US Embassy Had Cautioned Its Govt Not To Be Pro-Active On Kashmir
New Delhi, Sept 4 : The US Embassy here had cautioned its government against any “activism” in Kashmir saying even a hint of it can prove counter-productive in view of India's hypersensitivity to third party
New Delhi, Sept 4 : The US Embassy here had cautioned its government against any “activism” in Kashmir saying even a hint of it can prove counter-productive in view of India's hypersensitivity to third party involvement on the issue, according to a leaked US diplomatic cable.
“Any hint of USG (United States Government) activism in Kashmir, however helpful the intentions behind it, will prove counterproductive because of the GOI's (Government of India) hypersensitivity to third party involvement in Kashmir,” the US Ambassador to India, Timothy Roemer, had said in a secret cable to Washington in 2009.
The leaked cable is one of the over 250,000 such communication released by Wikileaks this week.
“In order for the GOI's efforts to restore sustainable peace and stability in Kashmir to succeed, its engagement with the separatists and with the Kashmiri people must be free of any perception of outside influence,” the ambassador said.
Roemer had outlined a slew of measures that Indian government should take to make forward movement on resolution of Kashmir issue, particularly the internal dimensions, but warned against making these “prescriptive” in nature.
In the list of 20 suggestions, he had said that the Centre should ensure that dialogue with separatists achieves results and the generous development spending in Jammu and Kashmir should continue.
Roemer had also outlined the importance of holding panchayat elections in the state at the earliest saying “the record turnout in the assembly and parliamentary elections shows that Kashmiris want to participate in the democratic process.”
He also suggested that government should release selected prisoners who are not hardcore militants and do not pose any serious threat but have been incarcerated for years.
“Release prisoners who have been incarcerated longer than the court-directed sentences, discontinue the practice of re-arresting accused militants who have been released by courts and stop the misuse of the Public Safety Act (PSA), which allows the government to detain anyone for two years without trial,” Roemer said in the cable.
Roemer noted that over the years both the practice of rearresting militants after courts ordering their release and use of PSA had decreased, but said the practices had not been eliminated.
He had also called for repeal, selectively repeal or more judicious use of Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) and the Disturbed Areas Act.
Roemer had suggested that Government ease further travel controls on separatist leaders and they be given passports and exit permission that are less time and country specific.
Other suggestions included making the bus links across the Line of Control (LoC) more traveller-friendly, increasing the number of transit points and opening telephone lines across the LoC between Pakistan-occupied Kashmir(PoK) and Jammu and Kashmir.
Encouraging separatists to participate in future elections by providing them incentives like funding, security and press coverage also figured in the list of suggestions.
In his comments, Roemer said, “The above list is not intended to be prescriptive. It is provided to help Washington understand the complicated, multi-faceted problem facing the GOI in Kashmir as it moves forward on what is clearly a high priority for the Prime Minister, Chidambaran and Sonia Gandhi.
“The GOI is fully aware of these and other steps it could take and is carefully picking and choosing what is politically possible for it today,” he added. PTI