Changes In The Conflicts

Recently in Kashmir there have been more bad changes than good changes. Instead of finding peaceful, reasonable solutions, there has been just more bloodshed. But this time militant groups in Kashmir are starting to rise up against the Indian army. Not a surprise, the militant groups are recruiting and training in Pakistan and in the past month they have risen in numbers and are taking big steps in fighting India. As a result, India has launched a 'militant rehabilitation' policy which is open for only those who are willing to renounce violence and their gun. Besides that, the situation continues to escalate with Indian attacks on Kashmiri protestors and their army taking action on the militant groups.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11864865

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11814562

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11773034

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11697782

Solutions to the Conflicts in Kashmir

As of now, there are a few solutions out there to the conflicts in Kashmir. But there are three soultions that are the most probable in succeeding. These likely solutions include:

1. Kashmir joins Pakistan: Pakistan considers this solution to be the best of the other solutions. Considering Pakistan wouldn't mind obtaining Kashmir, this could be a good solution for the Kashmiri people who want to get away from Indian rule which they view as cruel and evil. But this could cause problems. Even though the majority of Kashmiris is Muslim, the Buddhists and Hindus would not take this over well. Also, India has long sinced rejected the idea of a plebiscite as means of settling the Kashmir issue.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/south_asia/03/kashmir_future/html/2.stm

2. Line of Control turns into international boundary: Currently, there is only a Line of Control that separates Pakistani Kashmir from Indian Kashmir. This solution proposes to make the Line of Control an international boundary between Pakistan and India. India would like to formalize this solution but Pakistan and Kashmiri activists reject this plan because they both want greater control over the region.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/south_asia/03/kashmir_future/html/

3. Independent Kashmir valley: This solution is considered by some to be the best because it would address the grievances of those (in Kashmir valley) who have been fighting against the Indian government. This solution would be a win for both Pakistan and India because they both still obtained a good amount of land. However, if the independent Kashmir valley did not get external assistance, the region might not be economically viable.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/south_asia/03/kashmir_future/html/6.stm

These links provide great detail of these solutions as well as other possible solutions to the conflicts in Kashmir.

An Interview with an Adult

I interviewed my mother on this topic and after I gave her a general overview of the topic, she was greatly surprised on the seriousness of the matter. She was familiar that there are (and past) problems between India, Pakistan, and the Kashmir area but did not realize that the conflict was heating once again and severe actions were being taken. Her view on the matter was direct : that Indian Kashmir should not have to put up with the crimes the Idian military commits and India should provide better resolutions to settle the conflict. Also, she said Pakistan should keep staying out of this matter and not cause greater conflict then there already is. She then said this topic was very important and interesting because it could rise into a very known and very heated conflict that could  cause international problems.

Perspectives On Kashmir

As of now, there are two main perspectives on the conflict in Kashmir. There is the perspective of the Kashmiri people who want to break away from Indian rule and there is the perspective of the Indian government and very few Kashmiris who want to hold onto Kashmir and find a resolution. The Kashmiri people who insist on breaking away from India have dealt with much grief recently. Not only have they not been able to practice their religion in certain places but they have been suffering much abuse from the Indian police.For the past months, crime from the Indian police has included killings, rapes, and beatings. Because of this, anger has risen among the Kashmiris. These Kashmiris are hoping that they will somehow be able to, either through rebellion, the Indian government, or the Pakistani government, break away from India and join Pakistan.The Pakistani government may be their greatest help considering they want Indian Kashmir, as we have seen in the past. But the perspective of the Indian government is much different. In no way are they willing to give up their part of Kashmir. So far the Indian government has only come up with one solution and that was forming a committee to figure out how to create jobs for the 600,000 unemployed Kashmiris. Still there has been no main solution to end the anger and violence in Kashmir.

Introduction To Kashmir

Violence in Kashmir is not a new topic. Pakistan and India have fought three wars over Kashmir since 1947, when Muslim-majority Kashmir became part of mostly Hindu India over Pakistn's objections. The two countries negotiated a Line of Control in 1971 dividing Indian and Pakistani Kahmir but the unofficial boder has always been restive. Then in 1989, Kashmiri rebels, fighting either for independence from India or for union with Pakistan, rose up against New Delhi. Islamabad even supported some of them, as well as cross border militants. India sent in some 700,000 and paramilitaries into Kashmir to tame the rebellion and they are still there to this day. Now, things are staring to heat up in Kashmir, once again. The people of Kashmir are starting to feel lots of anger towards the Indian military who occupy their streets. Recently, Kashmiri protestors have been banding together through Facebook and Twitter to protest the Indian military. They have been dubbed “stone-pelters” because they use stones as weapons and throw them at the Indian military. Over the past two months, about 60 people died including an 8 year old boy who was beaten by Indian soldiers on Aug. 12. These incidents just keep the anger rising in the Kashmiri people. On Aug. 10, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh addressed the nation over Kashmir. In the address, Singh promised a solution to the people of Kashmir and the violonce and conflicts that occurred on the streets. But he offered only one proposal: the formation of a committee to figure out how to create jobs for the 600,000 unemployed Kashmiris. The offer was widely criticized by Kashmir and considered insultingly inadequate. Religion has also become a conflict between the Kashmiri people and the Indian military. The military hadn’t been allowing the Kashmir’s to pray in a special mosque in Sinagar, Kashmir until finally on Aug. 13, the first Friday of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan, worshippers were finally allowed into Srinagar's 600-year-old Jamia Masjid to pray. For now though, protesting is rising in Kashmir against the Indian military and their violent crimes against the people. The Kashmiri people are craving for freedom and hoping they can somehow break away from India and from union with Pakistan.