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| It’s time Omar heard Valley voices | | Let Govt experiment with AFSPA repeal, troop reduction | |
NIRBHAY JAMMUAL
Delay in accepting the demand for demilitarisation and the repeal of Armed Forces (special Powers) Act (AFSPA) seems to be one of the factors responsible for the current unrest in Kashmir. As long as the separatists are assured of peoples' support for their programmes and plans neither the hawks nor the moderate elements in the two factions of the Hurriyat conference are willing to call it a day.
Since the Assembly polls in fag end of 2008 and during the recent Lok Sabha election the hardliners, headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, have been consistent in calling for protest rallies, shut downs which generate lot of noise, violence, discomfort, anger and bitterness. The moderates had no other option but to support the programme of agitation. It was first against elections and after the end of the elections the separatists have been making all out efforts for inciting people over genuine or less genuine causes.
Kidnap, rape and murder of two women in Shopian has come handy for the separatists to fan violence. Murders, rapes and abductions are now a national phenomenon. The Government has ordered a probe and transferred the Deputy Commissioner. Before waiting for results of the probe committee security personnel are being allegedly accused of having indulged in the crime. What seems to be funny is that while protesting against crimes like custodial killings, human rights violations, rape and murder the protesters do not forget shouting slogans demanding settlement of the Kashmir issue. They do not forget shouting in favour of demilitarisation and the repeal of AFSPA. It is being argued by political observers that delay in withdrawing troops from those civilian areas where the level of militancy related activities have nosedived and refusal for scrapping AFSPA have given a tool in the hands of separatists and their supporters to enlist support from people. These observers are of the opinion that there is no harm if the Government experimented with the withdrawal of troops from the civilian areas.
Trees did not totter when the Government ordered withdrawal of troops from the Government buildings, including schools, orchards and agricultural lands. At one stage presence of troops in school buildings and medical centres too had become a rallying point for the separatists. Once troops were withdrawn from the civilian areas additional companies of armed police and the paramilitary forces could be deployed in place of the Army. During the recent Assembly and Lok Sabha election the police and the paramilitary forces were capable of ensuring incident free poll process. They could tackle massive protest rallies engineered by the separatists. When they have succeeded in maintaining law and order during the poll process and their capacity in taking on militants in different places in the state why then delay in replacing the troops by the police and paramilitary forces. When demilitarisation in civilian areas was ordered it does not mean that troops are sent out of the state. They are withdrawn to the barracks. In case of any emergency these troops called be summoned for assistance within a very short time. political and security scenario has witnessed a marked change. It is different than it was between 1989 and 1996. During the last over a decade the security forces do not need the weapon of AFSPA to deal with the situation. There are several other laws that can be used while carrying out search operations.
Once troops are withdrawn and the AFSPA is repealed separatists and their supporters may not have any major issue to ignite trouble and unrest in Kashmir.Well they will not sit silent.Already Prof. Abdul Gani Bhat,a senior APHC leader,has said that elections held recently in Jammu and kashmir have not been able to end the unrest in the state. He believes that unrest will go peace will return when India and Pakistan hammer out an honourable solution to the Kashmir issue. He wants India and Pakistan to move with imagination, accommodation and courage for settling the Kashmir issue. This indicates that separatists want to kick up a situation which will leave no other alternative for India but to resolve the Kashmir issue
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