No dramatic outcome was expected of the prime minister's two-day visit to Srinagar. The moderates among the Hurriyat Conference, perhaps, expected the PM to announce a political package to inveigle them to rejoin the dialogue process. He didn't, but the PM reaffirmed New Delhi's willingness to talk with representatives of all sections of the J&K society. On Monday, Pakistani premier Yousuf Gilani said a composite dialogue between India and Pakistan could resolve all the outstanding issues between the two countries, including Jammu and Kashmir. Such an initiative is possible only when the trust deficit in bilateral relations is bridged. That said, New Delhi ought to proactively engage different elements of civil and political society in the state. With violence at a low, this is the time for New Delhi to seize the initiative and reach out to separatists and, even, Islamabad.
The call for a dialogue has to be backed with concrete steps to gain the trust of the people in the state. A complete normalisation of the situation in the Valley would depend on a deal being arrived at with Islamabad, leading to the latter's cooperation in curbing infiltration into the Valley. Meanwhile, the heavy presence of army personnel in civilian areas could be reduced and the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act modified, if not repealed. Human rights violations are an outcome of the militarisation of the public space. The prime minister promised in Srinagar that there would be zero tolerance of rights violations. Disciplinary action against two army officers and the arrest of a jawan for staging a fake encounter are tentative steps towards fulfilling the promise. More needs to be done.
No comments:
Post a Comment