Road Blocks in Normalising Relations

arjun_m #4: It is true that cold war has its costs. What I really pointing out was certain aspects of cultures, prejudices, biases, class structure and what not. I had to say it in response to statements like, ``. While in India there is the belief in ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (Earth is one family) in Islam the concept of shared brotherhood is limited only to Millat.`` do not mean much. It is true that good points acn be lifted from belief sysyems but at the end of the day what really counts is the actions, practices, conditions and politics of believers.
I have always said positive words for Indian Philosophies and Hinduism but considering the practices of four religions in subcontinent - that has something to do with larger historical experiences butt little to do with cross-border terrorism and hostilities - practices of Christian and Sikh communities are much more admirable than Islam and Hinduism practices in general. Both Hinduism and Islam suffer tremendously from past and present, real and perceived injustices meted out to them, respectively. The Islamic and Hindu fundamentalist phenomena are rooted more deeply than the events of last 55 or so years.
similarly the treatment of minorities and women in both countries is anything but satisfactory. No divedend is going to worth anything without fundamental changes that have to come from outside the religions and within each nation just as in Europe enlightenment came by non-religious and against the wishes of religious heirarchy. It appears to me that the multitude of problems with Muslims in Pakistan and insecurities of Hindus in India reflected in the umpteen riots with Gujrat, the latest , and second rate treatment of Sikhs plus caste ridden araes in northern India are somehow on hold until cross border terrorism is dealt with from Indian point of view and some favorable solution to Kashmir problem from Pakistani point of view. The cross border terrorism is really about 15 years old and can not continue indefinitely. Though it is absolutley wrong but can not be presented as justification for routine rigging the elections in Kashmir before cross border terrorism.
Actually positive, rational, secular/ liberal changes made within India and Pakistan will kill the cross border terrorism and the hostilities between two neighbors. I guarantee you peace breaking out in South Asia, once per capita income crosses 1000 dollars and women and minorities are treated as equal.

Thank you pmishra ji.

This is too one-sided a commentary. My guess is that if pragmatic and democratic forces in Pakistan are allowed to come forward (e.g., Nawaz Sharif - Vajpayee interaction) quite a lot of progress could be made. On the indian side, the poor quality of indian politicians and influence of the Modi-Thackeray type of extremists must also be taken into account. What about the Abdullah-family khandani control of J&K? It that were removed, again, progress would be made.

The U.K. is still on paper a theocracy ! But in practice, most people, will agree it has moved far beyond that.

a little introspection goes a long way to balance one`s judgment of others. No political issues are that black and white.

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[If cross border terrorism ceases, facilitating a dialogue between India and Pakistan, will a dividend of long term peace follow? ]
Bundchungal: Pakistan and India have not fought a full fledge war for the last 30 years. Where is the divedend of 30 year peace? Peace is good and highly desirable but divedends have to wait for much longer given the current human conditions in south Asia, treatment of women and minorities, racial and religious intolerance. Afterall what happened in Golden Temple, Babri Masjid and Gujrat does not really signal a start of dividend payment season. For dividends, society has to change, look at issues differently and think rationally.
Otherwise, I agree about stopping cross-border terrorism.

Bundchumga;,

``Unless religion is given a fresh look in Pakistan, we can wait till doomsday for peace to descend to the subcontinent. The responsibility for finding a new direction for themselves lies on the Pakistanis citizens since they alone``

That is an impossibility, the book says that there could be no selective emphesis with fatwa to all thsose who dares. This is the quagmire pakistan is in, there can be no future untill pakistan is iraquised. All of its military has to be defeated, and a global regime of jihadic frontiers enforced.

This article appeared at least in one other place:
www.kashmirtelegraph.com/verma.htm

Pakistan: Road Blocks in Normalising Relations

A.K. Verma