The partition of India into two states in 1947, India and Pakistan, was a calamity with after effects felt today. The departing British, led by Mountbatten and his imperial cartographer Radcliffe, must bear a huge moral responsibility for dividing the country and the rivers of blood and torrents of refugees that ensued. Kashmir is an unresolved issue from that period. It has been the source of wars, big and small, producing heavy militarization and massive war budgets way beyond the capacity of two poor states to bear. This militarization particulaly in much smaller Pakistan has created huge distortions in its economy and political life. In addition, the U.S. was hostile to Nehru's neutral Third World/Bandung politics orientation. (Nehru was India's first prime minister and served in theat post until his death in 1964) Thus, America enlisted Pakistan in its global crusade against the USSR and its successor designated enemy-radical Islam/Al-Qaida.

This alliance help warp Pakistani politics until the present. Pakistan was recruited to join military pacts such Baghdad and SEATO. Pakistani officers were brought to the U.S. for training. Weaponry flowed to Islamabad. The U.S. has backed Pakistani military rulers-Gen Ayub Khan 1958-1969, Gen Yahya Khan 1969-1971, Gen Zia ul-Haq 1977-1988 and Gen Pervez Musharraf, who siezed power in 1999. Musharraf may soon be too big an albatross for Washingtom to bear and may be "terminated with extreme prejudice" or find himself a cozy exile somewhere, Miami is a suitable destination, here he'd have the company of other U.S. favorites.

Short Cut History

This is short-cut history.

New Delhi's legal claim to Kashmir is based on the so-called accession to India by the Hindu Maharaja Hari Singh in 1947 in defiance of the preference of the majority to be part of Pakistan. A war over the territory resulted in one-third taken by Pakistan. This is called Azad Kashmir. The rest, including the central valley where the city of Srinagar is located, was taken by India. Nehru, though born in Allahabad in North India, was of Kashmiri Brahmin origin. He had promised to Kashmiris and the outside world that a plebiscite would be held to determine their desires. He never followed through and over time New Delhi consolidated its hold. India talks about Kashmir as an integral part of the Indian Union and will not entertain any alternative.

In an interesting chronological parallel Palestine was divided in 1948. The Palestinians revolted against Israeli rule in 1987. In Kashmir, the years are 1947 and 1989. Kashmiris told me they were inspired by the intifada in Palestine. As I traveled around Kashmir, I've been to Palestine twice, there were some similarities between the occupations, although the massive Israeli colonies, euphemistically called settlements, do not have their equivalent in Kashmir. Also note that India, is moving close to Israel in terms of military, intelligence-sharing and economic arenas. "They" know how to deal with rebellious Muslims. The Washington-New Delhi connection is rapidly developing.

No one can hear their voice...

I arrived in Srinagar on 24 Dec and after a quick meal of qeema and nan was whisked off by my hosts to meet what are called civil society activists. The venue was the upstairs of a well known eatery. About 20 people asked me various questions but I was keen to hear from them rather than once again hear myself rattling on. It was a lively exchange. One medical doctor told me, "We have been living in hell for 60 years. Can no one hear our voice?" Others chimed in with accounts of repression and the massive military presence that is a part of their daily lives. I kept coming back for the need to organize and act locally. You can't wait for outside help. It's good to have and it will hopefully increase but ultimately it's what happens in the local communities. At one point the power went out and candles were brought in. It created an almost seance-like atmosphere. Of the 20 people present, all were men save for one woman, who said nary a word. Lots of food was served but coming fast on the heels of a late lunch I could barely partake.

I could not and did not want to lecture them as to what to do. Though that question came up more than once in diffrent forms. I did try and explain why India has been so successful in dominating the outside world's perceptions about Kashmir. And not just the outside world. Most Indians have little awareness of the situation beyond the government-driven platitudes and cliches: All's well, just a few criminal elements and terrorists supported by Pakistan/Al-Qaida and other evildoers.

Last night (30 Dec) at a dinner gathering of progressives just outside of Delhi, except for a couple of people, the familiar tropes about Kashmir were repeated.

Later where I was staying in Srinagar, I watched on TV quite a bit of Al-Jazeera in English and Geo in Urdu. Some good reporting and ommentary.

Xmas day. I met with a group of Kashmiri journalists. It would be hard for me to reproduce what was said. My lecture was at the Grand Imperial Hotel. The room was packed, close to 200 hundred people. All kind of blurring at this point though I remember the response to my reading an Igbal couplet that is well known in the valley. Iqbal, of Kashmiri origin himself, asks why this land is so poor and oppressed and then he laments that once Kashmir was known as Little Iran. (Cultural and historical connections between Iran and Kashmir are deep) Some in the audience were murmuring the words as I said them. I can't tell you how moving that was. It gave me chills.

The next day was a tour of valley and border areas. Troops galore. What can I say? Last day 27 Dec, I went to an important 600-yr old shrine of Shah Hamdan, a Iranian mystic. It's a place of tranquility and a respite from the outside world.

Yes, I am writing quickly friends and now I have to bring this missive to a close

I am so glad I went to Kashmir. My friend Sanjay Kak (Jashn-e Azaadi) was instrumental in getting me there. My hosts there were just gems of affection and love. And knowledgable. I learned much from them. By the way, all over India and Pakistan the hospitality and kindness of people I met were overwhelming. I feel kind of at home here.

Happy New Year.