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The Kashmir Gambit
Little or nothing is likely to come of ceasefires until we are able to see how the other side sees us; and do some honest introspection on whether there might indeed be some basis for their perceptions and attitudes.
The people of Kashmir heaved a sigh of relief when, on July 24, at a site near Srinagar, the local commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen unilaterally announced a ceasefire for three months. They were greatly distressed when the ceasefire was revoked by the Hizb two weeks later. They had hoped that, with the return of peace, the militants and/or the Indian security forces would get off their backs once and for all.
India continued to talk to the Hizb even though more than a hundred innocent, unarmed civilians were massacred by terrorists 10 days after the ‘ceasefire’ began. Later the ceasefire was abruptly revoked by the other side, on the grounds that no real progress was being made. Nevertheless, India (which, the day before the ceasefire was revoked, discussed the idea of deliberately allowing it to lapse), “keeping in mind the suffering of the badly battered people of Kashmir”, and this time taking the initiative into its own hands, once again reached out with a hand of peace, with a unilateral cease-fire for the month of Ramzan, which, as I write, has just been extended for another month.
Dear Reader,
