Daily Times

The silence, the puzzled and selective behavior of the humanity towards the simmering conflicts of the world is making peace a secluded desire despite having high resolves and institutions built to avert wars and construct peace. Kashmir, Nagorno-Karabakh, Burma, Palestine, Yemen, Syria, South Sudan, Rwanda, Cyprus and several others are the black spots on the face of the world wherein the institutions like UN and others are still unable to implement the so-called “resolutions” to resolve such issues in a just manner. What is missing in this whole scenario is the apathy and firm determination to resolve the issues in order to build the world safer and secure for all. During recent World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) held in May last year where aspirations were — “to stand up for our common humanity and take action to prevent and reduce human suffering” in order to repair the global humanitarian system and international apparatuses that are unable to respond to humanitarian demands of the conflicts. Till this day, according to the UN estimate, 125 million people across the globe require humanitarian and urgent assistance including those of 60 million who are displaced from their homes for the last several decades. With lofty aims and lack of distinct and clear focus of the Summit, a convention of 9,000 participants from around the world, there is still a lack of any substantial way forward or movement towards addressing serious humanitarian issues like Syria, Yemen, Kashmir and Nagorno-Karabakh and others. The World is far from delivering the essential reforms that are so urgently required.

Right before the WHS that was organized in May last year, “April War” or in “four days war” unleashed between two rival states of the region Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh wherein the clashes were defined as “the worst” since the 1994 ceasefire. The region witnessed with baited breath the conflict which has all the ingredients to spin out of control and engulf the whole region into endless horrors of war. The conflict drew immediate attention and restraint was called from all quarters of the world to both sides. Several hundreds of innocent civilians killed during the war and several hundred made homeless and displaced. And right after the Summit in May, Kashmir unrest erupted after the killing of young Burhan Wani in July last year who was a legendary young revolutionary freedom struggle leader. The killing of Young Wani unleashed huge anti-Indian protests in all the districts of Kashmir Valley wherein the protesters defied curfew and attacked the Indian Armed Forces. As a result of clashes caused deaths of hundreds of innocents including women and children. They were denied the basic human rights and were unable to have access to food and shelter. Kashmir being the nuclear flashpoint between India and Pakistan with conflict fault lines has the knots tied to the “paradise on earth”. After the Wani killing, India and Pakistan ended up in several skirmishes resulting in the end of ongoing peace negotiations and dialogue, fierce diplomatic fights and outbursts with a mounting of border clashes with regular statements on both sides blaming for the ills in the region. It was an irony that all these clashes and conflicts in Asian region were escalating with threats of damage across the entire region during the time when the world was gathering to promise to ‘generate commitments to reduce suffering and deliver better for people around the globe.” While during the summit more than 3000 commitments were generated to launch partnerships and initiatives to transform these resolves to meaningful steps towards building support to the most vulnerable humans on this planet.

Despite all these world’s double standards, nations having closer ties reflect the commitment of support to each other related to issues of faced by them at regional and international level. It is the case with Pakistan and Azerbaijan also and due to the fact that Kashmir and Nagorno-Karabakh share glaring similarities in the case of the genealogy, history, and nature of the conflict. As a result, both states are supporting each other at all levels of diplomatic and political levels. As a result of challenges faced by both states, Pakistan and Azerbaijan stood together at the regional and international forums. History is witnessed to the fact that when the first resolution was adopted on Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict at the UN Security Council, Pakistan was the President of the Council as a non-permanent member, and the country not only backed the resolutions but also lobbied to for the adoption of the document. Pakistan has developed a clear-cut stand point on the Karabakh issue at all the forums. Pakistan is among the countries not yet recognized Armenia as a sovereign state which reflects Pakistan’s commitment to the relation with Azerbaijan and a resolve to the greater peace in the region.

Pakistan and people of Pakistan can well understand and feel the pain of Azerbaijani people and sufferings of people of Nagorno-Karabakh because we are facing the bloodshed in Kashmir since the time of our inception in 1947. In 1949 a UN Peacekeeping mission arrived and has remained as observer ever since and a ceasefire line is known as “Line of Control” has been declared thus divided the Kashmir into Independent part and that of occupied part. This division has caused traumatic divisions of families, kiths, and kins. The conflict of Nagorno-Karabakh in the Caucasus region has a long historical dimension that goes back to the time of Stalinist era and communist imperial powers over the land. After the Glasnost and end of the Cold war gave birth to various conflicts in the region among which the territorial dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the land of Nagorno-Karabakh, which has been unjustifiably occupied by Armenia, has remained the bloodiest test. As it is widely quoted that in 1923, following the Soviet Union’s occupation of Azerbaijan, the former gifted Armenians that had been settled in Karabakh before, autonomy within Azerbaijan. When Azerbaijan regained its independence, Armenian troops occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and seven other districts of Azerbaijan. In 1993, the UN Security Council adopted four resolutions numbered 822, 853, 874 and 884, describing Armenia as an occupying power of Karabakh and demanded the withdrawal of the Armenian forces from Karabakh and other occupied districts. The unjust occupation and atrocities of the Armenian forces have caused a million ethnic Azerbaijani people to take refuge in neighboring regions. This “mountainous black garden” as been translated widely remained under war and scene of killings and hatred for several decades. The International community in general and Pakistan, in particular, has always stood by Azerbaijan in its standpoint on Nagorno-Karabakh.

Wars are not always the solutions to the conflicts; they only bring tears and distress. What is now necessary that to think “enough is enough” be it the conflict of Palestine, Kashmir, Nagorno-Karabakh, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Afghanistan or Cyprus. We have to stand out and put an end to the tyranny and suffering of the humanity and in this regard role of international community is required. There is also much more is required from the countries involved in the conflict since the indigenous solutions would only be long lasting solutions to these conflicts.

The writer is Director Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies, Islamabad, Pakistan