SPECIAL REPORT: "SIXTY YEARS ON, PEACE STILL BYPASSES THE VALE OF KASHMIR

By P. Vijian

SRINAGAR, May 30 (Bernama) -- Kashmir's political stalemate is far from over.
Even after 60 years, an all-encompassing and intelligent solution for peace and
progress is still not visible on the horizon.

Almost three generations have suffered in the disputed territory of Kashmir, a
vast, fertile and resource-blessed Himalayan region, flanked by India and
Pakistan, two neighbours often at odds with each other.

Now, from the valley's plains to the mountains of Kashmir, jaded ordinary
Kashmiris and separatist groups who once fought ferociously for an independent
Kashmir, and its own political elite, just want to move on and savour peace, a
commodity that has been scarce and tenuous in their land for decades.

Countless peace talks between India and Pakistan, which had also been contesting
fiercely over Kashmir even before 1947 as they want to have a big say in
Kashmir's future, have failed to hit lasting agreement.

Their negotiations, it is said, have often been eclipsed by a bigger political
agenda best known to themselves, thus leaving the Kashmiri people often in
despair.

And, thus a 20-year old militancy, which started in 1989, compounded their woes
as armed separatist groups fighting against Indian rule, turned Kashmir into a
major flashpoint where nearly 50,000 people perished.

Kashmir's problems date back to the time of India's partition in 1947, when
Pakistan was carved out as a home for Indian Muslims. Kashmir was divided --
and remains divided -- between the two countries.

India claims that Muslim-dominated Kashmir is an integral part of the country.
Pakistan sees Kashmir as simply an unfinished task of partition. Most Kashmiris
would like to be left alone by both sides.

In a land where tasty strawberries, apples and saffron grow in abundance, the
soil is still not fertile for peace to bloom, as a local trader explains.

"Kashmir is fighting for its birthright. This is the Kashmiri life for the past
60 years, no peace, no freedom, and no identity. At least there is no militancy
now, I can open my shop till 7pm.

"Those days I close at 2pm," laments Mohd Irfan, a garment trader in his 50s, in
Srinagar's Lal Chowk.

Even the minority 3,000 or so Kashmir pandits (compared to 700,000 before 1989),
the original dwellers of the valley, who had abandoned their homes and properties
during the peak of the militancy, want harmony to prevail.

"For the last 20 years, political players have been singing pro-India or
pro-separatist songs, but without a concrete roadmap for peace.

Hindus are suffering in the valley. Hindus are the minority (here) while in
Jammu, Muslims are minorities.

"We don't want our children to carry this conflict into the next
generation," says Sanjay Tickoo, president of Srinagar-based Kashmiri Pandit
Sangarsh Samiti, a Hindu social-political movement.

The land of Kashmir is truly mesmerising. Its snow-coated mountains, natural
flowing streams, beds of pretty roses and tulips, winter mountain homes and
beautiful scarf-adorning women could rip one's heart and imagination.

Some even call it "heaven on earth".

Now that militancy has waned, it has given some respite to the people.

But militants still terrorise far-flung villages and target military personnel
-- threatening the fragile peace -- which India tries to maintain with its
700,000-strong military force deployed around region.

"Kashmir is in transition, from violence to peace. For three generations there
had been political instability, now Kashmiri people want peace, want to grow
like others but peace cannot be created in vacuum, peace needs foundation," said
Yasin Malik, the prominent chairman of the pro-independence party, Jammu and
Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), who had been to jail for 10 years.

Speaking from his ramshackle headquarters, he added: "So, like we saidbefore
when Pakistan and India discussed Kashmir, they must include the genuine
concerns of the Kashmiri people. It is very sad that the Kashmiris have become
the victim of this conflict."

Yasin's peace ideology could be a distant dream even now because India and
Pakistan are embroiled with other thorny issues and have yet to strike a
friendly cord since the Mumbai terrorist attack in 2008.

Despite years of diplomatic talks, mainstream politicians and separatist groups
hope that the recently proposed peace dialogue between their neighbours, slated
for July, could pave the way for Kashmir's lasting peace.

Even Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah warily defines his
homeland's future, insisting that the political mandate of his pro-India
National Conference Party would be autonomy for everything except currency,
communication, defence and foreign affairs where they would remain with the
central government.

"We are tying hard to eradicate the scars of the last 20 years," he said, adding
that no single solution was available for the prickly issue as it involved a
diverse geographical region with multi-religious groups.

"Let's not forget Jammu and Kashmir is not just Kashmir, even though the trouble
is by and large here (Srinagar). Therefore the attention is focused here.

"Jammu and Kashmir is also Jammu (Hindu majority), Kashmir (Muslims), Kargil
(Muslims) and Ladakh (Buddhists). It is important that any solution taken
includes all these regions (and people) into consideration," he stressed.

The influential moderate All Parties Hurriyat Conference said that the momentary
peace did not mean that "all is well in the valley."

Resentment, especially among the youth, is still running high, often ruptures
into street protests and stone-pelting in the capital, Srinagar.

"You can't have a single solution on traditional lines for Kashmir," said
Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, "you need to think out of the box."

"The Kashmir issue is not just a religious problem between Hindus and Muslims,
it is not an administrative problem or problem of good governance or bad
governance, (nor) just a bilateral issue. It's about people's aspirations," he
said.

Kashmir's quest for the elusive peace is still shrouded among the pristine
Himalayan mountains and it all depends whether the political leaders can come
down to earth to hammer a deal for the benefit of all.
-- BERNAMA



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