In 27 years, between 1990 and 2017,insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir has claimed a total of 41,000 lives (14,000 civilians, 5,000 security personnel and 22,000 militants) according to government figures made available in 2017.[6] India and Pakistan have also fought threewars in Kashmir during1947–1948,1965 and theKargil War in 1999.[7][8][9]
appointment of interlocutors and various committees
The appointment of interlocutors as a tactic for coping with the Kashmir issue traces its origins back to the 1960s, when Prime minister Nehru appointed Lal Bahadur Shastri to manage tensions following the chaotic events of 1963. Since then, a number of such initiatives have been launched, including a three-member team of interlocutors the central government appointed in response to the 2010 unrest.
In May 2001, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government announced the appointment of KC Pant, former Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, as its interlocutor on Kashmir, with the brief of talking to various groups in the valley and recommending ways to ease tensions between the Centre and the state.
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Pakistan highlights human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir, aiming to draw global attention to the plight of the Kashmiri people. In light of this, they have expressed willingness to engage in bilateral talks with India to resolve the conflict, although these efforts have often faced challenges due to political and security tension.[10]
ThePeople's Democratic Party (PDP) government's 'healing touch' policy between 2002 and 2005 included freeing jailed militants, reducing operations by the security forces, increasing free movement of people by reducing police checks, all part of initiatives aimed at pushing forward a more "humane approach" by the administration, especially the security forces.[11][12][13]Mufti Mohammad Syed, achief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir said that Prime MinisterAtal Bihari Vajpayee had supported the healing touch policy.[14]Mehbooba Mufti, the ninth Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, tried to revive the "healing touch" policy during her term (2016–2018), with initiatives such as the withdrawal ofFIRs against over 9,700 youth and cash compensations forpellet victims.[15] The cases withdrawn were related to people involved instone-pelting incidents in the region between 2008 and 2017.[16]
In 2010, theOmar Abdullah government introduced the "surrender and rehabilitation policy", allowing former militants who had crossed theLine-of-Control into Pakistan, to come back to India. Over 400 militants utilised the policy.[17][18]
"Valley-centric" approaches have resulted in discontent among other communities in the region such asLadhaki Buddhists. Formation of "Autonomous Hill Councils" in theLeh district andKargil district have proven to be a successful peacebuilding initiative in this aspect according to Navnita Chadha Behera.[11] In September 2018, theLadakh Autonomous Hill Development Council was given more powers, making it "among the most autonomous councils" in India.[19]
Operation Sadbhavana in Jammu and Kashmir is anIndian Army initiative which involves welfare measures such as infrastructure development, medical care, women and youth empowerment, educational tours and sports tournaments among other initiatives.[20]The 12th President of India,Pratibha Devisingh Patil with the members of the National Integration Tour for senior citizens of Operation Sadbhavana fromMendhar Tehsil, Jammu and Kashmir, in New Delhi on 9 March 2009
TheKaravan-e-Aman (Caravan of Peace), a bus service connectingSrinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) andMuzaffarabad (Azad Kashmir), was started in 2005.[21] In 2006, a second bus line started betweenPoonch (Jammu and Kashmir) andRawalakot (Azad Kashmir).[22][23] In 2008 trade started on these routes, opening Jammu and Kashmir's traditional trading centres to the west for the first time since 1947.[21] The trade is tightly regulated.[21] During times of heightened tension, the routes are closed, such as was the case from July to August 2016.[24]
Many countries such asChina have played a role in the deescalation of conflict in the region.[4]
Athwass, (Kashmiri for handshake), was an initiative by a south Asian think tank, Women in Security, Conflict Management and Peace (WISCOMP), in 2000, that brought together women fromKashmiri Pandit,Muslim andSikh communities for the first time since the rise of militancy in the Kashmir valley in 1990.[28] WISCOMP also organises the "Kashmiri Women Writers Meet", aiming to bring together women from conflicting perspectives using literature.[29] On 23 March 2017, WISCOMP conducted a one-day dialogue on 'Echoes and Resonances: Critical Challenges for Youth and Peace Building in Kashmir'.[30] WISCOMP is an initiative of theFoundation for Universal Responsibility of the Dalai Lama.[31]
Various NGOs in the region working on initiatives related to peacebuilding include theBorderless World Foundation, "Yakjah Reconciliation and Development Network" and the "Human Effort for Love and Peace (HELP) Foundation, J&K".[32][33] TheCentre for Dialogue and Reconciliation has conducted various initiatives in Kashmir for over fifteen years including peace education training.[34][35]
According to Susheela Bhan who conducts "ethics and values based education" in government schools in Jammu and Kashmir, students from rural areas are most prone to violence, and "through education they can become important contributors to peace".[40] (Despite Jammu and Kashmir being the only state in India that provides free education at all levels, the average literacy in Jammu and Kashmir is lower than the national Indian average).[21]
According to an exploratory study by A Subramanyam Raju, first and second generation Indians want to get back Pakistan-administered Kashmir, but the third generation wants to "solve the issue peacefully and amicably".[41]
Tourism is often discussed in the context of Jammu and Kashmir as a peacebuilding measure.[1][42]
^Parthasarathy, G. (19 September 2019)."India, too, has an all-weather friend".The Hindu Business Line. Retrieved29 November 2019.Lavrov, in response, "emphasised the need for de-escalation of tensions".
^"Ashima Kaul".Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs at Georgetown University.Archived from the original on 30 December 2018. Retrieved30 December 2018.
Ashraf, Fahmida (2003). "Models of Conflict Resolution and the Kashmir Issue: Pakistan's Options".Pakistan Horizon.56 (2):119–133.ISSN0030-980X.JSTOR41394026.
Orakzai, Saira Bano (2010). "Organisation of The Islamic Conference and Conflict Resolution: Case Study of the Kashmir Dispute".Pakistan Horizon.63 (2):83–94.ISSN0030-980X.JSTOR24711087.
St. John, Anthony Wanis (1997). "The Mediating Role in the Kashmir Dispute between India and Pakistan".The Fletcher Forum of World Affairs.21 (1):173–195.ISSN1046-1868.JSTOR45288985.
Alam, G. M. Shahidul (1982). "Peacekeeping without Conflict Resolution: The Kashmir Dispute".The Fletcher Forum.6 (1):61–89.ISSN0147-0981.JSTOR45331067.
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