KASHMIR SENTINEL July 1st-August 15th, 2000 ----EDITORIAL---- ‘Peace’ Offensive--A Trap ? The endorsement of the cease-fire declaration by the Pak based chief of Hizbul Mujahideen, Syed Salah-u-Din indicates that the ruling military junta in Pakistan has launched a tactical ‘peace’ offensive against India. It has already given okay to the on going dialogue between Hurriat Conference and the Government of India. Both these moves and also the permission to Indian media delegation to visit PoK are an attempt by the revanchist regime in Pakistan to shift the global pressure back on India. Until recently General Musharraf, never known for moderate views, had been publicly inciting Jehadi outfits against India. ‘Peace’ offensive represents a 1800 turn. A number of developments in the aftermath of Kargil intrusion imposed serious isolation for Pakistan. India’s argument on refusal to engage itself with a regime sponsoring cross border terrorism was accepted by the international community. The betrayal of Lahore ‘peace’ process by Pakistan also gave diplomatic advantage to India. The military takeover was the last straw in the wind. The Pakistan stood isolated. Despite denials crafty Americans are scripting the new dialogue on Kashmir. Map making by them, to the embarrassment of India, continues. To resolve the impasse India had three levels of communication open with the disgruntled Kashmiri political elite to justify that it was willing to talk to its own people and not external elements complicating the issue. The way the National Conference demand for Autonomy was raised challenged the very essence of India’s secular nation building. Americans are on record to opine that such a demand was the "window to the peace". US shadow on the ongoing dialogue between Kashmiri separatists and GOI seems to loom large. The Hizb move of ceasefire cannot be delinked from the overall international pressures to put India on the defensive. Given this situation the unanimous rejection of the autonomy resolution by the Union Cabinet was an event of great historical significance. The rejection emphasized that ultimate solution to Kashmir cannot be delinked from the basic imperatives of secular national building in India. The logical follow-up this decision should be to send an unambiguous message to the international community that Kashmir problem is not synonymous with the aspirations of Kashmiri Sunnis only who constitute just 22% of the population for the state. Even the Kashmiri Muslim society reflects heterogeneity and significant political cleavages Time has come when government rebuffs the international conspirators and opens a serious and meaningful dialogue with Kashmiri Pandits, Dogras, Gujjars, Shias, Ladakhis and non separatist Muslim groups to resolve the Kashmir problem on its own terms without the interference of external powers. |