2019–2021 Jammu and Kashmir lockdown
2019–2021 Jammu and Kashmir lockdown | |||
---|---|---|---|
Part of the Kashmir conflict[1] | |||
Map of India with Jammu and Kashmir, administered as a union territory, highlighted in red (lighter shade indicates claimed but not controlled territories) | |||
Date | 5 August 2019 – present (5 years, 2 months, 1 week and 5 days) | ||
Location | 34°02′00″N 74°40′00″E / 34.0333°N 74.6667°E | ||
Caused by | Revocation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status[2] | ||
Methods | Curfew, communications and media blackout, increased military presence | ||
Status | Partially ongoing; all communications services restored (On an average Internet services are suspended in South Kashmir districts once a week for militancy related precautionary measures),[3][4] Extra security forces withdrawn[5] | ||
Parties | |||
Lead figures | |||
Casualties and losses | |||
Death(s) | ~69 (including security forces, civilian, militants)[6] | ||
Arrested | ~3,800–4,000 (including 200 politicians, 100 separatist leaders)[7] | ||
Charged | 3,000 civilian were listed as stone pelters, 150 people were accused of alleged association with militant groups involving Kashmir conflict[7] |
The 2019–2021 Jammu and Kashmir lockdown was a security lockdown and communications blackout that had been imposed throughout the Indian-administered union territory of Jammu and Kashmir following the revocation of Article 370 which lasted until February 2021,[8] with the goal of preemptively curbing unrest, violence and protests. Thousands of civilians, mostly young men, had and have been detained in the crackdown.[9][10][11] The Indian government had stated that the tough lockdown measures and substantially increased deployment of security forces had been aimed at curbing terrorism.[12]
The revocation and subsequent lockdown drew condemnation from several countries, especially Pakistan, which had lodged protests with India on multiple occasions.[13][14]
On 5 February 2021, Jammu and Kashmir's Principal Secretary of Power and Information, Rohit Kansal, announced that 4G internet services would be restored in the entire union territory.[15] Subsequently, the ban of 4G and 3G services ended.[16]
Timeline
The lockdown officially started on 5 August 2019, following the revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir via the scrapping of Article 370 and Article 35A of the Indian constitution and subsequent introduction of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.[17][18] Since the lockdown was brought into effect, no foreign journalist has been allowed by the Indian government to report from the new union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.[19]
According to a 6 September 2019 report by the Indian government, nearly 4,000 people have been arrested in the disputed region. Among those arrested were more than 200 local Kashmiri politicians, including two former chief ministers of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, along with more than 100 leaders and activists from the All Parties Hurriyat Conference.[7]
On 1 October 2019, a three-judge bench consisting of justices N. V. Ramana, Ramayyagari Subhash Reddy and Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai of the Supreme Court of India, heard the appeal of seven petitions on the lockdown.[20]
On 3 October 2019, journalists in Kashmir staged a sit-in protest against the enforced communications blackout, describing the total blockade of internet services and mobile phones as a "gag".[21]
On 4 October 2019, the Indian government denied United States Senator Chris Van Hollen's request to travel to Jammu and Kashmir.[19] Meanwhile, Sandeep Pandey, an education reformer, and other activists who were on an informal fact-finding mission were also barred from leaving the airport in Srinagar.[19] On the same day, protests were held by the local Kashmiri people, where they chanted pro-Pakistan slogans and demanded an end to what they described as the "Indian occupation of their territory".[22]
On 24 October 2019, village council elections were held across Jammu and Kashmir, despite a boycott by most political parties and the detention of many mainstream local politicians; political scientist Noor Ahmed Baba called it "more like an artificial exercise".[23]
Mobile phone services were barred for the 85th consecutive day on 28 October, for at least 2.5 million prepaid cell phone users in Jammu and Kashmir.[24] In January 2020, a 2G internet connection was established in Jammu & Kashmir, albeit only for limited whitelisted sites approved by the Indian government.[25]
A new curfew was imposed a day ahead of the first anniversary of India's decision to revoke the disputed region's semi-autonomy, on 4 August 2020. Officials announced a two-day "full curfew" citing intelligence reports of looming protests in the Muslim-majority region, where locals have called for the anniversary to be marked as a "black day".[26]
On 16 August 2020, 4G LTE mobile services were restored in two districts of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir on a trial basis, after the Supreme Court of India ruled that an indefinite shutdown was effectively illegal.[27]
In December, the Indian government arrested at least 75 Kashmiri leaders and activists to forestall political unrest after an alliance of Kashmir's opposition political parties won elections in Jammu and Kashmir.[28]
On 5 February 2021, Jammu and Kashmir's Principal Secretary of Power and Information, Rohit Kansal, announced that 4G internet services would be restored in the entire union territory.[15] This was applauded by the union territory former Chief Ministers Omar Abdullah and Farooq Abdullah.[15] The move was lauded by Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari and Srinagar Mayor Junaid Azim Mattu.[29]
On September 2, security forces began a new lockdown and near-total communications blackout following the death of Syed Ali Shah Geelani, a top Kashmiri independence leader. In flak jackets and riot gear, armed police and paramilitary personnel began patrolling streets in Srinagar and ordered residents to stay indoors.[30] Razor wire, steel barricades, and vehicles blocked some streets.[30]
Re-introduction of tourism
In October 2019, the Indian government planned to re-introduce tourism in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and lift security restrictions for all foreigners visiting the region, although they would still be prevented from using mobile internet or cellphones. 4G mobile Internet services were restored in Jammu and Kashmir in February 2021[31][32] before being subject to a new blackout in September 2021.[30]
Figures show 19,000 tourists visited the Union Territory in January 2021, compared to only 3,750 tourists that visited Srinagar in January 2020.[33] In August 2021, Srinagar Airport reported over 8000 passengers in one day. Kuldeep Singh (Director of Srinagar Airport) revealed that out of 72 major airports in India, Srinagar International Airport had become the first to surpass pre Covid passenger arrivals in August 2021. The director stated, “On Friday alone at Srinagar airport, 8515 passengers traveled on 74 flights to and fro and within this month, we are expecting it will cross above 10000.”[34][35]
International reactions
- United States – Alice Wells, the Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, said in a statement that the U.S. hoped "to see rapid action – the lifting of the restrictions and the release of those who have been detained". She added that the U.S. was "concerned by widespread detentions, including those of politicians and business leaders, and the restrictions on the residents of Jammu and Kashmir".[36] U.S. lawmakers Ilhan Omar,[37] Rashida Tlaib[38] and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez[39] have also called for an end to the communications blockade. President Donald Trump volunteered to serve as a mediator for the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan, but only if both countries accepted his offer.[40]
- Pakistan – Pakistan reacted with extreme alarm to the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status and subsequent lockdown, in what it viewed as the unilateral annexation of an internationally disputed region.[41][42][43][unreliable source?] Pakistani officials said that the country would "downgrade" diplomatic ties with India, dismiss the Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan, and halt bilateral trade with New Delhi.[44] Pakistan's prime minister, Imran Khan, expressed fears of a possible "genocide of Muslims in Kashmir".[45] The Indian government's actions were met with outrage by the Pakistani people, who held nationwide protests against the "illegal Indian military occupation" and in solidarity with the Kashmiri people, with the Government of Pakistan subsequently designating 5 August to be observed as the Youm-e-Istehsal (transl. 'Day of Exploitation') annually.[46][47][48]
- China – China said it was very troubled about the unfolding state of affairs in the newly-organized Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Chinese politician Hua Chunying urged both countries to show restraint and act sensibly. She stated that India and Pakistan should abstain from further escalatory measures that could radically alter the existing state of affairs in the region. She called on both countries to settle the dispute through dialogue in order to preserve peace and stability in the war-torn region.[49]
- Turkey – President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that the abolition of Kashmir's Autonomy has worsened the everyday situation for Kashmiris. He also stated that the issue of Kashmir is as important to Turkey as it is to Pakistan, openly supporting the latter's position on the dispute with India over Kashmir.[50]
- United Arab Emirates – the UAE ambassador to India, Dr. Al Banna said that his country had acknowledged the latest events in Jammu and Kashmir. He stated that this restructuring was not an unprecedented occurrence in the history of India and that the decision was intended to decrease regional inequality and enhance operational efficiency for the Indian government. He labelled India's latest decision in Jammu and Kashmir to be its internal issue.[51]
- Organisation of Islamic Cooperation – OIC Secretary-General Dr. Yousef Al-Othaimeen reaffirmed the OIC's pledge to peacefully settling the Kashmir issue. At the same time, he asked the international community to increase its efforts to aid the Kashmiri people in their struggle for human rights and peace. The organization called on the United Nations to pressure India to abide by all relevant UN resolutions and encouraged India to employ dialogue with Pakistan to calm the tensions. Lastly, the organization requested India to rollback on security raids, honour human rights, abstain from altering the Muslim-majority demographics of Kashmir and settle the conflict with the help of the United Nations.[52]
- Amnesty International – The NGO for human rights started an online petition titled Let Kashmir Speak, which demanded a lifting of "the blackout of communications in Jammu and Kashmir" while "letting the voices of the people of Kashmir be heard" and allowing "unconditional and unconstrained access to news and information from the valley".[53]
- United Nations – The United Nations' special rapporteur on freedom of expression, David Kaye, said in a statement that "there's something about this shutdown that is draconian in a way other shutdowns usually are not".[54] Secretary-General Antonio Guterres raised concern over the new limitations placed on Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, adding that the latest events "could exacerbate the human rights situation in the region." He urged Pakistan and India to exercise restraint with each other and to engage in bilateral dialogue to de-escalate the already-sensitive situation.[55]
- Iran – On 21 August 2019, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei tweeted: “We have good relations with India, but we expect the Indian government to adopt a just policy towards the noble people of Kashmir and prevent the oppression & bullying of Muslims in this region.”[56]
See also
References
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