I was reading a book about Kashmir conflict and I thought we could discuss this issue here.
First let's understand the conflict of Kashmir. What is Kashmir? Where is it located? What is the conflict and when did it start. Who are the stumbling block preventing the dispute from being resolved.
Here is a brief wiki introduction so to start. All the claims in this piece are sourced in case you doubt its credibility. You may point out, add, subtract, object, agree, post any update, news and so on.
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The
Kashmir conflict (
Hindi: कश्मीर विवाद —
Kaśmīr Vivād,
Urdu: مسئلۂ کشمیر —
Masʾala-ē Kašmīr), is a major
territorial dispute between the
Government of India, Kashmiri insurgent groups and the
Government of Pakistan over control of the
Kashmir region. Although an interstate dispute over Kashmir has existed between India and Pakistan since the
Indo-Pakistani War of 1947,
[2] there is also an internal conflict between Kashmiri insurgents—some in favour of Kashmiri accession to Pakistan and others seeking complete independence for the area.
[3]
India and Pakistan have fought at least three wars over Kashmir, including the
Indo-Pakistani Wars of 1947,
1965 and
1999. Furthermore, since 1984 the two countries have also been involved in several
skirmishes over control of the Siachen Glacier. India claims the entire state of
Jammu and Kashmir and as of 2010, administers approximately 43% of the region, including most of
Jammu, the
Kashmir Valley,
Ladakh, and the
Siachen Glacier. India's claims are contested by Pakistan, which controls approximately 37% of Kashmir, namely
Azad Kashmir and the northern areas of
Gilgit Baltistan.
[4][5]
The roots of the conflict between the Kashmiri insurgents and the Indian Government are tied to a dispute over local autonomy.
[6] Democratic development was limited in Kashmir until the late 1970s and by 1988 many of the democratic reforms provided by the Indian Government had been reversed. Non-violent channels for expressing discontent were thereafter limited and caused a dramatic increase in support for insurgents advocating violent secession from India.
[6]In 1987, a disputed state election
[7] created a catalyst for the insurgency when it resulted in some of the state's legislative assembly members forming armed insurgent groups.
[8][9][10] In July 1988 a series of demonstrations, strikes and attacks on the Indian Government began the
Kashmir Insurgency.
Although thousands of people have died as a result of the turmoil in Jammu and Kashmir,
[11] the conflict has become less deadly in recent years.
[12][13] Protest movements created to voice Kashmir's disputes and grievances with the Indian government, specifically the Indian Military, have been active in
Indian Administered Kashmir since 1989.
[12][13]Elections held in 2008 were generally regarded as fair by the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and had a high voter turnout in spite of calls by militants for a boycott. The election resulted in the creation of the pro-India
Jammu & Kashmir National Conference, which then formed a government in the state.
[14][15] According to
Voice of America, many analysts have interpreted the high voter turnout in this election as a sign that the people of Kashmir endorsed Indian rule in the state.
[16] However Sajjad Lone, a prominent separatist leader in Kashmir, claims that "the high turnout should not be taken as a sign that Kashmiris no longer want independence.
[16] In 2009 and
2010 unrest erupted once more.
