charting the way ahead.
Engagement needs to start with a minimalist agenda by all sides as all such talks denote.
There would be a demand in some quarters for publicly putting a stop to the idea of Sainik and Pandit Colonies.
Declaration of suspension of the same will go a long way in assuaging sentiment in the Valley and drive wind out of the separatist’s.
For the Centre, this will be the crucial test impacting some of the core issues that are dear to the BJP’s agenda on Kashmir, but tactical retreat may pay rich dividends in the long term.
The pathway of talks will be long and winding yet there are limited options today and the process may be long but cannot be delayed any longer.
Will the Governments – State and the Centre bite the bullet, remains to be seen?
Countering the narrative of terror as a legitimate tool to meeting the aspirations of the people of Kashmir is the second part of the solution.
The evidence of support to acts of terror amongst civil society is for there to see; this is a new turn which has come about as no counter-narrative has been floated so far.
Recent reports of stone pelting being paid by separatists at Rs 500/- per day by India Today may be coming too late if this is the truth this should have been exposed on the very first day of violence.
Political engagement can be the best theme for building the narrative to counter support to terror; proactive media initiatives need to be taken understanding the mood of the people.
The model of countering Islamic State of Iraq and al-Shams (ISIS) propaganda in the hinterland spells of success in the management of a campaign that is far more intense than that launched by the likes of Burhan Wani.
Similar tools, narratives and themes have to be created to suture the present sentiment of legitimacy to terror as a medium for political change which has gained currency in the Valley of late.
Time to make the change is now rather than recycling clichéd solutions which may only see the return of violence after an interregnum of uneasy calm (not peace). An end has to be put to the series of incidents in 2008 (Amarnath Yatra protests), 2010 (stone pelting) and now 2016.
No comments:
Post a Comment