Last week the Indian government altered the Constitution to be rid of Articles 370 and 35A. Article 370 provided Kashmir with a special status, giving it autonomy over its affairs, and 35A did not allow for people outside of the state to purchase property. This has been partnered with an internet blackout within Kashmir with no access to the outside world, making it impossible for people to contact family outside of the region. Similarly, extra troops have been deployed and local government leaders have been placed under house arrest. The global reaction to this has been palpable, with many claiming the actions of the Indian government to be a ‘constitutional coup.’ However, within this, there is a population who have rejoiced over the recent rulings.
As the original settlers of the Kashmir Valley, the Kashmiri Pandits comprised the majority of the population in Kashmir. That was until the introduction of Islam to the region in the 14th century, when many then converted. In more recent history, the community has been the subject of persecution commonly referred to as the Exodus of the Kashmiri Pandit community. The exodus saw thousands of Kashmiris fleeing the valley, with some scholars placing the figure close to 170 000 (due to a lack of or inaccurate census data, numbers cannot be fully substantiated).
A number of factors contributed to the mass exodus occurring between 1989 and 1990. Tensions had been building in the region for years, but it was in 1988 that the culmination of these tensions ruptured. Militancy had grown and so the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), a separatist organization, began its official struggle for a Kashmir independent from India. The organization, alongside other separatist movements, engaged with selective killings, attacks and kidnappings, mainly to target politicians and government employees, some being high profile Kashmiri Pandits. Threats against the Pandit community began to be advertised in local newspapers, as well as messages demanding that the group leave Kashmir. All these factors created a sense of heightened fear and paranoia which induced the exodus.
For many Kashmiri Pandits, the Kashmir Valley is still their home and it is a place they want to return to. However, few efforts have been made by both the federal and state governments to ensure the return of the community. This has led many of them to feel that they are simply “refugees in [their] own country,” and to many living in exile, according to The Hindu.
Efforts to bring Kashmiri Pandits back to the region have occurred in the form of rehabilitation plans and employment schemes. However, attempts have been blocked by the Federal and State government or are not fulfilled to a good enough standard. This demonstrates the lack of support and commitment to creating a safer community for the Kashmiri Pandits. Some previous attempts have been the creation of camps, such as the Jagti Township. This camp houses 20 000 Pandits in two-room apartments. Created between 2007-2011 the colony is spread over 89 acres and originally aimed to provide a better living condition than some of the previous camps. However, by 2018 it became necessary for repairs to be made, as reports had shown that the colony had become dilapidated. According to The Tribune, dirty sewage water oozed out of the walls due to a lack of proper plumbing, pipes were leaking and cracks in walls were becoming apparent. While the government can continue to simply repair these camps it is not a strong enough solution to be considered a home for many and not enough to create a secure environment for other Pandits to want to return home to. An end to terrorism within the region is a must for the return of the aforementioned group to the valley.
On Thursday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation for the first time since the government had made the power grab move. Modi, defending the decision, stated that “Article 370 was a hurdle for development of Kashmir,” adding that it “gave only separatism, nepotism, and corruption to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.” The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has justified its actions, as it believes that the previously autonomous Jammu and Kashmir had caused too much separation between the Muslim and Hindu populations, which also led to the areas being less economically developed and to violence. For this reason, many Kashmiri Pandits who have fled from the valley are positive of the future for the state.
Using this rhetoric, it is apparent that what cannot continue to occur is for separate camps to be built for the sole purpose of creating communities of Pandits. This is due to the segregation it creates within society, keeping communities separate only serves to create tension and suspicion instead of building relationships between groups to create a mutual trust and respect.
This has been recognized by many actors in the region and for the first time in 30 years, separatist leaders and Kashmiri Pandit leaders joined together to try and find ways to facilitate the return of their community to the valley. In early July, after two hours of deliberations, it was decided that a committee should be formed comprised of members from the separatist groups, along with migrant Pandits and Kashmiri civil society.
Kashmiri separatist leader, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, stated that “the return of Kashmiri Pandits is a humanitarian issue. Our purpose is to involve all. In principle, we have decided to work with Kashmiri Pandits and the civil society to build trust. Inter-community interaction is very important.”
As of early July, according to India Today the response from within Kashmir had been positive, with many at the time hailing it on social media. However, there has been no official reaction from any administration thus far. Consequently, Prime Minister Modi and his BJP ministers need to look at these actions and take them into consideration for the next step in Kashmir. Peacebuilding is done best when the local communities work together and include each other to understand their differences and the narrative of the other.
The actions taken in Kashmir have polarized a nation and hold the possibility to create more violence in the region. While the overturning of the two Constitutional Articles is in no way the final step or the peaceful conclusion that Kashmiris are looking for, it does hold potential if correctly carried through. The possibility of repatriation for the Kashmiri Pandit community has demonstrated that communities within Kashmir are ready to talk and collaborate, thereby shedding light on a potential process towards peace within the world’s most militarized zone. However, the Modi government has a long way to go and a precarious path to walk if there is to be any chance of long-lasting peace and security in the Valley.
