Kashmir: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 23:55, 10 October 2005

Revision as of 00:00, 11 October 2005

Line 73:

===Rise of terrorism===

{{merge|Terrorism in Kashmir}}

In [[1989]], a widespread armed insurgency started in Kashmir, which continues to this day. According to Indian views, a large part of these insurgents are Pakistani-trained terrorists. The Indian army claims that letters, pictures, identity cards, and other documents recovered by the Indian Army from several captured and several dead insurgents since widespread insurgency started in 1989, confirm that a number of these men have come from [[Pakistan]], [[Afghanistan]], [[Syria]], [[Saudi Arabia]], and various other places to declare a religious war in the name of Islam ([[jihad]]) has been going on for some time.<!--Source?-->

However, most of the insurgents operating in Kashmir are of Kashmiri origin, fighting for secession from India. India claims that several of them, after being captured by the [[Indian Army]], have confessed that they were contacted by Pakistani recruiters and went to Pakistan for arms training. The economy of Kashmir, dependent on [[tourism]], has been badly damaged due to the ongoing insurgency.

The Pakistani government calls these insurgents, a large fraction of whom are of foreign origin, "Kashmiri freedom fighters", and claims that it gives only moral and diplomatic support to these insurgents.

====Cross-border infiltration====

The border and the [[Line of Control]] separating Indian and Pakistani Kashmir passes through some exceptionally difficult terrain. The world's highest battleground, the [[Siachen Glacier]] is a part of this difficult-to-man boundary. It is not feasible, and perhaps not even physically possible, for [[India]] to place enough men to guard all sections of the border, throughout the various seasons of the year; this is one of the main reasons for the existance of "cross-border terrorism" in the region. Large sections of the International Border and Line of Control are left totally unguarded for large portions of the year, making it possible for terrorists to cross undetected. This is why the [[Kargil War | Kargil Intrusion]] of [[1999]] was possible.<!--Source?-->

The [[Government of Pakistan]] has repeatedly claimed that by constructing a fence along the LoC, India is violating the [[Shimla Accord]]. However, the construction of the fence has helped decrease armed infiltration into [[Jammu and Kashmir|Indian-administered Kashmir]].

In [[2002]] Pakistani President and Army Chief General [[Pervez Musharraf]] promised to check ''cross-border terrorism'' and [[infiltration]] into [[Jammu and Kashmir]].

Line 89:

====Human rights abuse====

Although matters have improved in [[Jammu and Kashmir]] following the opening of discussion between [[Pervez Musharraf| President Musharraf]] and [[Prime Minister]] [[Manmohan Singh]], the influential independent human rights agency [[Amnesty International]] has said in its most recent report, released on May 24 2005, that violations continue,. although theyThey are unable to determine whether they have decreased because of security-related controls.; Thehowever, the report, however, praised the efforts led by the Jammu and Kashmir-provincial government headed by [[Mufti Muhammad Sayeed]], for checking human rights voilationsviolations.

===Reasons behind the dispute===