“I hope that our gesture will be fully appreciated,” said Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, announcing the unilateral ceasefire in Kashmir during the Ramzan of 2000. “All violence in the state and infiltration across the Line of Control and the International Border will cease and peace will prevail.”
In August, he had visited Srinagar and made a phenomenal pledge of solving the Kashmir issue “within the ambit of humanity”. The Prime Minister with the heart of a poet reaffirmed: “Mine was a sincere appeal for cooperation to bring to an end the long trail of violence, which has claimed so many precious lives and inflicted untold misery on all sections of the state’s population – Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs alike.”
This reiteration of his compassionate view and the subsequent announcement of unilateral ceasefire announcement were boldest and wisest Confidence Building Measure (CBM), the country offered to the beleaguered people of J&K. And it is unfortunate that the same was not reciprocated by Pakistan.
The political leadership of the country at that time, as well as ordinary people, had hailed Vajpayee’s decision. It was a general consensus that any provocation from visible or invisible hands to sabotage the historic peace building measure should not be allowed to succeed.
The thought was put to test barely 24 hours after the declarations, Pakistan backed militants shot dead six Sikh truck drivers in Kashmir. Vajpayee Saheb, however, stood firm in his hope that the ceasefire decision brought hope of peace in Kashmir. The ordinary resident of the hapless state looked forward with optimism towards the imminent dividends this decision would offer.
The only sane voice in Hurriyat that time, Abdul Gani Lone, did try to convince Pakistan and militant leaders about the dividends of possible truce vis-à-vis J&K, and Indo-Pak relations, but hawks played the spoilsport. Sadly, there was no reach-out effort from the Government of India (GoI) post this ceasefire. Yet, I would say the offer was a moral victory won by the affable Vajpayee for his country.
Before sharing my views on the appeal of declaring Ramzan ceasefire made by the political parties of Jammu & Kashmir to the Government of India, I deemed it pertinent to make a mention of the earlier one which unfortunately didn’t break ground. May be, the lessons learnt-by both state and non-state actors will make them behave rationally.
In the times of war, truce is the only option to save people. I will be as unambiguous as possible; the guns of either side should fall silent. That is what Kashmir badly needs. The GoI has to, and should offer peace, and militants (needless to say that means Pakistan as well) have to, and should respond positively.
The macabre cycle of bloodletting and destruction, since last thirty years, has to end now. No matter how much we try to appear composed and in control of things, the fact is we all feel frustrated and hopeless. Roaring guns add to this despondency, and so people need to be shown some way forward through empathy and love.
The first step has to be taken by the GoI. Now it should listen to this unanimous call from the political parties of the state, which asks to exhibit this sympathy and love through a unilateral ceasefire ahead of the holy month of Muslims and holy journey of the Hindus, the Amarnath Ji Yatra.
The Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti who has been advocating dialogue despite aggravation and difficult times, has to be understood and encouraged. Her pleas for peace and reconciliation have to be supported; only peace and reconciliation offers hope.
Democracy is countering an idea with an idea. Any voice calling for ending violence with force is misplaced. The thirty-year old insurgency in Kashmir has showed that to us.
We have to offer hope, show compassion, and mourn loss of lives. If we don’t do so, we are widening the gulf and adding to the space of estrangement with our people. That space gets filled by hate and revenge.
Now it is up to us to fill that space by coming closer. Who benefits from the present situation? People? Government? Security apparatus? No; none of them? This situation only helps extremists who use it to consolidate it with the already prevalent disenchantment.
We can’t afford to play in their hands. We have to use our sense of judgment and build an environment in which lives are safe.
In the present times when the cycle of death and destruction seems not ending, what least we can hope is a gesture of warmth. A ceasefire decision will be a potent gesture of compassion and, of-course, a way forward.
The people who took up arms and stones, and those who pat their backs for their own aggrandisement have been blind to reality. But should the political leadership-from Srinagar to Delhi also shut our eyes to realities!
Fact is— the only beneficiaries of the people’s sufferings have been the self-seeking and conflict merchants. There is no doubt that people feel let down and taken for granted; the loss of lives and vagaries of an armed conflict have frustrated them. They are subjects of emotional blackmail by political vultures. Should we allow this uncanny situation to persist?
No we should not. It is the constitutional, legal and moral duty of government to secure lives and future of people. We can’t fight war with people who have been continuously reposing faith in the country’s democratic setup by participating in the electoral processes. The more we show stubbornness the more serious problems we have to face. So the time is to rethink!
(The writer hails from south Kashmir’s Tral area; and is presently working as Media Analyst in the Chief Minister’s Office in J&K.)