My Response to Mirwaiz Umar Farooq's An open letter to the people of India

To the People of India,

India’s elections have begun and you are exercising your votes to choose your new political representatives. Whoever you end up electing will be momentously placed to exercise real leadership and take the difficult decisions that are needed to shape a better course for the future of India and for peace in South Asia.

Sir, till the time you use this pronoun “You”, we will not able to recognize “you”.  Peace in south Asia is important for all of us and we cannot agree with you more, however the use of this pronoun “YOU” is a roadblock and right in the beginning brings a dark cloud.

In this regard, there are two clear paths ahead, each with very different outcomes. Your newly elected representatives (those in power and those in opposition) could collectively resolve to take a bold and visionary break from the past and could work together to pursue a serious political and diplomatic effort to resolve the Kashmir issue. Alternatively, they could relinquish their collective leadership responsibilities and choose to follow the same old default policy approach that has allowed the Kashmir issue to fester for more than six decades now, placing the region on the dangerous trajectory that it is currently heading towards. Ultimately, the direction that the next elected leadership of India will take vis-à-vis the Kashmir issue largely depends on all of you — the people of India — and on how effectively you can influence and support your political leaders to do what is both possible and necessary for peace.

I agree with you on your idea of new policy and fresh approach to resolve the issue; however it is “WE – people of India include Kashmiris” who have to solve it. I would like to bring two points right in the beginning – first, when we are talking about Kashmir issue we are not referring to a landmass or geographical boundary, it is about people of J&K. Thus Kashmir issue is people problem and not a geography problem and thus any solution would need solving for people – all of us not for a group of individuals or defined landmass!  Second, we have to be very clear that any solution has to be based on the premise of unified India and the moment anyone brings an option of exclusion, he/she is talking about and invidious choice.

Not an isolated issue

We urge you to recognise that the Kashmir issue is not a peripheral or isolated one. You must understand and become seized of this important matter. In the past we made many attempts to reach out to you personally and apprise you of the Kashmir issue and the grim situation on the ground, but all these efforts were thwarted by the use of brute force and hooliganism, and on many occasions we were manhandled. The Kashmir issue continues to destroy life and obliterate the rights and aspirations of our people in Kashmir who desire only to live free, peaceful and dignified lives. The continuation of this tragic conflict is also a direct threat to your interests and well-being as a people. In one way or another, this tragic conflict directly affects all the other issues that are currently being discussed and debated in the election season in India. You have a direct stake in seeing that a just and lasting resolution of the Kashmir issue is reached. The conflict is not only a threat to millions of Kashmiris, it is a serious hazard for the one billion-plus population of India and for the population of the entire region. There is no better time than now to press your representatives to exercise their leadership to resolve the Kashmir issue.

Sir, with all due respect it seems that you consider yourself the only and sole representative of entire J&K. J&K comprises of Kashmir, Jammu and Laddakh region. When I was in Ladakh few years back I asked some locals about separatist movement in J&K and unfortunately 3 out of 4 people I talked did not recognize your name. Under these circumstances calling yourself that “you” reached out to government of unified India to resolve the problem can at best be described as your best intention and not a voice of the region. People of India is clear on this – separatist leaders alone do not represent the region. When you say “our people” you seem to be making too big a claim sir. It is difficult to agree when we see that the so called self-proclaimed representative of Kashmir “All party Huriyat Conference” has no unity and all of Huriyat’s individual parties have their own vested interest.  Under these circumstances it is more likely that you are worried more about your own interests – like Afgan lords- than our brothers and sisters from the region. I agree that you represent  a section of people but only sections of people and not the region, thus where we respect your voice and suggestion we cannot go by what you say. You still have to prove your credibility even as a serious and sincere representative of the people.  

A peaceful solution to the Kashmir issue would unleash immense prosperity and economic benefits for India and for the entire South Asia Region. Unfortunately, rather than pursuing a political solution in Kashmir, successive governments in New Delhi have continued to waste your taxes and precious economic resources to pursue a militaristic policy on Kashmir. At huge economic and human cost, this approach represents a failed policy. It has only ended up deepening the conflict. Today, it should be a matter of great concern to all of you that India ranks 136 in the UN Human Development Index (HDI), but has distinguished itself as the world’s largest importer of arms by a huge margin. While India’s economic growth has slowed in the last few years, arms imports have increased by a phenomenal 111 per cent in the past five years. This is draining your economy, while filling the coffers of other countries that are benefiting as arms exporters.

Indeed, the Kashmir conflict is a direct threat to your prosperity. With more than 800 million people in India still living on less than $2 (Rs. 120) a day, surely the estimated $37-47 billion a year that goes as military expenditure (which is 2 to 2.5 per cent of GDP) could be put to much better use towards initiatives to lift more and more people out of poverty. If the Kashmir issue is resolved, not only would this costly arms race come to an end, it would open up the multipliers of economic cooperation and trade. Certainly, ensuring lasting peace and stability is the greatest foundation for your future prosperity, economic growth and development.

Sir, here you are making important and relevant points. I agree that diversion of funds and money to buy arms in not well thought policy, however you seem to be mistaken by the fact that it is Kashmir which is the sole reason of this diversion of fund. As a matter of fact sir, your subtle reference to Pakistan’s interest in the region is relevant but only as much. I do not think an average Indian today even think of Pakistan as a potential threat – honestly it does not even appear in our discussion. Pakistan for us is just a nuisance and not a threat. We have far stronger neighbours to be careful of than Pakistan and thus this arm’s strength is necessary. You can see from recent Crimea example, a country without military and economic might cannot be protected even by the biggest powers if a neighbor is far stronger. As far as Pakistan is concerned, we are worried about two front wars – till the time it remains on one front, trust us sir, we are least bothered.  So the investment on arms would continue, however we must develop our own industry to produce arms and reduce our dependency on imports and I agree with you on that point.

As far as Human Development Index is concerned, yes we are pathetic and we are ashamed of that. Our corrupt politicians and bureaucrats have exploited the system for their advantage but to correlate it with arms import is nothing but a hollow rhetoric.

As far as few US$ 35 – 37 billion dollar of funds are considered, sir India is an economy of $4.962 trillion (PPP terms, Source CIA). Do you really think it is this amount which is causing the problem or it is the will of our politicians and policymakers? Let’s not even talk about few billion dollars sir – they are not even 1% of the economy. The real problem is the will and attitude of our politicians and not arms import. Though as an Indian your concern is genuine and we all share the same concern but mixing that with Indian people of people J& K is not relevant.

You must ask your leaders why after so many decades, military approaches have failed to resolve the Kashmir issue. Today, this conflict is a direct threat to the security and stability of the entire region. It is the main driver of militarisation and regional instability, and there is every possibility that the situation could escalate and worsen in the coming years. If the Government of India continues to avoid a political solution to the conflict, if it insists on the continuation of the same unjust and hegemonic approaches, it will spell disaster for the region. This beaten path has already proved to be a policy failure long back. Delaying a political solution has made the situation more insecure and unstable, and the conflict has only become more dangerous with time.

I agree with you. Yes, peace is important and a political solution is necessary, but it seems to me no one – including Huriyat is serious about peace as conflict is the reason for their relevance. It is very much like why NATO would never like to see complete peace in Europe and GCC would never like to see peace in Middle East as that would mean its irrelevance and end of its existence. So I think, it would be better first we all come clean on our intention. People like you are obsessed with the idea of J&K as a geographical region while the solution lies with the fact that a landmass is not more important than people inhabiting it. The day we all would understand this, we would proceed on the right path!

 Today, Kashmir stands as a potential nuclear flashpoint which could consume the lives of millions of people in an instant. 

I do not think this is true. This is just rhetoric. No one is going to use nuclear bomb for war. You are talking like a saint while you are just thinking like another Machiavellian character sir.  

Engaging in a costly nuclear and conventional arms race with Pakistan and continuing to pursue militaristic approaches in Kashmir will only add to these dangers. You must ask your leaders whether these approaches are truly serving your interests. Allowing a dangerous political conflict like Kashmir to fester is no way to ensure the security of the Indian people, nor can it be a path to a stable future for the region. The Kashmir issue continues to keep all the parties bogged down in a state of perpetual hostility and distrust. In this way, conflict has become the biggest security threat to the region.

Do you really seriously think that Pakistan is in a position to fight any war with India! People of J&K are our brothers and sisters and we would not like to see them under any pain. Even today, their pain hurts us all. While, certainly war is not a good thing but not having a war because it is not good is nonsense! India which includes people of J&K may prefer bad thing over nonsense!

Not only is the continuation of the Kashmir issue a direct threat to your economic prosperity and security, we believe that you have a real moral stake in not letting your government continue to pursue what is a failed and unjust policy towards Kashmir. Kashmiris have legitimate rights and aspirations. Attempting to suppress the emotions and aspirations of millions of people by force is no way to address a political conflict. Widespread human rights abuses have taken place and grave injustices have been carried out against our people. Crushing the democratic right to protest and express political dissent, restricting free speech, persecuting entire sections of the population, foisting black laws and continuing to keep hundreds of thousands of military forces deployed for decades on end in Kashmir – surely this represents both a moral and political failure. There has to be an end to all of this.

You seem to threatening people of J&K only sir. We do not have moral stake sir – we have real stake as they are our family members! Unfortunately you cannot see that.  Aspirations and emotions of the family members should not and cannot be suppressed. We are completely against Special Acts being used by military but we have to recognize that everyone is guilty except the people of Kashmir. Huriyat is as big a culprit as terrorist organizations operating from PoK. Why don’t you fight election, form a government, bring peace and ask the army to leave the state – you will find every Indian rallying behind you and supporting you. But no Indian which includes people of J&K will be happy to support you unless you come clean on your record. By sheer rhetoric, we fail to get impressed.

Please put yourselves in the shoes of our people and try to see the conflict through their eyes. Talk to any common Kashmiri and he or she can share with you the direct pain, injustice and indignity that people continue to suffer as a result of the conflict. Surely, you have a direct moral stake in ensuring that your government takes the higher road on Kashmir towards peace. Kashmir is a human issue and it requires a political solution.

Sir I have talked to Kashmiris – Hindu, Muslim and Buddhist - all! Pain is there, no doubt about it but unfortunately they are being used by all sides for their advantage e.g in this case you are using! Everyone in this world has some pain to share, only when we think that our pain is bigger than others we commit a mistake of hasty judgment. Our Muslim brothers and sisters are at least in their state, but think of our Kashmiri Pandits – they are living like refugee in their own country! Pain is there on every side so let’s try to put balm and not salt by comparing pain!    

Path of statesmanship

For the sake of our children, we urgently need to resolve this dispute. Instead of a festering quagmire, we should hand over to our youth a chance to shape a peaceful, hopeful and prosperous future — for all parties concerned — for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, India, and Pakistan. We believe that every party must put forward serious efforts to resolve the conflict. For peace, many barriers and obstacles will have to be overcome. Furthermore, any lasting solution must be a just one, and that necessarily means recognising and upholding the Kashmiri people’s aspirations and right to self-determination. In this regard, we are seeking only what is due to the people of Jammu and Kashmir as a matter of legal, moral, and historical right. The solution will have to be acceptable to all parties – India, Pakistan and the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

I agree with everything but your idea of self-determination. Unfortunately, your reading of history is limited in time sir else you would not have taken refuse under history. History of Kashmir goes back to several centuries BC and it was Ashoka the great who built Srinagar! But as we say, history never resolves a problem it only creates problems so forget it.

Right to self-determination has a legitimate restriction else, tomorrow you would like to form a separate “Mirwaiz – Kasmir”. The idea of self-determination will not take us anywhere as self-determination is relevant when it is about a landmass not when it is about people. We are not like Sudan! We are Indians and we have a civilization to take inspiration from. Throughout the history India has remained a concept – it was never a land mass. Unfortunately the idea of self determination in the UN was developed for geographical boundaries and not for us! We have to live together and help each other. We have to prosper together. We must work jointly; pressurize our leaders to find a common solution.

For long, we have hoped that India’s leaders would tread precisely this type of an approach — the path of statesmanship. We expected that your Prime Ministers would take bold decisions that would go against conventional thinking to break the status quo and resolve the Kashmir issue.

At various moments, both Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gave us some reason to believe that an honourable and lasting solution could be achieved. 

It was Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who went to Lahore and declared from the base of Minar-e-Pakistan: “It is my dream and wish to resolve the Kashmir issue.” It was also Mr. Vajpayee who spoke of holding unconditional talks under the ambit of Insaniyat and vowed that India "shall not traverse solely on the beaten track of the past.” He proclaimed that India’s leadership would act as “bold and innovative designers of a future architecture of peace and prosperity for the entire South Asian region." Similarly, on many occasions, in 2004 and again in 2006 from Amritsar, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh talked quite boldly about engaging in an irreversible process of dialogue to reach a political solution on Kashmir.

If you think, a bold step would be acceding to your demand of self-determination then sorry! They have taken bold decisions – what could have been bolder than a BJP’s prime minister going to Pakistan and promise to help in return he was gifted with Kargil! We need to be little mature sir. We cannot talk like children. This is a serious matter and let’s be serious about what we are talking here.

Period of uncertainty

Unfortunately, these visions could not materialise and the attempts were not sustained. For the people of Jammu and Kashmir, the first decade and a half of this century has only been one of continued uncertainty, human misery, unfulfilled promises, false hopes and failed efforts to resolve the Kashmir issue. Failure has bred cynicism and destroyed hope in Kashmir. The good intentions of your Prime Ministers aside, we regret that the peace initiatives proved to be too fragile and the process too vulnerable. Ultimately, these attempts were reversible. They failed to yield visible results and no progress was achieved towards addressing the underlying realities of the Kashmir issue. As a result, many in Kashmir have concluded that the Government of India is not sincere and has no desire to resolve the Kashmir issue. Today, many people are questioning whether the political path of dialogue and negotiation is the best way to seek their rights and ensure justice.

The Kashmir issue is where it has always been – unresolved and causing great harm, suffering and cost to all. Today, all of us continue to be held hostage to the past. In this regard, we must accept the fact that domestic politics in India has played a disabling role. It has held back leadership and statesmanship in India.

Whenever parties find themselves out of power and in opposition they have tended to take hardline approaches on Kashmir. When ruling governments face domestic opposition, they become unable or unwilling to do what is necessary for peace. 

Worse still, sitting governments even take hardline actions themselves that worsen the situation.

You are raising too many questions at the same time. Let’s stick to practical problems and find out the solutions. Bringing philosophical questions around human misery and pain have limited relevance in this case – though they would look appealing to many people. If I may ask you, who has not suffered in the last six decades! The whole mankind has suffered, Africa has suffered, Asia has Suffered, America has suffered but a lasting solution has been delivered only when people were united and not divided. I do not need to give you examples. Local and domestic politics has taken people and policies hostage everywhere even in the most advanced European countries – so what is so different about it! I am not justifying the point that local politics should highjack larger ambitions or aspirations. I am not saying that the points you have made here are not valid – rather they are very much valid but they are mere statements, where we need insight sir. An insight, which would provide light and not put off the already simmering flickering lights. I think we are blaming government little too much! Huriyat has also bowed down to Pakistani pressure – don’t they betray the people they claim to represent there! People who are serious about the issue and want solution should focus on what can be done rather than pinpointing one’s mistakes. 

     

Observing all this, Kashmiris have now realised that it is not at all possible to expect any sitting Prime Minister in India (irrespective of the party they come from) to pursue peace on their own. Individual political will and personal determination have not been enough to move the process forward. Therefore, in order to resolve the Kashmir issue, your elected Prime Ministers need the consistent support of the opposition parties and they also need active support from all of you – the people of India.

How could you even imagine that an individual’s wish would be accepted by all – no matter who he/she is! India is a democracy and any decision has to be taken through democratic means. If a question is being raised which in any way affect the integrity and stability of the country, no one individual or group of individuals should be and can be allowed to run the whip. Yes, our leaders which include J &K leaders as well and which include people of Kashmir as well.

Therefore, as citizens of India you have a vital role to play for peace in the region. Ultimately, visionary leadership and statesmanship in India will be enabled by your public wisdom and from your active support for peace. Whoever you vote for and whoever ends up forming the next government or sitting in the opposition, you must hold them accountable on the Kashmir issue. You must convince your elected leaders that the time has come to develop a peace process on Kashmir that is immune to domestic politics and power tussles.

Yes. We all are responsible for what happens. We all want peaceful resolution of the issue. We all would like to see that aspirations and requirements of everyone is met which optimizes the benefits for all.

The entire region is waiting for India to come forward for peace. There is already a broad political consensus in Jammu and Kashmir and in Pakistan that the Kashmir issue must be amicably resolved. Similarly, you must ask your leaders to develop a political consensus to resolve the issue. Let finding a solution to the Kashmir issue become a goal of all the parties to it.

In this direction, it is our sincere hope that you will raise your voices. You must press the elected leadership to rise above domestic politics and work towards India’s strategic and moral interests. Through your resounding support for safeguarding India’s interests in peace, prosperity and security and through your vocal support for justice, you can make a real impact.

We would appreciate your points here. I think, we all should try and focus on resolving the grievances of people and work towards optimal satisfaction, however we must appreciate that we as a country are struggling with many problems – economic, social, insurgency, terrorism,  naxalism etc. We would like all problems to be resolved. However, we must understand that for people of India issues related to tribals in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand or issues to insurgency in North East are equally important. We should not try to look at Kashmir issue as a separate issue. For all of US – Indians – Kashmir is an integral part of the country and if our brothers and sisters from the region are facing any problem we must strive to solve the problem – an Indian problem for Indian people by Indian people.       

 We hope that after the current election, those who are elected to power and those who are in opposition will all act in greater unison to move forward towards resolving the Kashmir issue. 

There must be a serious, result-oriented and time-bound process of dialogue between the leadership of India and Pakistan, and of Jammu and Kashmir.

We are a part of a family. Kashmir is not a diplomatic issue of land mass – not at all! It is about people of J&K and thus we must look at it as people problem rather than geographical problem and solving people is neither easy nor a science. Let’s focus on solving people problem one by one and not all at once – that would lead to more chaos! 

Let this process start sooner rather than later. Over an intensive period of one year, let all of the parties engage actively with one another. Let each party seriously consider whether they can find partners to end this conflict once and for all. We must all try our best and exhaust the possibilities to seek a peaceful solution. Perhaps together we will be able to find some way to take a historic step forward towards a real peace process.

We remain ready and willing to contribute positively and constructively towards this achievement.

Remember a best solution is an optimal solution! Amen!