Beyond Ramzan ceasefire: peace would be win-win for all

New Delhi’s latest announcement that it is willing to initiate a dialogue with Pakistan and all shades of opinion in Kashmir has once again generated hope that peace may finally return to the conflict-ridden state, if the process is taken to its logical conclusion by all parties involved. This is a good time to finally sort out the conflict which has held India and Pakistan hostage for seven decades and give Kashmiris, caught in the crossfire, the peace they deserve.

To begin with the Ramzan ceasefire, the Narendra Modi-led government has taken several initiatives to defuse the tension in the Valley and pave the way for the return of peace. With Home minister Rajnath Singh’s assertions that if Hurriyat was ready to talk, Delhi had no problem and that it could have a dialogue with even Pakistan, if the latter were ready, it seems the ice has been broken finally. The response of Hurriyat leaders in Kashmir has also been encouraging as they have not rejected outright the talks offer this time, like they have done in recent years.

These are departures from the Modi government’s approach over the past four years and particularly since 2016, when civilian unrest broke out in Kashmir after the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani. The latest offer by the Centre has come after the hardline policy of New Delhi failed to achieve desired results. The Modi government was not in favour of talks with the pro-Pakistan lobby (Hurriyat) in the Valley despite such demands from the state government led by Mehbooba Mufti.

The hostile military attitude that remained central to Delhi’s policy on Kashmir for the last four years has only added to the alienation among Kashmiri masses. That is evident from the people gathering at encounter sites and fighting battles with security forces with stones and bricks. Violence has not and cannot provide a solution to the problems as confrontation only leads to increase in tragedies. That makes the dialogue all the more necessary.

Now, with the Centre creating a window of opportunity by announcing that it was ready to hold dialogue with all shades of opinion, it should not once again be vague and hazy. The separatists, in their first formal response to the Centre’s dialogue offer, have shown willingness to join the process if New Delhi offered more clarity. There is a need to have a structured, sustained and sincere dialogue between India, Pakistan and representatives of Kashmir to settle the vexed issue.

Kashmir is a complex state where ideas, ideologies and views criss-cross like in no other place. There is a strong feeling among separatists that New Delhi lacks the will and sincerity to resolve the problems through dialogue. Given their past experience, they are of the opinion that Delhi uses dialogue as a means to buy time. As soon as the situation returns to normal, the dialogue process collapses.

To show its sincerity, Delhi must review actions by security forces that stifle ordinary life in the Valley. The government should also release all the political prisoners to create conducive atmosphere for talks. New Delhi has to accept the reality that the young boys in Kashmir who are picking up arms are not inherently militant but feel pushed to do so by the prevailing situation. They are victims of the apathy of the system, which nobody is willing to admit.

But we must remember that the political process cannot take off without preparing the diplomatic pitch. Peace pronouncements remain mere pronouncements until diplomats are tasked to do the needed groundwork. With elections in Pakistan scheduled in July and India going to Lok Sabha polls next year, both governments may like to face their electorates by promoting the peace constituency.

Chiefs for talks

Last month, both Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat and his Pakistani counterpart General Qamar Javeed Bajwa said that dialogue was the only way to achieve peace in the region -- a positive sign in the context of the ever-deteriorating relationship between the nuclear-armed neighbours.

The statements of the two army chiefs came at a time when the political relationship between the two countries is at its worst, with repeated summoning of diplomats in either capital in the wake of continued exchange of fire along the Line of Control and the international border. The hardline talk on either side has receded since then, though the exchange of fire on the border continues.

For the success of the dialogue process, Pakistan must reign in militant groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad. Any attack in India which can be linked back to a group in Pakistan would be a huge setback to the peace process.

The statements coming from Delhi indicate that things are shaping up for good and something concrete could emerge after the Ramzan ceasefire, which was announced earlier this month with caveats and riders. During his recent visit to Kashmir, Modi said the idea of Ramzan ceasefire was to give Kashmiri youth a sense of stability and a chance to progress. It is time for Modi to seize the moment and take these initiatives forward to settle the Kashmir issue once for all.

It would also send a clear message to extremist elements in Pakistan as well as in India that the governments can be stronger than the destabilizing non-state actors. Both countries are grappling with poverty and rising inequality and both need all possible resources to sort out issues on their domestic fronts. Peace would be a win-win for all.