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===2008 Kashmir Elections===


State Elections were held in Indian held Kashmir in seven phases starting November 17 and finishing on December 24, 2008. In spite of calls by Pakistan based separatists for a boycott an unusually high turnout was recorded<ref>This was because Kashmiris only wanted to make life easier for themselves but they still wanted freedom from the Indian occupation.[http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2008/11/20081117232949276497.html Kashmiris vote despite boycott call]</ref>.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20081226/wl_sthasia_afp/indiaunrestkashmir_081226121856 Kashmir violence at an all time low]</ref> http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/mar/28/briefing-level-of-violence-in-kashmir-dips/print/ Level of violence in Kashmir dips]</ref>.


==See also==
==See also==

Revision as of 03:43, 2 January 2009

Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir

Kashmir : Shown in green is the Kashmiri region that is controlled by Pakistan. The dark-brown region represents the Indian part of Jammu and Kashmir while the Aksai Chin is under Chinese control.
Date1989-present
Location
Jammu and Kashmir
Result Conflict ongoing, largely subsided
Belligerents
Kashmiri separatists Indian Army
Casualties and losses
60,000 dead[citation needed]

Violence in Kashmir has existed in various forms, mainly in Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian side of the disputed territory. Kashmir has been the target of a campaign of militancy by all sides in the conflict. Thousands of lives have been lost since 1989 due to the intensified insurgency. Casualties include civilians, Indian security forces, and Kashmiri and non-Kashmiri militants.

The Inter-Services Intelligence of Pakistan has been accused by India of supporting and training mujahideen[1][2] to fight in Afghanistan[3] and Kashmir.[4]

Militancy and military

See also: History of Jammu and Kashmir

Though there had been instances of sporadic conflict in many regions for many years, intensified attacks occurred in the late 1980s, when Mujahideen fighters from Afghanistan slowly infiltrated the region, with Pakistan's help, following the end of the Soviet-Afghan War in 1989.[5] Since then, violence has increased significantly in strength. Many separatists have carried out attacks on local Hindus, Indian civilians and Indian army installations in response to what they see as Indian army occupation.[6]

India frequently asserts that most of the separatist militant groups are based in Pakistan and Pakistani-Azad Kashmir (also known as Azad Kashmir). Some like the All Parties Hurriyat Conference and the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, openly demand an independent Kashmir. Other militant groups such as Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed favour a Pakistani-Kashmir. These groups have contacts with Taliban and Bin Laden. Both the organisations no longer operate under these names after they were banned by the Indian and Pakistani government, and by other countries including the US and UK. Of the larger militant groups, the Hizbul Mujahideen, a freedom-fighting organisation based in Indian occupied Kashmir, unlike other groups, has only kept its name.[7] Despite casualties, the freedom fighters are still believed to number thousands rather than hundreds. Several new separatist organisations have also emerged. According to US Intelligence, Al-Qaeda also has a main base in Pakistani Kashmir and is helping to foment the freedom struggle in Jammu and Kashmir.[4] [5]

It is hard to determine the total number of casualties. According to a report by the Government of India in the year 2000, 31,000 Kashmiri muslim civilians had lost their lives due to the insurgency. Human rights groups and local NGOs put the total figure at more than 84,000 (2005 figure).[8] Militancy had reached its peak in 1994 when the region saw more than 6,043 incidents and has since declined. However, Kashmir continues to remain as the most volatile region in the world with an average of 2,500 incidents every year.[9] According to an Indian estimate in 2005 there were about 2,000 militants in the Kashmir valley alone; 1,200 of them belong to the Hizbul Mujahideen. Not all Kashmiri separatists and militant organizations share the same ideology. Some fight in the name of religion, some are openly pro-Pakistan and some favour an independent Kashmir.

Due to the presence of these numerous anti-India insurgent groups India has been compelled to deploy massive number of troops in the Indian administered Jammu and Kashmir for the task of counter insurgency. New Delhi has never made an official count, but military analysts estimate that anywhere from 30,000 to nearly 33,000 security personnel are most likely involved, supported by thousands of Indian paramilitary groups such as the Rashtriya rifles, and the Romeo Force(all a part of Indian army).[10] Stimson.org notes of the Indian Armed forces in Kashmir that:

Some reports estimate that India deploys approximately 700,000 combined army and paramilitary forces in Kashmir, most of which are stationed in the interior, 80,000 of which are deployed along the LoC. Pakistani forces deployed along the LoC are reported to number in the 40,000-50,000 range

[11]

Times Online reports that around 250,000 Indian troops are stationed in Kashmir,[12] while Pravda.RU, a widely read Russian News source notes that 350,000-600,000 troops may be deployed in Kashmir.[13]

Mujahedin groups

Over the last two years, a mujahedin group, Lashkar-e-Toiba has split into two factions: Al Mansurin and Al Nasirin. Another new group reported to have emerged is the Save Kashmir Movement. Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (formerly known as Harkat-ul-Ansar) and Lashkar-e-Toiba are believed to be operating from Muzaffarabad, Azad Kashmir and Muridke, Pakistan respectively.[6] Other less well known groups are the Freedom Force and Farzandan-e-Milat. A smaller group, Al-Badr, has been active in Kashmir for many years and is still believed to be functioning.[14] All Parties Hurriyat Conference, an organization that uses moderate means to press for the rights of the Kashmiris, is often considered as the mediator between New Delhi and insurgent groups.

Not much is known about collaboration between the various groups, but most say they are members of an alliance known as the United Jihad Council (UJC).[15] The two groups which India says were behind the December 2001 attack on the Indian parliament in New Delhi– known then as Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Toiba are believed to be members of the UJC. India says that it was Jaish-e-Mohammed that attacked the Jammu and Kashmir State Assembly in Srinagar in October 2001.[16] It is also known that the Jaish-e-Mohammed was responsible for the hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight IC-814 to Kandahar, which forced the Government of India to release Maulana Masood Azhar, the chief of the Jaish-e-Mohammed.[17] Recruits from various parts of the world have been sent to Pakistan-administered Kashmir for training and advice.[18]

India and Pakistan

A 1994 report by Human Rights Watch group lends support to Pakistani charges. program. In support of Pakistani claims, its states that "the human rights record of the Indian government in Punjab and Kashmir is appalling. Abuses in Kashmir are clearly on the rise."[19] The US government has also supported the claim that anti-Indian mujahideen groups exist in India.[20] India claims that there are also other Afghan, Egyptian, Yemeni and Bangladeshi terrorists active in Jammu and Kashmir. http://news.monstersandcritics.com/india/article_1184933.php/Pakistan_army_officer_killed_in_Kashmir_encounter Pakistan army officer killed in Kashmir encounter]</ref> The UN Security Council has also confirmed the existence of terrorist groups based in [Pakistani] Kashmir and urged Pakistan to crack down on terrorist groups which had been operating in Kashmir and killing innocent people.[21]

Pakistan describes the separatists as "freedom fighters" and says that it supports their effort for the cause of the Kashmiris only morally and diplomatically. Pakistan however admits that there has been 'cross border infiltration of militants' across the line of controls LOC. In 2002, Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf tried to clamp down on the freedom-fighters [7] operating from Pakistan[8]. India, however, claims that Islamabad supports these groups financially and militarily. Sources have maintained that Pakistan's intelligence organisation, Inter Services Intelligence, is the main supplier of funds and arms to these groups;[22] a claim that Islamabad has dismissed. According to the Indian news site Rediff.com, British Government had stated in 2002 that there is a 'clear link' between Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence and three major militant groups[23] An article in The Guardian had uncovered evidence that Pakistani militants were openly raising funds and training new recruits and that the ISI's Kashmir Cell was instrumental in funding and controlling the militant outfits.[19] Richard Bennett, a British military and intelligence analyst states that the ISI has armed and trained generations of Islamist extremists and has directed many of their attacks both within the Kashmir and in India's major cities.[24]

Indian sources also allege that there are between 2,600 to 3,000 militants receiving training in camps across Pakistan and Pakistan Azad Kashmir. During a peace summit between former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and Indian former-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in January 2004, Islamabad assured India that it would do everything possible to curb the activities any training camps on its territory. However, violence has continued in Kashmir despite a 3 year long peace process between India and Pakistan. There were as many as 166 incidents in June 2005 alone in which some 201 people have died.[25][citation needed]

According to Indian sources there are about 37 training camps in Pakistan, 49 in Azad Kashmir and 22 in Afghanistan.[9] The FBI also has produced images of camps operating in Pakistan.[26] India claims that every year thousands of armed insurgents infiltrate into Indian-administered Kashmir and carry out attacks against Indian Security Forces and Kashmiri civilians. In June 2005, the Indian Army had foiled at least 72 infiltration attempts along the Line of Control in Kashmir.[10] India alleges that despite the commitments made by Pervez Musharraf, Islamabad has done little to stop the training camps on its soil. According to India, most of the militants in Kashmir come from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Egypt, Yemen and Bangladesh. Not all Kashmiri separatists and militant organizations share the same ideology. Some fight in the name of religion, some are pro-Pakistan and some favour an independent Kashmir. While the vast majority of militants are Muslims, one report indicated a minority of fighter (40 to 50) are Hindu militants who have either taken up arms or provided safe cover for militants.[27]

Indian Statistics

The following statistics were compiled by Indian Army:[6]

  • Number of Kashmiri militant camps in Pakistan-administered Kashmir: 49
  • Total number of Kashmir militant camps in Pakistan: 37
  • Number of Kashmiri militant camps in Afghanistan: 22 (During Taliban rule)
  • Number of militants* operating in Jammu and Kashmir: 3200 (1996 estimate[28])
  • Number of Kashmiri Militants in Indian jails: 125
  • Number of Indian civilians killed by Kashmiri Militants* since 1988: over 29,000
  • Number of explosions carried out by the Militants* in India: 4,730
  • Total number of Kashmiri Pandits displaced from the state: over 750,000
  • Amount of explosives recovered from Kashmiri Militants* in India: 60 tons or 30,000 kg (estimate)
  • Major Kashmiri Militant training camps:[25][citation needed]
Location of major Militant* camps
Muridke (near Lahore) Punjab, Pakistan
Kotli Pakistan-administered Kashmir
Muzaffarabad Pakistan-administered Kashmir
Skardu Northern Areas, Pakistan
Gultari Northern Areas, Pakistan
Tarkuti Northern Areas, Pakistan
Batrasi North West Frontier Province, Pakistan
Sufaida North West Frontier Province, Pakistan
Tanda Allabyar Sindh, Pakistan

Note: Pakistan denies the existence of such training camps on their territory, and the existence of such camps is a matter of controversy.

Human rights violations

Human rights violations by India

A 1996 Human Rights Watch report accuses the Indian military and Indian-government backed paramilitaries of "committ[ing] serious and widespread human rights violations in Kashmir."[29] One such alleged massacre occurred on January 6, 1993 in the town of Sopore. TIME Magazine described the incident as such: "In retaliation for the killing of one soldier, paramilitary forces rampaged through Sopore's market setting buildings ablaze and shooting bystanders. The Indian government pronounced the event 'unfortunate' and claimed that an ammunition dump had been hit by gunfire, setting off fires that killed most of the victims."[30] In addition to this, there have been claims of disappearances by the police or the army in Kashmir by several human rights organizations.[31][32]


2008 Kashmir Elections

State Elections were held in Indian held Kashmir in seven phases starting November 17 and finishing on December 24, 2008. In spite of calls by Pakistan based separatists for a boycott an unusually high turnout was recorded[33]. http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20081226/wl_sthasia_afp/indiaunrestkashmir_081226121856 Kashmir violence at an all time low]</ref> http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/mar/28/briefing-level-of-violence-in-kashmir-dips/print/ Level of violence in Kashmir dips]</ref>.

See also

Related articles
Militant groups

Films and Books

  • Yahaan– A love story of an idealistic Indian army soldier and a local Kashmiri girl.

Books

References

  1. ^ Pakistan's shadowy secret service - BBC News
  2. ^ Nato's top brass accuse Pakistan over Taliban aid - Telegraph
  3. ^ At Border, Signs of Pakistani Role in Taliban Surge - New York Times
  4. ^ A NATION CHALLENGED: THE SUSPECTS; Death of Reporter Puts Focus On Pakistan Intelligence Unit - New York Times
  5. ^ "Kashmir insurgency Timeline".
  6. ^ a b "Facts on Kashmiri Terrorism".
  7. ^ "Information regarding militants international links".
  8. ^ "Information on the terrorist camps in Pakistan".
  9. ^ "The surrogate war in Kashmir".
  10. ^ [1], [2], [3] Multiple sources for the number of Indian counter-insurgency troops in the region
  11. ^ Stimson - The Kashmir Dispute
  12. ^ India’s leader makes peace overtures in Kashmir - Times Online
  13. ^ Reduction of India troops in Kashmir - Pravda.Ru
  14. ^ "List of terrorist organisations".
  15. ^ "Info regarding UJC and its members".
  16. ^ "Article on Indian Parliament Attack".
  17. ^ "IC 814 Hijacking".
  18. ^ "Where Some British Extremists Go On Holiday".
  19. ^ a b "Introduction to Kashmir conflict". Cite error: The named reference "Guardian" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  20. ^ Dawn, Pakistan
  21. ^ Crack down on ultras, UN tells Pak
  22. ^ ""Directorate for ISI" article on FAS, Intelligence Resource Program".
  23. ^ "Information regarding links between ISI and militants".
  24. ^ Kashmir militants are a danger to world peace by Richard M Bennett
  25. ^ a b "July 22, 2005 edition of the Hindustan Times newspaper - report by journalist Nilova Roy Chaudhury".
  26. ^ FBI has images of terror camp in Pak
  27. ^ "Kashmir's new headache: Hindu militants".
  28. ^ "VII. Violations by Militant Organizations". Human Rights Watch/Asia: India: India's Secret Army in Kashmir, New Patterns of Abuse Emerge in the Conflict. Human Rights Watch. May 1996. Retrieved 2007-02-09.
  29. ^ http://www.hrw.org/campaigns/kashmir/1996/India-07.htm
  30. ^ Blood Tide Rising - TIME
  31. ^ India
  32. ^ BBC NEWS | World | South Asia | Kashmir's extra-judicial killings
  33. ^ This was because Kashmiris only wanted to make life easier for themselves but they still wanted freedom from the Indian occupation.Kashmiris vote despite boycott call

Manoj Joshi, Lost Rebellion: Kashmir in the Nineties (New Delhi, Penguin Books, 1999)

Bibliography

  1. ^ BBC Timeline on Kashmir conflict.
  2. ^ Lashkar-e-toiba's profile
  3. ^ List of terrorist attacks in Kashmir
  4. ^ Article on Nadimarg killings
  5. ^ Amarnath killings report
  6. ^ Plight of Kashmiri Pundits
  7. ^ Schofield, Victoria. 'Kashmir: The origins of the dispute', BBC News UK Edition (January 16 2002) Retrieved May 20 2005
  8. ^ HT story - Kashmiri militants warn against return of Pandits
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