In case you forgot, let me joggle your memory about something relevant.
Our government is involved in a peace process (an irreversible one..remember?) with an arch enemy - Pakistan. Yes, we're still "at it". A visit by our PM to Pakistan for talks is due and has long been so. Reports suggest he might not do so this year given the situation over there.
Representatives of both sides have held four rounds of talks/discussions so far. The last one was held in January in Islamabad. At the end of each round the same hackneyed statement emerges "Talks were held in a friendly atmosphere..both sides have agreed in principle to continue discussing..the dates for the next round of talk will be finalised soon"
In case you forgot, since the peace process began in January 2004 leave alone that of the proprietorship of the valley, even comparatively smaller bones of contention don't appear close to resolution.
Siachen where hundreds of our Jawans and theirs brave the sub zero climate to guard their parts of a lifeless barren piece of frozen water! Sustaining such numbers in these altitudes costs a fortune; substantial amounts of public money is needlessly spent and continues to be spent as defence allocation keeps increasing with each passing year (a 11% increase compared to last year).
Sir Creek - one where both sides can't seem to agree to a common map even. Both countries tussle like all the gas reserves of the world are hidden beneath the creek. Even the joint survey which was recently concluded could not produce a breakthrough during last month's talks.
Transfer of prisoners - some who have unknowingly strayed across the border or who are mistaken for spies still languish in jails. Every round of talks raises expectations of the relatives of those prisoners and at the end of it disappoints them.
The sole exception being the Baglihar dam which wasn't really mutually solved, mind you. Both sides agreed to the UN appointed arbitrator's verdict.
Our Jawans of the army,upwards of 5 lakh in the valley alone,and paramilitary still patrol the LOC day in and day out and continue combing the streets of Kashmier to flush out insurgents/freedom fighters/whatever you call them. Life hasn't gotten any easier for them since the 6th of Januray 2004 has it? The always-in-the-news,never ending army excesses and human rights abuses are a direct fallout of the prolonged and forced stay of our Jawans in the valley coupled with the sweeping powers it is provided with by the dreaded AFSPA.
As for the valley, President Musharraf's four point formula - which experts see as a climb down or softening of Pakistan's stand on Kashmier, has faded from public memory. My prediction is that the UPA will drag its feet as long as it can so long as the 2009 Lok Sabha elections are some time away and when the elections start nearing, it (UPA)will speed up the negotiations with the other side and also wax about how it has succeeded in the peace process with Pak in its election campaigns. Acting on expected lines, some sections of our media too are helping the govt. find reasons to be unhappy with Pakistan. An exercise in brain washing is proceeding and has been for a while now, not just in demonising Pakistan but also China. It is not for no reason that the Pakistanis (government officials as well as media) view Indian press as biased and pro-establishment. It seems to be in our govt's interests to buy time and do as little as it can do stall the stagnating peace process. Urgency will only kick in once the summer of 2009 approaches.
Till then though, we shall continue to "do the rounds"
14 comments:
well you should be firstly knowing why are guarding Siachin at such high costs....
if Siachin goes away to Pakistan, there will be direct access to China from Pakistan...and hence..the infliration seen on western side, can be repeated on eastern as well....
Siachin is crutical for India
n i dunno trust Musharaf..actually who is musharaf, suppose he dies n somebdy like nawaz sharif comes, then what...all the four points?? who will care for them..me too wrote on this topic BUT man INDIA knows the creditability of Pakistan
do not underestimate our govt.
REMEMBER KARGIL !!
Our occupation of Siachen is controversial. I'm unhappy with our government simply because they have been unable to negotiate troop withdrawal. Huge sums of public money is spent in sustaining the forces in inhospitable conditions. Once a deal is struck those amount can be deviated for better causes. If it is vacated, militants won't be able to cross Siachen to reach the other side without risking their own lives. Proper surveillance gadgets will help to keep an eye on infiltrators. Musharraf has given us more concessions than any other head of Pakistan ever has. He is our best bet and his reelection will only help the peace process. And finally, I can't but help underestimating our govt. my feeling toward our army isn't similar. Kargil, btw, was won due to the bravado and co-operation offered by the NDA govt., not the current one.
Hi good one. I would have liked some of your characteristinc acidic sarcasm. But good.
u r rite.... urgency will kick in only during election....
and if u are talking abt public money... dude have u forgotten...
Ohh Darling Yah hai India.....
public are anyways siphoned off by well meaninged politicians.....
soo y all the fuss...
hehe. Only excptions being the PDP's father and daughter duo.
We go to gain a little patch of ground that hath in it no profit but the name. - William Shakespeare.
Technological advanced solutions to essentially basic problems does not behoove us. It is worthwhile that if a man can be deemed fallible, consider a machine to be doubly so.
Your reference to the current operations of the Indian Army at Siachen as an "occupation" can be debated. While the Pakistani Army terms India's tenure at Siachen as occupation, India itself terms it as a part of the Indian state, and hence its tenure there is valid. There are too many fine points that one may have to comb through to grasp the truth in the end.
President Musharraf may seem as a good bet, but one must comprehend that this man did nothing whilst at the helm of the Pakistani Armed Forces to further the cause of peace. Au contraire, he stands accused of having perhaps vitiated the atmosphere even more so.
Rome wasn't built in a day, and wars cannot be fought nor won at a moment's notice (save the Six-Day War perhaps, but then the Middle East suffers to this day as a consequence of the non-resolution of issues raised by this conflict). So patience must be maintained. Peace is seldom bought cheap, but when bought, it better be bought in full. We cannot afford paying installments on it.
There's a soul in the Eternal,
Standing stiff before the King.
There's a little maiden
Sorrowing.
There's a proud and tearless woman,
Seeing pictures in the fire.
There's a broken battered body
On the wire.
I disagree with you that Musharraf is our best bet. During his tenure there has not been a marked drop in the terrorism activities in J&K, which most of us know is if not sponsoring but abetting of terrorism on Pakistan's part.
Take the peace process itself! It is a clear case of buying time by both the parties to appease the public of both nations that constructive dialogue is being held. It seems to be headed nowhere. There really does not seem any intention is present to resolve the Kashmir issue. Just like caste-based politics, making purported peace overtures is a good ploy to gain votes. That seems to be the scenario as correctly pointed by you towards the nd of your post.
"Transfer of Prisoners" - This again brings to light the sheer apathy displayed by both Governments. If it were the case of the relative of a diplomat, we all know the urgency with which the matters would be sorted out.
So, there seems to be many more rallies of talks, God knows if something will come out of it!
new blog. pl. check.
hey nice post...but i too do not agree that musharraf is our best bet..he was responsible for kargil..he must have given more concessions then any other pakistani leader but that is just to be in good books of america. had america not put pressure, i do not think musharraf would have conceded so much. i do not emphasize that america has pressured pakistan coz india is an ally. it is more to do with their vested intrest in the region. at the end of the day, this is politics..it is way difficult to find a leader who thinks for the country and not himself
@Vivek,
A certain Pavan Nair's similar argument in favour of withdrawal should be enlightening.
http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/MONITOR/ISSUE6-1/Siachen.html
@Viv, Adi and Mahesh
The Pak army and intelligence's support to infiltration isn't likely to end unless the Kashmier dispute is resolved. It will be naive to think that if Musharraf were to be replaced by BB or NS, terrorist infrastructure would disappear. Musharraf has proposed out-of-the-box solutions regarding resolving Kashmier which NO OTHER head of Pak had ever done. His 4 point proposal is a significant climbdown of Pak's official stance, that of a plebiscite in J&K. Such innovative proposals have been put forward despite strong criticism from hardliners and political parties.
@Adi,
It is not factually correct that terrorist related activities and infiltration attempts have not gone down. In fact they have since the peace process began.
Hmmm...I agree with you on many points and disagree as much too :-)These so-called "rounds of talks" are nothing but a political gimmick and as you pointed out, whatever little they can do will come at the end of the UPA's term so that they can masquerade it as some path-breaking,unheard-of achievement;-)
Siachen is our space.As a citizen I would not at all be happy if the troops from Siachen were pulled out.My heart goes out to the families of the jawaans freezing to death at that altitude but there must be an alternative solution,like a rotational policy,say.They can take it in turns to guard the peak as opposed to compromising/endangering the national security.In this case,atleast they're guaranteed relief.I suppose we have a large-enough army that can handle this rotational policy very well.
And as for the reduction in terrorism in the valley,I don't accept it.There has been no noticeable improvement either in the living conditions or with regards to the safety of the people in J&K.I don't know how and when terrorism has gone down.
Post a Comment