Solutions to Maoists, Sikhs and Kashmir Movements

By Zaheerul Hassan

Numbers of stats of the world largest so called democratic country are undergoing brutality of inhuman actions of Indian Armed Forces. Barbarism against Sikhs in Golden temple, savagery against christens in Manipur, live burning of Muslims in Ahmedpur and brutality in Kashmir cannot be covered or hide just blow the music of secularism.   To avoid the deteriorating situation Indian government is continuously alleging, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and China. Presently 123 Independence movements in India are struggling for their rights of self determinations.  Apart from these movements there are sort of on going struggles for social and economic justice. In fact stability in India would be a dream. It would also be pose serious threat to Indian stability. The independent movements of India can broadly be divided into two types’ i.e. national movements: of Kashmir, Maoist, Tamils, Assam, Sikhs and Nagaland and movements for social or economic justice which are running all most throughout the country. However the most serious internal threat to India's national security is Sikhs, Kashmir and Maoists movements.

Word about Kashmir Movement

In Kashmir people are all out for war according to the news media over the past month, crowds of young men demanding independence from India have held mass protests and pounded police with stones. It happened because the general masses of Kashmir have run out of patience and stop believing the track–II diplomacy of two nuclear neighbours. A war between armed insurgents and government forces that began in 1989 and left 68,000 dead has ebbed, with militant violence dropping every year.

 However, now the struggle for libertarian of Indian occupied Kashmir (IOK) has gone down to the streets. The new protesters favor marches, sit-ins and rock barrages to challenge the security forces ubiquitous throughout the cities, towns and villages of Indian Kashmir. 27 years old young man while talking to media said that they don’t want the world to see us as hooligans carrying guns. Now they want a peaceful movement, but we are forced to resort to stones. Raping women, torturing and murdering of innocent old, young and children and burying them in common graves are some of the common phenomena in IOK.

Recently, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also committed that their Armed Forces and intelligence Agency committed the mistakes in IOk, He further stated that India has to move forward for talks with Pakistan despite having differences over various issues. But unfortunately Indian government never has been serious in resolving issues with Pakistan. At number of occasions Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been thrashed out by Indian media, parliamentarians and Intelligence agencies. The latest talks between Foreign ministers of India and Pakistan have been sabotaged by a sectary of interior minister. Kashmirie leaders have now seriously thinking to again go for armed struggle because of Indian negative attitude towards the solution.   Mirwaiz Umar Farooq very rightly describe in a meting that people have lost faith, and the constituency of peace is shrinking day by day."  "Go Back India" has become the common slogan and one can see it  carved into wooden doors, painted on the streets and written in careful block letters on the walls.  Indian government attempts to bring demographic change while converting Muslim majority into minority but terribly failed once in 2008, thousands protested the transfer of 100 acres (40 hectares) of land to a Hindu shrine. The only recommended solution lies with the UNO Resolution. A time will come when both the neighbours have respect the rights of self determination has to for plebiscite in Kashmir.

Victory at their door step- Maoists’ Movements

Maoists are struggling against Indian brutality since 1967. The moments which started in the name of “peasant movement” has now become  active in 220 districts of  20 states - about 40% of India’s geographical area. According to the Research and Analysis Wing of Indian intelligence, there were 20,000 armed Naxalites and 50,000 regular or fulltime organizers and mobilizers. The Maoists women are being raped, target killing of local Maoists leaders are on the peak. According to the media reports of 6 April 2010 freedom fighters killed 76 Indian soldiers and wounded 50 in a series of attack. In some of the major guerrilla actions Maoists  killed  thousand of Indian soldiers , for example  death toll in  1998 was  270 , 1999: 363 ,  2000: 50,  2001: 100 and from 2002 to 2010 more than 8000 soldiers killed and many injured.

The forces really have forgotten the norms of the war. In June 2010 they launched major offensive against Maoist. In one day they killed 12 people, which include three innocent women.  The dead bodies of freed fighters were dragged, disrespected and carried on bamboos.  A photograph of dead Maoists woman killed by Indian security forces being carried “animal-like” hanging from bamboo sticks is simply reveal the  inhuman actions of Indian Armed Forces. . Though, Prime Minister Singh announced two-pronged strategy - “effective policing” and “accelerated socio-economic development programmes” to resolve the issue. But I think now the time has been passed. Maoists are no more interested to live under extremist Hindus of India. They need a separate, independent country. They have also speeded up the struggle against the Indian Forces. In this connection they on Jul 30 - separatist rebels triggered a land mine that killed at least five paramilitary soldiers and wounded 41 others in India's remote northeastern state of Assam, where a deadly separatist insurgency has long raged. In short Maoists movements is heading towards its ultimate end because of intimate struggle of the people. The solution to Maoist movement is that India should honourably acquit and hand over the area to the respective inhabitants. It is also mentionable that whenever security forces are deployed in a concerted manner, they only accentuate the conflict through gross human rights violations. As the conflict escalates, human rights monitoring is becoming next to impossible but still one can say that continue monitoring of situation and gaining power at some stage may help in resolving issue.

Indian governments’ has tried to suppress the movements but in vain. Thus, there is a need to be more specific to achieve the goal of independence. UNO should interfere and send some teams to monitor the political and security situation of the general area. However, if feasible election in both the emerging sates were be conducted under UNO arrangements.

The third Sikh War- 1984

Sikhs have fought three wars two with English rulers in 1845 and 1845; the third war was in 1984 with Gandhi regime. Thus it was proved that Indian security forces and its intelligence agencies found slaughtering Sikhs nation with a view to suppress their demands of Khlistan and reducing their overall population. The climax of Indian brutality was the Operation Blue Star conducted against Golden Temple from 4- 6 June 1984. Once the Military attacked on the holiest shrine of the Sikh religion simultaneously 38 other Sikh temples were also been embattled throughout Punjab. Over 20,000 Sikhs were murdered in these attacks. The assault in Golden Temple was without any warning. Heavy artillery, tanks, Howtziwer guns, and other mechanized weapons have been used against the innocent people. Surprisingly, the attack coincided with the religious celebrations on the occasion of the birthday of the Fifth Guru of the Sikhs. Guru Arian Dev himself was martyred while defending the dignity of the Sikhs.

Two main conclusions emerge from this attack, firstly to humiliate the highest spiritual leader of Sikhs and secondly terrorizing, crushing Sikh nation, their dignities and their struggle for Khalistan Movement. According to the Amenity International Report of May 28, 2008 more than 250,000 Sikhs have been eliminated / tortured by Indian governments since 14 years. The report further mentioned that there had been gross violations of human rights, including Nandigram, in west Bengal, Kashmir and other parts of the India.

However Sikh nation’s dream of promoting the idea of Khalistan is prevailing in the Sikh community. An independent state Khalistan can be emerged on world map in next couple of years.