Author:
Publication: Kashmir Sentinel
Date: October 1-31, 2003
In a situation of war, Generals
rather than the politicians articulate the ground reality better.
At a press conference in Jammu, held recently, General Vij the Army Chief
did some plain speaking. Besides referring to the presence of Al-Qaida
elements in J&K, he expressed alarm over sharp escalation in' incidence
of terrorist violence which shot up from 201 to 281 per month. Nearly
4500 terrorists are undergoing training in subversion at 85 camps in Pakistan
and are waiting to cross over. During the past 40 days alone, there
were as many as 34 infiltration bids to push in the subversives.
Even the Jammu Pathankot belt was as badly affected by the violence.
There has been media spotlight on internal subversion and nexus between
local Kashmiri terrorists and other subversive elements in rest of India.
Notwithstanding the killing of over
750 terrorists in J&K this year, Islamist terrorists have resurfaced
in hitherto sanitised areas. Increased infiltration and massive smuggling
in of the arms and munition have helped the terrorists to create their
bases in many parts of the state. Deceptive lull in the Srinagar
city which coincided with the tourist season was a tactical ploy by the
terrorists to hoodwink security forces, while ferrying arms to the capital
city and creating new hideouts. It was also to keep sections of Kashmiris
happy by allowing the tourist season to go on unhindered. Soon after,
there were as many as 26 incidence in Srinagar city alone in two months.
The situation that has unfolded
reveals three new features. One, infiltration of the locals, which
had been reduced to a trickle over past few years, has assumed alarming
proportions. Secondly there have been well focussed attacks against
the top counter insurgent leaders, informers and other patriotic civilians.
The complaint of the security forces that their "sources' are drying up
needs to be viewed in this context. Lastly Hizbul Mujahideen, the
armed outfit of the fascist Jamat-e-Islami which was in total disarray
has reemerged with a bang. Almost all the major terrorist attacks
and the killings of the pro-India element of late have been carried out
by this terrorist outfit. It has utilised the political immunity
to regroup itself and create new cadres. ISI has welcomed this development
whereby it can use the 'Indigeneous card' and to counter the flak for exporting
cross-border terrorism.
It is beyond dispute that bulk of
the terrorist combatants in Kashmir constitute foreign mercenaries.
Can they operate without a reliable local support structure'? Why
the pursuit of policy of 'Healing touch, good governance and liberal central
largesse,' has been accompanied by large scale exfiltration of local youth,
resurfacing of Hizbul Mujahideen and increasing attacks against the patriotic
elements? Where are the fault lines? It has also been suggested
by some Kashmiri politicians that GoI should declare unilateral ceasefire
and hold dialogue with Islamist elements. Won't it lead to the total
surrender to terrorists and acceptance of the theo-fascist ideological
regime?
There has been too much rhetoric
and too little internal security. Kashmir remains hostage to the
absence of a well articulated policy, sub standard and prolific governance
and a reactive doctrine by the security forces.
In view of the complex regional
situation it would be a long-hand for India in Kashmir. Jihadi instransigence
which dreams of creating new Islamic caliphates, the perceptional attitude
of Pak army General who see stability of Pak state in balkinsation of India
and US super power arrogance which fails to realise the long term consequences
of providing diplomatic space to Kashmir Islamists - all these factors
complicate the solution to end the terrorist menace in Kashmir.
For India it is necessary to see
that the area of terrorist conflict remains localism and the costs of proxy-war
are brought down. It is desirable to create adequate effective diplomatic,
military and political deterrants to make Pakistan desist from playing
this adventurist game. At the local level dealing firmly with internal
subversion and taking deterrant action against the local politicians who
are soft to terrorists will deliver a mortal blow to the terrorist game
plan. At the sametime a firm message should go that GoI will deal
firmly with terrorist violence and will not hold dialogue with Islamists
be it Jamat-e-Islami or other neo-fundamentalists outfits.
