The government started recently its new round of Kashmir talks. The Hurriyat leadersrefuse to talk unless they first visit Pakistan. The government had tried talks earlier.It had tried secret track-two diplomacy. It had tried open dialogue. All attempts failed.
This is not the Kissinger era. No secret talks will succeed. Only the truth willsucceed. The formula must be just. The dialogue must be transparent. Success depends noton diplomacy but on statesmanship.
If Kashmir is not solved, it will get resolved. It can be solved through dialogue. Itwill be resolved by violence. The leaders of India, Pakistan and Kashmir should understandthis. The solution would have to satisfy all three. Given these constraints, there is onlyone solution.
Kashmir has five segments. Two are in Pakistan, three in India. Among the Indiansegments, the original inhabitants of Jammu and Ladakh want to stay in India. Theinhabitants of the Valley are divided between those who seek independence and those whoprefer Pakistan. Among them, only a small minority of Pandits, presently driven out of theValley, would prefer to stay with India. It is possible that even in Pakistan a sectionmight prefer an independent Kashmir.
The Indian government should declare its acceptance of simultaneous self-determinationfor all five segments of Kashmir. Each segment could opt for merger with India orPakistan, or for independence. But there would be a precondition. By prior agreement,whatever the result, India, Pakistan and Kashmir would form a community with commondefence, common market and free flow of labour and capital.
After this, the government should not budge, but wait. This alone could produce aresult giving victory to all three parties in the dispute.
India would win. A European-style community would give India peace and expandedfrontiers of cultural nationalism. India would reclaim its brotherhood with Pakistan. Itwould be the decisive step to convert saarc into a confederation.
Pakistan would win. Even an independent Kashmir would mean victory. The people of Kashmirwould have obtained their right to self-determination. Peace would allow Pakistan to focuson economic development.
Kashmir would win. At last its people would freely be choosing their own destiny.
If the leaders of Kashmir agree, let them persuade Pakistan to agree. Let them confer ahundred times with Pakistan. India would welcome it.
Though trigger-finger's itching,
It's time to stop all bitching,
We can't be choosing or picking,
When a big bomb is ticking!
