These days a lot is being written about various possible solutions to the vexed problem of Kashmir. However, one is always curious to know about the history of the dispute before a debate about the solution can begin. In the past, one would have to visit many libraries, contact different international organisations, and sometimes go to national archives to examine various documents connected with Kashmir. Not now. Every document is these days only a click away. The best place to obtain documents related to Kashmir is the web site maintained by the Mount Holyoke College for Women in USA. Located in South Hadley, Massachusetts, Mount Holyoke College is a highly selective, nondenominational, residential liberal arts college for women. Mount Holyoke is renowned for educating women leaders, from medical pioneers to Pulitzer Prize-winning playwrights. Mount Holyoke is 90 minutes from Boston and three hours north of New York City. The site known as Vinnie’s home page (Vincent Ferraro) is maintained by the Ruth C. Lawson Professor of International Politics and has a tremendous amount of information on a number of topics. There is a link for documents related to Kashmir. The number of links and the amount of information is mind boggling.

The URL for the Vinnie’s home page is:
http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/feros-pg.htm
The URL for the link to documents related to Kashmir is:
http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/sasia.htm

The Kashmir document page starts with the “Treaty of Leh” signed between the Government of Maharaja Gulab Singh and the Government of Tibet. The other documents include the “Treaty of Amritsar”, “Instrument of Accession”, correspondence between Lord Mountbatten and the Maharaja Hari Singh, Pandit Nehru and Liaqut Ali Khan, the UN Security Council Resolutions, and a number of other documents and reports connected with Kashmir.

It is very fascinating to read some of these ancient and historical documents. The two versions of the “Treaty of Leh” reproduced below make an interesting reading.

Treaty of Leh

Whereas we the Officer, of the Lhasa country, viz., firstly, Kalon Surkhan, and secondly, Depon Pishi, commander of the forces of the Empire of China, on the one hand and Dewan Hari Chand and Wazir Ratanu, on behalf of Maharajah Gulab Singh, on the other, agree together and swear before God that the friendship between Maharajah Gulab Singh and the Emperor of China and the Lama Guru Sahib Lassawalla will be kept and observed till eternity: no disregard will be shown to anything agreed upon in the presence of God; and we will respect the boundary of Laddakh and the countries bordering on it as fixed since olden times. We will carry on the trade in Shawl, Pasham and Tea as before by way of Laddakh; and if anyone of the Shri Maharajah's enemies comes to our territories and says anything against the Rajah, we will not listen to him, and will not allow him to remain in our country, and whatever traders come from Laddakh shall experience no difficulty from our side. We will not act otherwise but in the same manner as it has been prescribed in this meeting regarding the fixing of the Laddakh frontier and the keeping open of the road for the traffic in Shawl, Pasham and Tea. We will observe our pledge to God, Gaitri and Pasi, Wazir Mian Khushal Chu is witness.
Written on the second day of Asuj 1899 (September, 1842)

Tibetan Version of the Treaty of Leh

Kalon Surkhan and investigating officer Depon Pishi on behalf of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and his officials, and Shri Khalsaji Absarani, Shri Maharajah, Lala Golana, the representative of Khashur Shag Golam Mohammed through an interpreter, Amirshah (on behalf of Gulab Singh) have arrived at Laddakh and discussed the terms of the peace treaty. In the first place the two contracting parties have decided to sink all past differences and ill-feeling and to consider the friendship and unity between the two kings re-established for ever. This peace treaty between Shri Maharajah Gulab Singh and Shri Guru Lama of Lhasa has been restored and there will be no cause for enmity in future in the two nations regarding their respective frontiers. Shri Maharajah Sahib has declared, invoking God as his witness, that he will not deviate from the terms of the agreement. It is agreed that the two brother kings of Laddakh and the Queen shall remain peacefully in Laddakh and shall not indulge in any intrigue, besides trying to promote the friendly relations between the two nations. The Laddakhis shall send the annual tribute to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and his Ministers unfailingly as heretofore and the Shri Maharajah Sahib will not interfere with this arrangement. No restriction shall be laid on the mutual export of commodities e.g., tea, piece goods, etc. and trading shall be allowed according to the old established custom. The Laddakhis shall supply the Tibetan Government traders with the usual transport animals and arrange for their accommodation as heretofore, and the Tibetans will also do the same to the Laddakhis who come to Tibet with the annual tribute. It is agreed that no trouble will be occasioned to the Tibetan Government by the Laddakhis. We invoke God to bear witness to this agreement whereby the friendly relations between Shri Maharajah Sahib and the Lhasa Government shall continue as between members of the same family.
This is signed on the second day of the month of Assuj, year 1899.

Again some of the Articles of the infamous Treaty of Amritsar (Bainama Amritsar) reproduced below show the disregard the British had for this beautiful valley and its people.

Treaty of Amritsar

Article 1

The British Government transfers and makes over for ever in independent possession to Maharajah Gulab Singh and the heirs male of his body all the hilly or mountainous country with its dependencies situated to the eastward of the River Indus and the westward of the River Ravi including Chamba and excluding Lahul, being part of the territories ceded to the British Government by the Lahore State according to the provisions of Article IV of the Treaty of Lahore, dated 9th March, 1846.

Article 3

In consideration of the transfer made to him and his heirs by the provisions of the foregoing article Maharajah Gulab Singh will pay to the British Government the sum of seventy-five lakhs of rupees (Nanukshahee), fifty lakhs to be paid on or before the 1st October of the current year, A.D., 1846.

Article 10

Maharajah Gulab Singh acknowledges the supremacy of the British Government and will in token of such supremacy present annually to the British Government one horse, twelve shawl goats of approved breed (six male and six female) and three pairs of Cashmere shawls. This Treaty of ten articles has been this day settled by Frederick Currie, Esq. and Brever-Major Henry Montgomery Lawrence, acting under directions of the Rt. Hon. Sir Henry Hardinge, Governor-General, on the part of the British Government and by Maharajah Gulab Singh in person, and the said Treaty has been this day ratified by the seal of the Rt. Hon. Sir Henry Hardinge, Governor-General. (Done at Amritsar the sixteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-six, corresponding with the seventeenth day of Rubee-ul-Awal (1262 Hijree).

It is hoped that the readers will access these sites on the internet to gain first hand knowledge about various issues related to this unfortunate and troubled land!