The inability of contemporary international regime to redress human rights violations in occupied State of Jammu & Kashmir (IOK) will have serious repercussions for global war against terrorism and extremism. India has systematically denied basic rights to the people of IOK and is reportedly heading for demographic change after unilaterally revoking special status of the Muslim majority state on August 5, 2019.This state aggression by Modi government and subsequent indifference of international community dismayed Kashmiri people on both sides of the Line of Control (LOC). Such incidents of perpetuating violence against vulnerable communities inevitably result in the rise of extremism while creating room for non-state actors. Therefore, global powers must act swiftly to use their leverage to let the parties to the conflict reach an amicable solution of this longstanding dispute.
Amidst rigorous propagation of state narratives by Pakistan and India, what we are failing to comprehend is the disappointment among ordinary folk with international law and organizations. Atrocities being committed against unarmed civilians in highly militarized and fully cordoned valley leave Kashmiri Diaspora and young Muslim men and women deeply depressed. Moreover, apathy and unconcern at regional and international level add to the despair among common people. Resultantly, awed by blatant violations of human rights of Kashmiri Muslims, young people may find reasons to follow extremist creed in utter discontentment and helplessness.
Atrocities being committed against unarmed civilians in highly militarized and fully cordoned valley leave Kashmiri Diaspora and young Muslim men and women deeply depressed. Moreover, apathy and unconcern at regional and international level add to the despair among common people
History dictates that states’ deliberate decision to marginalize vulnerable minorities through violence radicalizes young minds of victim community. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Sri Lanka and Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Middle East are two of the many resistance movements gone wrong. Today, IOK, the only Muslim majority state in India, is effectively turned into an internment centre where Indian forces are at liberty to do whatever they deem fit to control protesters demanding their fundamental rights. On the other hand, lynching mobs are set free to deal with beef-eaters in the length and breadth of India. At this critical juncture, international community is responding to the brutalities of Modi government and his Bartiya Janta Party (BJP) in high diplomatic jargon that actually means nothing when it comes to improving the on-ground situation in India or IOK.
International community tends to view Kashmir as potential conflict that can escalate to all-out war between two nuclear-armed neighbors in South Asia. Therefore, global powers are calling for restraint and advising both India and Pakistan to amicably and bilaterally solve their differences. Yet, no categorical condemnation of Indian aggression in IOK is witnessed despite credible reports exposing serious violations of the rights and dignity of people living in Kashmir valley. UN Security Council, on the other hand, believes that an inconclusive sitting for 90 minutes behind closed doors to look into Kashmir conflict after 5 long decades is more than enough to ensure the rights of Kashmiri Muslims.
The injustice with Kashmiri people and failure of international community to deter despotic state belligerence in IOK will shaken people’s believe in international law, principles and organizations. With all faith lost in lawful means, young people may develop revengeful and extremist affinity. Terrorist organizations involved in indiscriminate violence against perceived enemy prey upon such disgruntled souls taking aid from misinterpreted religious doctrines. Result is the birth of non-state actors who threaten the peace and tranquility of whole world. This situation gives new meanings to the words of late Afro-American activist Martin Luther King who once said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”.
So, the world must understand that it is not only potential war between India and Pakistan but likely extremism stemming out of explosive situation in IOK that can threaten world peace. States and governments are definitive entities that can engage in talks but bringing largely invisible non-state actors to the table is mammoth task. Today, the world is struggling to deal with spill overs of Afghan and Syrian conflicts and hence does not afford another similar crisis in South Asia. It is therefore important for the world powers to use their influence to deter Indian aggression in besieged valley besides calling for de-escalation between India and Pakistan.
The writer is a freelance contributor