The Violence in Kashmir Today - Who is Responsible?
Since the 1980's, a
rebellion has broken out in the Indian-controlled part of Kashmir against
Indian rule. Pakistan argues that the rebellion is homegrown i.e. the Muslim
majority there are fighting to overthrow the oppressive Indian rule. India, on
the other hand, argues that the rebellion is not homegrown but one that is
deliberately organized, supported and finance by the government of Pakistan
with the intention of driving India out of Kashmir and taking the land for
itself.
Who is Right?
There is no easy answer
since there are many groups fighting in Kashmir. Some groups are fighting for
independence for Kashmir. These people, including many Muslims, do not want to
side with either India or Pakistan. They want the establishing of a genuine
independent state of Kashmir, free of both Indian and Pakistani control. Of
course, neither Pakistan nor India supports this option.
However, according to many
experts familiar with the conflict, what started out as an indigenous rebellion
has now been taken over by extremist Muslim or Islamic militants with the
support of Pakistan. It is believed that there are thousands such militants
fighting India in Kashmir. Some experts point to the close relations which
exists between these groups and Pakistan's military and intelligence forces.
India accused Pakistan of allowing fighters to cross over into
India-controlled Kashmir and attacked its forces there. India blamed the
Kashmiri militants for the attack on the Indian Parliament in New Delhi last
December, killing twelve people.
India is demanding an end
to Pakistan's support for these militant groups and to prevent them from
crossing the Line of Control. However, Pakistan continues to deny that it is
supporting the militants. President Bush seems to support the Indian position
on Kashmir and has called upon the President of Pakistan, General Musharraf,
to stop the infiltration of Islamic militants into Kashmir. Over a million
Indian and Pakistani troops now face each on the border ready to do battle
over Kashmir. India, a much larger country, is far superior to Pakistan in
military strength. To compensate for this, Pakistan says, if necessary, it
will use nuclear weapons- the world's greatest nightmare. India, on the other
hand, said if Pakistan uses such weapons, it will completely obliterate that
country.
Since the 1980's, a
rebellion has broken out in the Indian-controlled part of Kashmir against
Indian rule. Pakistan argues that the rebellion is homegrown i.e. the Muslim
majority there are fighting to overthrow the oppressive Indian rule. India, on
the other hand, argues that the rebellion is not homegrown but one that is
deliberately organized, supported and finance by the government of Pakistan
with the intention of driving India out of Kashmir and taking the land for
itself. 