Kashmir

The Kashmir The Kashmir Conflict: UN Conflict: UN

SolutionsSolutions

By Muhammad By Muhammad ManzoorManzoor

OverviewOverview

• Background and historyBackground and history

• Positions of involved partiesPositions of involved parties

• United Nations involvementUnited Nations involvement

• Potential solutionPotential solution

The Basics of the The Basics of the ConflictConflict

• The Kashmir conflict is a dispute between The Kashmir conflict is a dispute between India and Pakistan over control of the region India and Pakistan over control of the region of Kashmirof Kashmir

• Each country lays claim to Kashmir due to Each country lays claim to Kashmir due to nationalism and the controversial politics of nationalism and the controversial politics of the regionthe region

• Conflicting ideologies and the refusal of either Conflicting ideologies and the refusal of either party to compromise have stymied efforts to party to compromise have stymied efforts to reach a solution reach a solution

GeographyGeography

• Bordered by Afghanistan, Bordered by Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and ChinaPakistan, India, and China

• Contains about 85,000 Contains about 85,000 square miles of landsquare miles of land

• Mountainous, sparsely Mountainous, sparsely populated regionpopulated region

• Varied climate due to Varied climate due to elevationelevation

• Most populated area is Most populated area is the Vale of Kashmir, on the Vale of Kashmir, on the Indian side the Indian side

• Currently, Kashmir is Currently, Kashmir is divided into three divided into three regions: one controlled regions: one controlled by India, one controlled by India, one controlled by Pakistan, and a small by Pakistan, and a small area controlled by Chinaarea controlled by China

History of History of Occupation and ConflictOccupation and Conflict

• Great Britain controlled India Great Britain controlled India from 1612 until 1947from 1612 until 1947• Under British rule, Kashmir was a Under British rule, Kashmir was a

princely state—it was directly princely state—it was directly ruled by a maharaja that ruled by a maharaja that answered to the Britishanswered to the British

• 1947-India gains independence 1947-India gains independence from Britainfrom Britain• The independence agreement The independence agreement

partitions India into two nations, partitions India into two nations, India and PakistanIndia and Pakistan

• The Maharaja of Kashmir The Maharaja of Kashmir accedes his province to India, accedes his province to India, prompting war between India prompting war between India and Pakistanand Pakistan

• 1948 – UN Security Council 1948 – UN Security Council passes resolution 47, passes resolution 47, mandating a ceasefire along mandating a ceasefire along the Line of Control (LOC) and the Line of Control (LOC) and paving the way for a potential paving the way for a potential plebisciteplebiscite

• 1957-India declares all of 1957-India declares all of Kashmir a state of the Indian Kashmir a state of the Indian UnionUnion

• 1965 – Alleged infiltration 1965 – Alleged infiltration attempts by Pakistan instigate attempts by Pakistan instigate a second Indo-Pakistani war in a second Indo-Pakistani war in KashmirKashmir

• 1989 – Militancy in the region 1989 – Militancy in the region escalatesescalates

• 1999 – Pakistani forces cross 1999 – Pakistani forces cross the LOC, and India responds the LOC, and India responds by declaring warby declaring war

• 2005 – India and Pakistan 2005 – India and Pakistan agree to a new ceasefire agree to a new ceasefire

Divided KashmirDivided Kashmir

Indian KashmirIndian Kashmir

• India controls the India controls the southeast portion of southeast portion of Kashmir, which has the Kashmir, which has the most fertile landmost fertile land

• Indian territory is Indian territory is governed as a state, governed as a state, called Jammu and called Jammu and KashmirKashmir

Pakistani KashmirPakistani Kashmir

• Pakistan controls the Pakistan controls the northwest, with a harsher northwest, with a harsher climate and sparser climate and sparser populationpopulation

• Pakistan’s territory is divided Pakistan’s territory is divided into two regions: Azad into two regions: Azad Kashmir, or free Kashmir, Kashmir, or free Kashmir, which has its own which has its own government, and the government, and the Northern Areas, which are Northern Areas, which are governed directly by Pakistangoverned directly by Pakistan

• Azad Kashmir is about 4,500 Azad Kashmir is about 4,500 square miles, and the square miles, and the Northern Areas are about Northern Areas are about 28,000 square miles28,000 square miles

India’s PositionsIndia’s Positions

• The accession of Kashmir to India is legally The accession of Kashmir to India is legally indisputableindisputable

• Religion is irrelevant in determining control of Religion is irrelevant in determining control of Kashmir—a large Muslim community supported Kashmir—a large Muslim community supported the accession of Kashmir to Indiathe accession of Kashmir to India

• The Pakistani sponsorship of terrorism in The Pakistani sponsorship of terrorism in Kashmir disrupts the democratic process in the Kashmir disrupts the democratic process in the regionregion

• International intervention is out of the International intervention is out of the question, as Kashmir is strictly India’s affairquestion, as Kashmir is strictly India’s affair

Pakistan’s PositionsPakistan’s Positions

• Kashmir rightfully belongs to Pakistan due to Kashmir rightfully belongs to Pakistan due to their religious and economic tiestheir religious and economic ties

• Pakistan does not provide material aid to any Pakistan does not provide material aid to any terrorists or insurgents in Kashmirterrorists or insurgents in Kashmir

• In accordance with the UN Security Council, In accordance with the UN Security Council, Pakistan considers India’s claim to Kashmir Pakistan considers India’s claim to Kashmir invalidinvalid

• The Kashmiri people should be allowed to The Kashmiri people should be allowed to choose between Pakistani and Indian control choose between Pakistani and Indian control through a plebiscitethrough a plebiscite

Kashmir’s PositionsKashmir’s Positions

• Kashmiris overwhelmingly favor Kashmiris overwhelmingly favor independenceindependence

• A poll conducted in the Kashmiri capital of A poll conducted in the Kashmiri capital of Srinagar in 2007 revealed that 87% of Srinagar in 2007 revealed that 87% of Kashmiris desire independence, 7% favor Kashmiris desire independence, 7% favor Indian rule, and 3% prefer Pakistani controlIndian rule, and 3% prefer Pakistani control

• Kashmiris oppose Indian rule due to the Kashmiris oppose Indian rule due to the restrictions placed on them by Indian security restrictions placed on them by Indian security forces and alleged human rights abuses by forces and alleged human rights abuses by the Indian governmentthe Indian government

Musharraf and Ali Zardari: Pakistan’s Musharraf and Ali Zardari: Pakistan’s Political LeadershipPolitical Leadership

Pervez Musharaff (2001-2008)Pervez Musharaff (2001-2008)

• Proposed a four point solution to Proposed a four point solution to Kashmir:Kashmir:

- gradual demilitarization- gradual demilitarization

- greater autonomy, but no - greater autonomy, but no independenceindependence

- no changes to the region's - no changes to the region's bordersborders

- joint supervision mechanism or - joint supervision mechanism or UN mandate over regionUN mandate over region

• Banned Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Banned Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Muhammad after they were Muhammad after they were accused of orchestrating an attack accused of orchestrating an attack against the Indian Parliamentagainst the Indian Parliament• The ban’s impact was superficial The ban’s impact was superficial

and did little to hinder insurgency and did little to hinder insurgency in Kashmirin Kashmir

Asif Ali Zardari (Incumbent)Asif Ali Zardari (Incumbent)

• Determined to normalize Determined to normalize trade and political relations trade and political relations with Indiawith India

• Offered to “set Kashmir issue Offered to “set Kashmir issue aside” aside”

• Has no support from Has no support from Pakistani military on the issuePakistani military on the issue

• Despite his determination, the Despite his determination, the president has stated that he is president has stated that he is ready to “thwart any ready to “thwart any aggression from the East” if aggression from the East” if need beneed be

United Nations United Nations InvolvementInvolvement

• The United Nations has played only a minor The United Nations has played only a minor role in the Kashmir Conflict so farrole in the Kashmir Conflict so far

• UN involvement has been limited to ceasefire UN involvement has been limited to ceasefire negotiations and an attempted plebiscitenegotiations and an attempted plebiscite

Initial StepsInitial Steps

• The United Nations must take a more proactive The United Nations must take a more proactive role in resolving the Kashmir Conflictrole in resolving the Kashmir Conflict

• The United Nations must first encourage the The United Nations must first encourage the normalization of relations between India and normalization of relations between India and PakistanPakistan• Encourage sharing of intelligence and increased Encourage sharing of intelligence and increased

cooperation in combating extremismcooperation in combating extremism• Provide economic incentives to foster bilateral tradeProvide economic incentives to foster bilateral trade• Create a commission to investigate and prevent Create a commission to investigate and prevent

state-sponsored terrorism in both nationsstate-sponsored terrorism in both nations• Provide peacekeeping troops to secure the borders Provide peacekeeping troops to secure the borders

of India, Pakistan, and Kashmir and to prevent the of India, Pakistan, and Kashmir and to prevent the movement of militantsmovement of militants

Kashmiri IndependenceKashmiri Independence• ProsPros

• Satisfies the will of the Satisfies the will of the Kashmiri peopleKashmiri people

• Prevents the issue from Prevents the issue from being a point of being a point of contention between contention between India and PakistanIndia and Pakistan

• Precludes further Precludes further human rights abuses human rights abuses from the Indian militaryfrom the Indian military

• Diminishes the Diminishes the motivation of extremists motivation of extremists and insurgentsand insurgents

• ConsCons• Opposed by the Indian Opposed by the Indian

and Pakistani and Pakistani governmentsgovernments

• Fledgling nation may Fledgling nation may not have a stable not have a stable economy or economy or governmentgovernment

• The Hindu population The Hindu population would be a minority, would be a minority, and tensions between and tensions between Muslims and Hindus Muslims and Hindus could developcould develop

A Proposal for a A Proposal for a SolutionSolution

1.1. Establish a Kashmiri Sovereignty Commission (KSC)Establish a Kashmiri Sovereignty Commission (KSC)1.1. The commission would first determine the viability of Kashmiri The commission would first determine the viability of Kashmiri

independence in terms of economic and political stabilityindependence in terms of economic and political stability2.2. The commission would then hold a referendum in Kashmir confirming the The commission would then hold a referendum in Kashmir confirming the

people’s desire for independence people’s desire for independence

2. Considering the results of the referendum, introduce a resolution urging 2. Considering the results of the referendum, introduce a resolution urging the global community to support Kashmiri sovereigntythe global community to support Kashmiri sovereignty

3. Use support from the global community to persuade India and Pakistan to 3. Use support from the global community to persuade India and Pakistan to recognize Kashmir as an independent nationrecognize Kashmir as an independent nation

4. Draft a resolution in the Security Council recognizing Kashmir as a 4. Draft a resolution in the Security Council recognizing Kashmir as a sovereign state and calling for demilitarization of the regionsovereign state and calling for demilitarization of the region

5. Establish a UN transitional government in Kashmir to develop 5. Establish a UN transitional government in Kashmir to develop infrastructure and securityinfrastructure and security

6.Hold elections for an independent, parliamentary government6.Hold elections for an independent, parliamentary government

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