Need for a political dialogue to end the impasse

Now almost a month is about to end in the fresh uprising which started from the fake death of three young men by Army in border area of Kupwara District. This menace of death and destruction followed to Srinagar then to Sopore then to Islamabad and finally it is again Srinagar which witnessed it (which includes death a young lady and a nine years old boy). Excepting last Sunday all of these days’ people have observed complete shut down and traffic has been off the road and peaceful protests besides incidents of stone pelting are also going on. There seems no end to this current impasse as Government seems not ready to read the writing on the wall.

Though oflate Mr. Omar Abdullah had just given a hint that it is efforts on the political front by the Government of India that will make a difference, however, he has failed on all fronts to protect the life and property of the people of Kashmir, as he is not able to rein in the security forces. Government is building castles in air by going to the areas of mourning and meeting some of their mainstream political workers outside the towns in dakbangalows. These mainstream political workers have little or no influence over the common people whose loved ones have been killed in cold blood for a justified cause. In this situation if someone had some leverage are the separatist camp but irony of the fact is rather trying to find out a solution with these people, almost all barring few among the separatists have been put in jail, making any headway impossible.

As per Greater Kashmir daily’s report Rs.15.00 crores were encashed on Sunday by the people when last time deal was given but on Saturday it rost upto 20.00 crores People were seen busy buying edible items in large caches. As Government of India is continuing with its old policy of wait,wait and wait, people feel that this time this uprising will be there for a long time and God knows better how many of us have to face the fatal bullets and teargas shells of the arrogant security people in absence of any political dialogue which not less than Army Chief of India too has sought for recently.

The only way out is for the Government of India to end its waiting policy and come out with some concrete political map to offer. It is clear now that Government of India has not been able to calm the sentiments of Kashmiri people for last more than sixty years, experiencing both carrot and stick methods. Government should release Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and others so that they too will be able to offer a political road map or demands. Government should leave its stubbornness on the pre-condition of within constitution talks so that some headway could be achieved in the talks. Pakistan with whom talks have just started should also be involved in this process. People especially younger generation has been desperate to see some development on the political front of the Kashmir problem. Without waiting for anything more gruesome to watch in the coming days Government of India should prove its sincerity by revoking AFSPA and other black laws, they should release prisoners, punish the erring security personnel atleast involved in the recent killings before making a meaning offer of dialogue with separatists.

By Hamid Nilnagi
Haamidi2003@yahoo.co.in