Eighteen years ago, Javed Mir helped launch a violent revolt against New Delhi's rule in Indian occupied Kashmir, seeking to make the scenic Himalayan region independent. The goal of nationhood for the flash-point region divided between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan still looks as elusive as ever.
But Mir, who leads the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), has succeeded in his other quest - bringing the issue of Kashmir to world attention, even though the cost has been tens of thousands of lives.
"Our aim was to bring Kashmir into the limelight by launching the armed struggle and we have succeeded in that," said Mir, who since has renounced violence and turned to politics to wage his fight.
"Now every world leader is calling for a solution to the Kashmir problem," he said in an interview as the group marked the anniversary of its explosion of two bombs at a telegraph office and recreation club in main city of occupied Srinagar.
The July 31, 1988 blasts, which grabbed public attention, but caused no casualties, were the first act of violence against New Delhi's rule. "This heralds the beginning of the freedom struggle in Kashmir," the JKLF said in a statement after the explosions.
But the insurgency did not get fully under way until late 1989 as violence rose and India deployed more soldiers to suppress unrest in the region.
He remained a rebel commander until 1992 when he was arrested.
After his release in 1994, the JKLF announced a unilateral cease-fire and since then the group has been active on the political front only. Mir, who leads more anti-government protests than any other separatist, insists that the group's goal of an "independent secular" Kashmir is achievable.
"Kashmir is one. I and my group don't recognise any border or Line of Control," he said, referring to the military line that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan.
But soon after the revolt gained momentum in 1989, it fell under the influence of Islamic militants who wanted Indian occupied Kashmir to be part of Pakistan.
Most of the dozen-odd rebel outfits now fighting in occupied Kashmir want it to be folded into Pakistan. Both India and Pakistan oppose independence for Kashmir.
At least 44,000 people - rebels, soldiers and civilians - have been killed in the conflict by India's count. Separatists say the toll is at least double.
After partition of the sub-continent into mainly Hindu India and majority Muslim Pakistan at independence from Britain in 1947, Kashmir's Hindu ruler wanted the region to remain independent.
But confronted with an invasion by Pakistan-backed Muslim tribesmen, he acceded to India, a move seen by critics as a betrayal of his Muslim subjects. Pakistan has always said the region should belong to it and a war soon after 1947 left Kashmir divided, but both countries claim it in full.
India views Jammu and Kashmir, its only Muslim-majority state, as an integral part of the nation and a cornerstone of its secular identity.
Mir says both India and Pakistan need to be flexible in considering solutions to the Kashmir dispute, which has triggered two of their three wars. But the peace process launched in 2004 between the two nations has stalled following train blasts earlier this month in Mumbai that killed 183 people. India charged "elements across the border" were involved.
Comments
Comments are closed.