Professor (Dr.) Imtiaz Khan

(First part of two-part series)

The conflict of Indian-occupied Kashmir (IOK), is a longstanding dispute stemming from the 1947 partition of British India, characterized by a struggle for self-determination against Indian rule, recurring wars with Pakistan, and serious human rights abuses. The 2019 revocation of Article 370 and 35 A by India removed the region’s autonomy, intensifying local alienation, shifting demography, and deepening the crisis. The problem originated in 1947 when the ruler of the Muslim-majority princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, Hari Singh, chose to join India, against the wishes of the majority population, who largely favored Pakistan or independence. This triggered the first of several wars between India and Pakistan. The United Nations passed resolutions calling for a plebiscite (a direct vote) to determine the will of the people, which has never been implemented.

The region is one of the most heavily militarized zones globally. Reports frequently highlight systemic human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and torture. The indigenous resistance is fueled by decades of political oppression and disillusionment among younger generations. Extra-judicial killings and fake encounters by security forces have become a norm in the Valley for those who raise voice against brutalities. The entire valley has turned into a prison, “the largest human jail on earth”, with unprecedented restrictions. The new generation of Kashmiris, who have seen their loved ones got martyred in fake encounters and phoney cordon-and-search operations, have joined the path of resistance as their right to self-determination.

While India with malicious intentions hides her unprecedented brutality by raising the bogey of Pakistan sponsored terrorism, the movement is direct outcome of non fulfillment of UN resolution to which India happens to be a signatory. Primarily passed between 1948 and 1957, these resolutions affirm that the final status of Jammu and Kashmir must be decided through a free, fair, and impartial plebiscite under UN auspices. Key UN Security Council resolutions (47, 51, 80, 91, 122) established a ceasefire, mandated demilitarization, and recognized the right to self-determination. The current agitation in Indian-Held Kashmir is rooted in the struggle of the people for the exercise of the right of self-determination. Peaceful processions chanting demands for freedom were fired upon by Indian Army and police. Tens of thousands of men, women and children have been killed or wounded. New Delhi’s allegation of assistance to the Kashmiri people from the Pakistan side is unfounded. Objective reports in foreign media testify that the Kashmiri agitation is indigenous.

It has to be noted that although these resolutions were passed during late fourties and early fifties the massive movement for freedom did not commence till the year 1990. This can be attributed to the fact that majority of Kashmiris believed that will of the international community will prevail and justice to their cause will be served. Conversely, India with malevolent intentions created a façade of honoring international commitments on one hand by engaging in marathon talks with Pakistan. However, behind the scenes she proceeded to tighten her grip on the region. Number of measures were taken to chip away the state autonomy including extending several federal laws to the region. A glaring example was bringing the region under the purview of Indian supreme court. In due course, exhibiting scant regard for international commitments, India started to make a different” song and dance” that claimed the region as its integral part. These actions and vicious rhetoric stirred the emotions of Kashmiri youth who felt betrayed and responded by launching a freedom struggle under new leadership.

Majority of Kashmiri people joined this movement that gained prominent international attention and became the subject of major international and national dailies. This unnerved Indian government, and they decided to counter this struggle by unleash a reign of terror. In the unprecedent acts of savagery from 1990 to 2011 more than 120,000 youth were murdered, 11,300 women gang raped, thousands of Kashmiris are missing and till date their whereabouts remain unknown. It needs to be mentioned that mass graves have been discovered by Indian scholars and human rights activists in occupied Kashmir and the search launched by human right activists was halted by Indian government.

In August 2019, the Government of India revoked Article 370 — ending Jammu & Kashmir’s special autonomous status — and increased the security footprint in the region. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and other monitors noted that several pre-existing restrictions on free speech, assembly and movement have severely intensified since then. The goal is to ( a) muzzle the voices supporting the demand for self-determination (b) eliminate as many youth as possible (c) confiscate the land and property of legal inhabitants (d) infuse armed Hindu fundamentalist to the region and facilitate their settlement on (d) transfer the Muslim officials from key positions and fill them with Hindus with communal bent of mind ( d) overall, rule Kashmir directly from New Delhi, extend measures that will subjugate the local population and enslave them mentally, socially and economically.

The major strategy that Indian government is implementing to change the demographics in occupied Kashmir post August 5, 2019, is “settler colonialism.” This is a process of territorial acquisition and demographic restructuring, that India embarked into accelerated manner revoking Jammu and Kashmir’s special autonomy. By abolishing laws that protected local land ownership and residency rights, India is enabling the settlement of non-Kashmiris, aiming to transform the region’s Muslim-majority demographic, dispossess indigenous inhabitants, and integrate the territory into a Hindu-nationalist frame.

Key Aspects of Settler Colonialism in Kashmir are:

1)Demographic Engineering: The repeal of Article 370 and 35A allowed non-residents to acquire domicile certificates, enabling a “settler class” to move into the region.

( 2) Land Dispossession: New land laws permit the transfer of land to outsiders, reversing previous “land-to-the-tiller” reforms and threatening the livelihoods of Kashmiri farmers.

(3) Cultural and Political Erasure: Indian policies aim to weaken Kashmiri identity, suppress local political narratives, and replace them with a narrative of “reclaiming” the land.

(4) Military Occupation: Supported by approximately 900,000 troops and the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), which provides legal impunity to security forces, the state enforces this transformation through intense surveillance and human rights violations.

(5) Economic Exploitation: Resources, including potential lithium deposits and forest land, are being increasingly controlled and extracted by the state, disregarding local environmental concerns.

Atrocities in Indian-occupied Kashmir often go unreported or lack international attention due to interplay of information suppression by Indian authorities and well-oiled propaganda machinery that distort the facts.

(To be continued)

Professor (Dr.) Imtiaz Khan is a Kashmiri American scholar.
He can be reached at: imtiaz.k86@yahoo.com