2004-03-26

Trouble In Paradise

I see traitors everywhere.

The central government has been conducting “talks” with the All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC). This is somewhat strange because the Huriyat is an umbrella organization for several secessionist and pro-Pakistan outfits and the central government is only agreeable for talks “within the framework of the constitution” i.e., you don’t get talk about “independence” or joining Pakistan.

Actually, the Huriyat exists to serve two purposes. One is to act as a conduit for funds meant for sustaining terrorism. The other is to function as the political arm of the terrorists and pose as the “legitimate voice of the people.” So far, their activity has been limited to conducting speeches to captive audiences in mosques, enforcing hartals, and conducting demonstrations before the UN monitoring group or complaining to visiting foreign diplomats.

The prime reason behind the present “dialogue” seems to have been pressure from the US. The US got Gen. Pervez Musharaf make concessions on Kashmir and the Indian government had also climbed down by agreeing for unconditional talks with the Huriyat. This was unnecessary because a popular government has been elected in the state and the “healing touch policy” of the PDP-Congress government is working if not paying rich dividends. The security forces have also managed to liquidate many top commanders of terrorist organizations. The assasination of the “moderate” Huriyat leader Abdul Ghani Lone at a public rally had sealed the fact that Huriyat was an underling of the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). By initiating talks, the government had in effect thrown a lifeline to the drowning Huriyat.

This may not after all be a big problem because the talks are being held by Deputy Prime Minister and BJP #2 L. K. Advani. What’s worrying is the reported role of the US in this affair. The US has been pushing for a plan that would make the Line of Control (LOC), which separates Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) from the rest of Jammu & Kashmir, a permanent border.

After the Robin Raphael episode of the 90s, the Indian government has refused third parties any role in its dealing with Pakistan. Now, it seems that the US is trying to make a comeback and the BJP government seems to be only too happy to let this happen. Apathy from people in the rest of India is appalling. The reason of couse is that many people think that all of J&K is in Indian hands and Pakistan is only aiding terrorism. Few people are even aware that two-thirds of the state of J&K is under illegal occupation by China & Pakistan.