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.