Kashmir from the Left

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re:#31 by nazarhayatkhan

``One solution, out of the hundreds available, is to let both the Indian and Pakistani sides of Kashmir merge into one autonomous Kasmir - with both India & Pakistan jointly guarenteeing its external defence.``

The above is perhaps the best solution for this problem. I had said so in one of my posts sometimes ago (when i was not so angry and thinking logically!).
However this has to be done in a step-wise manner:

1. Pak stops cross-border terrorism and stops giving any kind of aid (moral, financial, military) to the jehadists in Pakistan/India

2. When above is done (verified by India and international agencies), India starts to take its standing army in Kashmir out of Kashmir slowly and complete the process in an agreed time frame.

3. Each side guarantee complete autonomy to their respective Kashmirs and allows free trade and mobilisation of people (Kashmiris) across the LOC.

4. The above needs to be supervised by an International agency to make sure Jehadists and other elements do not sabotage this process.

5. In due course, each side is merged together into one single state, completely autonomous and free to make its own laws.

6. Pak may continue to have some control over POK (defense, currency etc); so would India.


I see a number of things that can go wrong with the above scenario. But the first thing is: Pak must change its policy of Jehad towards Kashmir.
Sridhar

NHK:

``Manto has already scared the hell out me by plonking ``Wanted`` posters all over Chowk ; and I am reluctant to interact so freely as earlier. Anyway. ``

Why does one individual bother you? The whole point of having this website is to post contrarian views. Don`t let any interactor have that sort of effect on you at all.

AlephNull:

The points you mentioned were all addressed, including the plight of persons forcibly displaced from Kashmir. It may dismay some that Pandits weren`t the _only_ ones mentioned. All speakers (& especially Dr. Hoodbhoy) were great at providing a balanced view, which seemingly engaged `mainstream` Indians and Pakistanis (& this gives me a lot of hope). The people who tried to pass off as Pandit mouthpieces were freely cavorting with other disruptive Non-Kashmiri Sanghis. I know as I talked to them at length afterward.

Now, when did you Bharat Mata/RSS NRIs ever give the slightest representation to alternative viewpoints at any of your forums?


#27 by AlephNull on September 28, 2003 8:37pm PT
Qusman1 #8

[A most revealing remark. Kashmiri Pandits of course need have no representation at this ‘progressive’ conference on Kashmir. Ditto with anyone from Jammu or Ladakh. I wonder if anyone (Professor Hoodbhoy, perhaps) referred to the unrest among Gilgit Shias, or to the Balwaristan national movement. Was it intentionally left off the agenda, or did Ras Siddiqui simply fail to report it?]

Romair # 36

(I would be interested in your views on the massive Indian arms build-up, and how or whether Pakistan should counter it? Or should it not worry about it? )

You ask pointed questions. And my replies invariably border on treason. Manto has already scared the hell out me by plonking ``Wanted`` posters all over Chowk ; and I am reluctant to interact so freely as earlier. Anyway.

My logic is all based on selfish reasons and on realities. There is no comparison between Pakistan & India militarily. India already has a many-times prepondrons in conventional weapons.

But they have a different position in the world, different world view and different national objectives commensurate with their status. Common sense suggests that we have India on our side and have good relations with India; instead of a mindless competition and fighting a losing battle against its sheer size, economy, political clout, geography and so on.

Actually, we have no choice - so the old fires of shared past can be rekindled and a mutually beneficial co-existance can easily be worked out.

We should not worry about its arms build up but find a practical solution as described above.

Do we worry about US arms build up or China`s arms build up? India comes No. 3 in that sequence.

(my left hand has only Head line - no heart line)

Pak infiltration,

For years now the romairs and ferzoks of pakistan have been trying to convince the indians that kashmir jihad is an indian jihad, pakistan is not invilved.
Now there is another country, another neighbour of pakistan, afghanistan telling that the pak jihadis are infiltrating their country. US are bombing pak ares, even pak soldiers have been masscred by US troops. Once again as usual romair are telling that taliban are pashtoons of afghanistan.
There comes a time when the romairs of pakistan have to accept the reality, have an understanding of their own society, and see for themselves the wide sprad support for jihadic killing by the average and educated pakistanis. Romairs each and every post is an implicit support for the jihadis, his masqrade as a human rights activists, his pretense a as supporter of the poor by attacking the feudals, and above all his background as a fauji are manifestation of the jihadic mindset of average pakistani.
Now that the funds from saudis have been cut, the jihad is finally pakistans own, and is a lasting testimony to the macabre mind of the man who drank sherry with bits of bacon.

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#9: Cipram

Human values? What about human values when great ``Freedom Fighters`` kill innocent Kashmiris. Every time they kill an innocent Kashmiri, he/she usually happens to be an Army informer as per Paki newspapers?

# 20: Ras,

I am not rigid on Kashmir just explaining the fact.

Ref Field Marshal Hot Air #36

[The other issue I have is the large arms build up of India. That has to stop, before India’s intentions can be trusted. A poor country doesn’t buy Pakistan-specific offensive weaponry by the billions of dollars, if it is not planning to use it.]

Here is something about the poor country called India. By the way I attended about a dozen middle-class weddings in Madras and I saw more gold than I have ever seen in my life before.

http://in.news.yahoo.com/030917/43/27ujz.html

Indian gold imports rise, even as global demand drops
By Indo-Asian News Service

New Delhi, Sep 17 (IANS) A decline in rupee prices saw Indian gold imports rise by double digits, even as global fabrication of the yellow metal dropped 1.8 percent due to weaker demand for jewellery in the first half of this year.

World fabrication fell by a modest 1.8 percent in the first half of 2003 to 1,509 tonnes, it lowest level since 1994, according to a report released Wednesday by Gold Fields Mineral Services (GFMS), a London-based commodity research and consulting company.

``Much of the decline was attributable to a weaker jewellery sector as some other forms of fabrication such as electronics or other industrial and decorative uses saw increases,`` stated the report, presented by GFMS managing director Philip Klapwijk at a seminar in London and made available here.

Jewellery fabrication fell by more than four percent year-on-year in the first half to 1,240 tonnes

Higher local gold prices saw the flow of scrap - a substitute for new bullion - jump by 26 percent year-on-year to 513 tonnes in the first half. Much of the rise came from the price sensitive markets of the Middle East, especially Egypt, as also East Asia and India, according to the report.

Higher volumes were also received from much of the industrialised world.

The overall fall in global demand was mainly due to a slump in East Asia and Italy, whose exports suffered due to the Iraq war and the SARS virus on top of sluggish world economic growth.

``In contrast, India posted a double-digit percentage rise in the first half due largely to the second quarter decline in the rupee gold price,`` the report stated.

A rise in Indian imports was also the single most important factor behind the rise in other industrial and decorative demand.

According to data complied by GFMS, against 657 tonnes consumer demand in the second quarter of 2003, India accounted for 184 tonnes, a 36 percent rise over the corresponding period last year when it was 135.2 tonnes.

The largest consumer of gold, India in 2001 imported 709.7 tonnes, which fell to 547.3 tonnes in 2002. This year, despite high global prices, Indian imports have risen, mainly due to the rupee hardening against the dollar.

``Middle East jewellery production was also higher in the first half, although this was almost entirely due to higher Turkish fabrication. Elsewhere, electronics demand edged up in the first half, largely due to a modest recovery in East Asia,`` the report stated.

http://www.miningindia.com/writeups/798/79.htm

Gold imports have strengthened economy
April 11, 1998

Increased imports of gold have helped strengthen India`s economy, according to Rolf W Schneebeli, chief executive (Middle East and the sub-continent) of the World Gold Council.

Schneebeli feels gold has been given a bad name unnecessarily, and while much is being said about the recent sale of gold by the central bank of Belgium, the fact that it was picked up by central banks of five other countries, is being downplayed.

Speaking to The Financial Express during his visit here on Thursday, Schneebeli said, ``gold imports have not affected India`s foreign exchange reserves. In fact, reserves have increased since the government allowed banks to import gold last October.``

``Normally, there would have been reason to worry if people were spending their money on imported consumer goods and non-durables. However, gold is an international asset and imports help increase the amount of international wealth in India,`` Schneebeli added. Gold imports by India went up by 45 per cent in the lastfinancial year with total imports being 737 tonnes, according to WGC records.

``Apparently there has been an increase in the purchasing power of the Indian consumer. The availability of gold helps to absorb a part of that purchasing power and in effect helps in controlling inflation,`` Schneebeli said.According to him, the importance of gold as an instrument of investment has not been diminished either. ``The recent downtrend in prices has been reversed, but that apart the importance of gold is that it is a highly liquid asset that can be sold in the international market for cash. At the individual level too, this factor is very important,`` he said.

India`s total gold holdings is between 10,000 tonnes and 15,000 tonnes of which the Reserve Bank of India has only 300 tonnes. Internationally, the total gold reserves (amount of gold ever mined) is between 125,000 tonnes and 130,000 tonnes, of which roughly 25,000 tonnes is held by the various central banks. Most of that is held by the central banks of the United States, Germany, Switzerland, France and Italy.

According to Schneebeli the gold holdings help India to have a suitable safety mechanism against a reversal of economic fortunes like in the far-east.

Speaking about the role of World Gold Council in India, Schneebeli said, ``not only are we working with the government to open up and liberalise the market but we have also helped Indian jewellers export jewellery. Gold jewellery exports went up by 30 per cent (20 tonnes) last year and that is the only product that had a double digit growth in exports last year. We also have schemes for the gold artisans and are involved in training centres for the karigars in Madras and Mumbai.``

``The Indian jewellers are learning to adapt their art to the styles and preferences of the markets worldwide. In the recently held exhibition `International Jewellery Dubai` India had the largest country pavillion,`` Schneebeli added.

The World Gold Council is an organisation of the gold mining companies of the world, withmost of its members coming from South Africa, United States, Canada and Australia. Recently, China has been admitted as a member as the gold mines in China are owned by the government there. According to Schneebeli the council is making efforts to have India as a member too.

Most of the marketing efforts of the World Gold Council is concentrated over south and south-east Asia, the Middle East and the Latin American countries. Of the 3,000 tonnes of gold sold in 1997 more than 2,000 tonnes was sold in these regions. The total production was around 2,300 tonnes.

Speaking about the focus of the marketing effort the chief executive (Middle East and the sub-continent) of the World Gold Council said, ``in the United States and Europe the per capita holding of gold is much higher than in the developed world. However, the lower population in these regions make for the lower total sales figures.``

School for global artisans

The World Gold Council is speaking to the state government regarding the settingup a polytechnic institute for gold artisans in Calcutta. Rolf W Schneebeli said, last year the government had committed itself towards the development of the institute on the lines of the polytechnic at Madras.``

``These are very early stages to commit ourselves to a timeframe, but in Madras it took us one and a half years to get have the institute ready and here too we are looking at a similar period,`` Schnebeeli said.

The WGC is also collaborating with the National Institute of Fashion Technology for its special course in jewellery and plans to extend the collaboration to the NIFT centre at Calcutta too.

Suman Layak
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.

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Romair, the great fauji intellect writes:

[quote]
Trust has to be mutual. And so far, none of our Indian colleagues have been able to explain why India is buying so much military equipment. Poor countries only buy offensive equipment for one reason. They want to dominate or attack someone.
[end-quote]

I dont know if they covered this in your fauji academy (presumably the curriculum was dominated by hindu cunning, superiority of islam, 10 Hindu = 1 Muslim etc)

---

But there is a country called CHINA (I put it in caps, in case you get confused about the sentence structure). It had a WAR with India in 1962 in which the indians were found completely unprepared (presumably the meaning of WAR was discussed in your academy?). China continues to have military relations with dictatorships in Pakistan and Myannmar in India`s neighborhood. Chinese missiles are TODAY capable of reaching every indian city and there is credible evidence that they have been so targetted.

I realize that in Fauji academy there is little coverage of geography (maybe non-islamic nations are not considered worthy of study as presumably they are transient aberrations?). But in the real world geography does matter...