Author: Editorial
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: May 21, 2002
URL: http://www.indian-express.com/full_story.php?content_id=3015
Compared to the high-profile efforts
to build an international coalition against terrorism after September 11,
the interest of the international community in terrorist violence, symbolised
by the escalating transnational terrorism in India, seems to be remarkably
subdued. One week after the barbaric killings of women and children, one
has heard little from the US, which is leading the global war against terrorism.
In the interim, the killings go on and India is being left with few options
but to ratchet up its military options, knowing full well that there are
risks involved. After the initial condemnation of the Jammu massacre, the
US seems to have become pre-occupied with other issues like its nuclear
deal with Russia. Either the West has not grasped the import of what is
happening in the subcontinent, or it assumes - like Islamabad does - that
New Delhi will respond with restraint, in accordance with its interests.
The problem is compounded by the fact that Pakistanis appear to be gloating
over the absence of action from Washington.
The hardliners here are beginning
to claim that this lack of action could possibly be due to the US not being
averse to India applying some military pressure, which would contribute
to its own war against terrorism; a war that does not seem to be going
very far now that it has been localised within Pakistan. US credibility
has also suffered due to its media focus on the differences between its
ambassador here and the State Department in Washington. If Pakistan has
to act firmly against the jehadi system, the time to act is now, and not
after a weak political system gets elected to hold partial power in that
country later this year. Disrupting the democratic process and undermining
the legitimacy of the election process in Jammu and Kashmir seems to be
high on Pakistan's agenda. Even the so-called diplomatic support to separatist
organisations to stay away from elections provides negative impulses to
the political processes endangering peace. What India is facing is a dual-destabilising
thrust - of terrorism and the undermining of the political processes through
other means.
The US has numerous instrumentalities
at its disposal, besides being in a position to persuade Islamabad through
good advice. Unhindered economic assistance to Islamabad, which is not
linked to progress on the promises made by President Musharraf, may also
lead to the continued cynical use of terror as a tool of state policy.
US policy makers must draw a balance between the incentives it provides
Pakistan, with unambiguous disincentives for its failure to act. In substance,
the US should review the economic assistance programmes to Islamabad, which
only lead to greater intransigence in controlling jehadi terrorism. At
the same time, Western democracies must support the election process in
J&K. In fact, their advice for restraint would carry much more weight
if it is accompanied by identifiable measures against terrorism.