The centre’s appointment of interlocutor for initiating a political dialogue on ‘generational problem’ of Jammu and Kashmir has virtually broken the ice, now it is about continuing to sustainability of this initiative. Before announcing the dates for the dialogue process, the interlocutor should be doing his homework. But if otherwise, the dialogue process will end up repeating a disappointing history.
The Kashmir problem which has remained transferable is being picked up by the third generation of Kashmir and the impact of Kashmir conflict has been felt hardest by the youth; which undoubtedly makes them a primary party of this dialogue process. Listening to the concerns of youth from all walks of life, inviting the student bodies and forums is fundamental to the dialogue process.
By affirming the inclusion of all Hurriyat factions including the incarcerated separatist leaders is a welcome step, but the centre (through its appointed interlocutor) should explain the need to talk to separatists in order to clear the air. The dialogue process with the Hurriyat should not be held hostage to preconditions and there should be no agenda-setting for the dialogue with separatists. Centre should come clear with regard to the implementation of this dialogue process to rubbish the general impression that new dialogue process would also be a time-buying exercise. By explaining the feasibility of this initiative, the trust deficit among the kashmiris can be removed.
Centre through its appointed interlocutor should expand the scope of the dialogue process by recognizing and thereof inviting other communities for the talks including traders, farmers, civil society etc.
While the interlocutor will engage with different stake-holders in J&K, centre should press the ‘pause button’ on Kashmir that is to say that the government and other institutions should soften their approach while issuing statements(formal and informal) with regard to Kashmir. The national media’s jingoistic approach on Kashmir has led to alienation among people of Kashmir, centre must take initiatives to manage the ambiguity being spread by the ‘journalism of hate’ which further fuels spread of mistrust. On wednesday, this week when the appointed interlocutor Dineshwar Sharma was trying to settle the dust by ‘sprinkling’ soft words, on the same day the Indian Army Chief made a statement “appointment of interlocutor will not effect the millitant operations in Kashmir” which was perceived by many people in Kashmir as damaging to the ‘proposed dialogue process’ on Kashmir problem’.
Centre through its appointed interlocutor should expand the scope of the dialogue process by recognizing and thereof inviting other communities for the talks including traders, farmers, civil society etc. This move will ensure that there should be no selective listening during the dialogue process. The farmer community of Kashmir which has never got a representation in previous dialogue processes should also be brought to the table of negotiations this time; the agriculture and horticulture sectors which runs the ‘economic engine’ of valley have also suffered huge losses owing to Kashmir conflict. Also there is no denying the fact that reaching out to the farmer community will mean that centre is engaging with grassroots actors and thus showing a gross root approach to the Kashmir conflict.
This dialogue should not be thought or referred to as an initiative for peace in Kashmir because the valley has already attained a minimum required (negative) peace for starting a conflict resolution process, the dialogue should not be aimed at seeking already abundant available information but it has to be a solution seeking process.
(The author a student of International Relations (Peace and Conflict studies), IUST Awantipora regularly contributes for the edit page of “Kashmir Horizon”. The views of the author are his personal)
