These days the most talked about thing is the possible solution of the decades old Kashmir problem. While on one hand there is loud thinking about the possible way out of the muddle, on the other some people are still trying to ascertain the causes of alienation of the angry Kashmiri youth. There cannot be something more hypocritical than pretending ignorance about the causes of the unrest especially of the Kashmiri youth. Kashmir has been in the news for last 63 years. Hundreds of books have been written about the causes of this vexed problem both in India and abroad. The dispute is on the agenda of UN and we continue to have a military observer group of United Nations stationed in Srinagar. Saying that it needs to be ascertained as to why Kashmiri youth are so angry is pathetically amusing. It reminds one of the Queen Marie Antoinette during the French Revolution! Is it possible that the ruling elite in Delhi do not know the exact ground situation and its causes in Kashmir?

With umpteen intelligence agencies reporting minute to minute happenings in different parts of the state, one has to be dumb and deaf for not knowing the ground situation! The only possible conclusion is that the people in authority do not want to face the reality. It is a deliberate attempt at hiding the basic problem and buying time! In the instant case, the main cause of anger is the high-handedness and harassment of entire population by the security forces. No one comes forward to say that the anger and violence resulted from the brutal suppression of peaceful protests against the security forces harassment. The protests resulted from the unmasking of fake encounters in Machil and swelled beyond control after killing of an innocent youth Tufail Mattoo. After that there had been a vicious cycle of protests and violence because the governments at the centre and in the state refused to allow people to exercise their fundamental right of peaceful protests. This has been admitted indirectly by the Union Home Minister himself!

The recent protests are a repeat of the earlier ones in 2009 and 2008 for some other reasons. However, the long term underlying cause has been the unresolved political problem of Kashmir. Every government has tried to brush it under the carpet by deliberately trying only to manage the conflict. The problem keeps on popping its head off and on triggered by different “apparent” causes. The real underlying cause has remained same for last 63 years or so. It is this basic cause which gives rise to numerous other problems. It has been officially admitted that there are over half a million educated unemployed youth in Kashmir. They face nothing but frustration on all sides. There are no job opportunities for them both in the valley and outside. They cannot even avail of unlimited opportunities outside India because of passport restrictions.

Getting a passport considered to be a fundamental right under the constitution, is like climbing Mount Everest solo in Kashmir! In other places, the antecedents and residence details of only two years are verified by the CID but in Kashmir, the agency has been asked by the Home Ministry to go almost 20 years back, right from the time militancy started here. In addition, any link at any level of even a distant relation to an alleged militant deprives one of not only getting a passport but a government job also. Due to the uncertainty, Kashmir has failed to develop a real economic base and is totally dependent on outside assistance even in the payment of salaries of a huge government establishment. Most of the development projects are started with great fanfare but are usually left half-complete or in some cases are totally wound up on one or the other pretext. In fact, a large number of people associated with some of the projects get their cut and forget these. Added to all this is the unbridgeable mistrust between India and Pakistan which uses Kashmir as an easy whipping boy! Kashmir itself has become the proverbial Gordian knot. Impossible to open!

Everybody is talking of a solution. Some have even predicted that this may come up in few months. Parliamentary teams and interlocutors are going round and round to work out the contours of a possible solution. However, one cannot even think of an outline of a solution without first creating an ambiance for the same. How can people think or debate about possible solutions when they have a gun pointed at their heads? Solutions come out of debates and discussions held in an absolutely free environment. Such an environment has ceased to exist in Kashmir. At present everyone is trying to keep a lid over the simmering cauldron of Kashmir. The supposed interlocutors have been commenting more than actually doing anything new in sorting out the problem. They seem to be preparing some sort of a research paper on Kashmir. Instead, after ascertaining the ground realities they should have been making government take steps for easing the overall situation to create an atmosphere enabling emerging of a solution. They have not been able to meet the known separatist leadership which is heading the prime cause of unrest at the moment. Meeting mainstream leaders and discussing with them nuances of various proposals is no approach to the solution of the political problem in Kashmir. They have been in the business of supporting Indian stand for last 63 years or so. Problem is with the people totally alienated from India.

How can ambiance or environment for emerging of a possible solution be created? There are a number of major and minor irritants which need to be addressed. It does not need any research to know that the security forces are behaving like an occupying force. They have to be firstly held accountable for their actions. Secondly, they need to leave all the civilian areas. Thousands of youth and political prisoners under detention without trial or otherwise must be released unconditionally. So called confidence building measures need to be implemented in true spirit on the ground and not as superficial make up on a raging conflict for propaganda purposes. Cross LOC travel must be eased for all state subjects irrespective of relationship and they should be able to cross on the basis of smart ID cards only. Srinagar Airport should be made accessible for direct travel to many short haul international destinations in Middle East, South East Asia, and Central Asia giving a feel of opening of the world to Kashmiris. At the present moment Kashmiris feel totally isolated. There is only one entry and exit like a prison which makes people claustrophobic! Once an ambiance of freedom and trust is created, solutions will automatically pop up. Otherwise we have to be prepared for the blood revenge in June as the whisper goes on!