For past sometime there has been talk about the return of Pandits to Kashmir. This most ancient population of Kashmir valley had been displaced due the turmoil which erupted in 1990. The migration was in very tragic circumstances and these people were uprooted from their centuries old moorings for no fault of theirs. In a way they are the true and real unadulterated natives of Kashmir who had always maintained their age old traditions. They have also suffered two worst episodes in earlier times. The first was under the rule of Sikander, claimed to be the Idol Breaker (father of Zain-ul-Abidin, popularly known as Bud Shah), and second under the Afghan rule. It is alleged that during the reign of Sikander, they suffered extreme persecution, which was spearheaded by one of his ministers who was an ex-Brahmin and had converted to Islam. He is supposed to have been very vindictive and ruthless. This forced a large number of their community especially the well to do ones to migrate from Kashmir. During the Afghan rule, Kashmiri Pandits faced the history’s worst persecution. The Afghans with the introduction of the notorious “Smoke Tax” or “Zari Dood” took their persecution to extreme limits. The Afghan Governor had confined all prominent Pandits in a house where cow dung was burnt to produce smoke to suffocate them! They could escape this fate only by agreeing to pay a tax which came to be known as “Smoke Tax”. During the same period they were not allowed to cross the bridges walking upright but had to crawl across these. Many a times Afghan officials would cross the mountain streams on the backs of Pandits. It is said that because of this inhuman practice they were made to wear a robe (Phiran) with two side pockets to enable the Afghan Official to keep his feet in these when riding a Pandit. The migration during the time of Sikander was successfully reversed by the most illustrious king of Kashmir, Zain-ul-Abidin. He took very strong measures and enacted legislation to ensure their safety and rehabilitation. They enjoyed the best of facilities and amenities during his reign. However, the recent migration has been more traumatic and disastrous as it uprooted the entire community en masse. Not withstanding the claims of Holocaust and Genocide, the total number of casualties suffered during this migration did not exceed 200 or so. However, the physical and psychological impact of this upheaval has been cataclysmic especially for the older generation. In fact, more people collapsed from among the elder generation due to the harsh climatic and difficult living conditions in Jammu than were killed in Kashmir. The Kashmiri Pandits from the towns were able to manage to take shelter with some of their relatives already working in different parts of India. The worst sufferers were the villagers. They had to leave behind everything. Their ancestral houses, lush green fields and the memories of good old days. Their life in refugee camps in Jammu was miserable. Many died due to heat to which they were not accustomed to at all. Quite a few suffered snake and scorpion bites. The inherent survival instinct of a Kashmiri did help them and they were able to adapt themselves to changed situation and local environment. The elder generation was totally lost and confused and pined for their lost moorings. The new generation probably does not know what Kashmir is all about? In addition to Kashmiri Pandits, the other “Natives” of Kashmir had also to leave for varied reasons. Many Muslim families left the valley from time to time due to threats of extortion and liquidation. However, they were able to keep their return channels open and did come back off and on, even though for very short duration. There have also been displacements of people from many areas in Jammu even though mostly on voluntary basis. There are a number of colonies of Muslims from Doda, Poonch, Rajouri, and Kashmir valley in the peripheral areas of Jammu city which have come up in last few years. There have also been many displacements to the other side of the Line of Control from the villages next to it which have been facing the brunt of militancy from both the sides. The displaced persons going to other side did not get the same welcome and facilities which the Pandits have received all over India. By far the largest displacement including brutal massacres have only been witnessed by the Jammu people in 1947 immediately after the partition. Maharaja is supposed to have been tremendously upset by the open revolt of the Muslim soldiers in his army. He became vindictive and took sadistic pleasure in having his own Muslim subjects massacred ruthlessly. He would hear the stories about the doings of his marauding gangs every evening and would pat them for their actions. It is said that most of the killing was done by Sikhs who had entered the state from Punjab and by gangs of Dalits. The interior areas in Udhampur and Riasi suffered the most. The Muslims in these areas had no escape routes. It is alleged that a large number of Muslims in Riasi had converted to Hinduism but even then they were massacred! From some of the areas in Jammu people had started migrating out of fear immediately after the declaration of partition. However, the ones left behind were taken out in convoys with the aim of crossing over to other side but were massacred en route. According to some elders who faced this trauma and survived, innocent Muslims were virtually butchered. This episode really deserves the title of “Holocaust”. At this very time a similar happening took place from the other side when a large number of refugees from Mirpur and other areas of Pakistan side of Kashmir descended on Jammu. They too had undergone some worst episodes and were uprooted from their ancestral homes. There are supposed to be a million refugees of that time who are still without any permanent resident status and rights in Jammu. In fact, the state Custodian General is still “guarding” properties by maintaining a list of what are known as “Evacuee Properties and Lands” pertaining to people who crossed over to other side. Most of these houses and lands have been temporarily allotted by the government but the final ownership still vests in the persons who fled the state during the riots of 1947. In addition, a large number of Kashmiris were sent to the Pakistan side of Kashmir under a policy called “Push back” during the time of Sheikh Abdullah from 1947 to 1953 for being sympathetic to Pakistan. Some members of Mirwaiz family had migrated even earlier. In case of Kashmiri Muslims there was an additional trauma. Many families got divided on the two sides of the border and quite a few passed away without seeing each other. However, Sheikh Abdullah before his death had introduced legislation called the “Resettlement Act” to enable return of all Kashmiris who had left the state due to these upheavals from time to time. Even though the legislation has become a law after a controversial passage, yet it remains suspended under the orders of the Supreme Court. It has not so far helped in the return of the natives to their ancestral lands. Thus one needs to take an overall view of the whole situation of the displaced persons and work out a proper plan for the return of all natives of the former princely State of Jammu & Kashmir. The first and foremost requirement would be establishment of real peace. Unless the migrants or the displaced persons feel both physically as well as psychologically safe to return to their native places, they will not move. Constructing housing units in totally guarded pockets resembling concentration camps will not motivate any of these natives to return. This will in fact compound the problem by creating points of friction between different communities. The return has to be absolutely normal to their original places of residence in the state with the active support of their former neighbours. This alone can restore the composite culture of Kashmir which has been in existence for centuries. To create a conducive atmosphere for such an eventuality the foremost requirement is to end the present persecution of the local population by security forces. Only when the existing population attains peace can they welcome the natives who have gone out from the valley and other places. The peace can come by a mutually agreed ceasefire between the security forces and the militants and simultaneous demilitarisation. The vicious circle of violence has to be broken somehow. Thus the “Return of the Natives” is not as simple as it may seem. It is in itself an important part of the ultimate solution. The day the “Natives” are able to return in peace with dignity and honour to their ancestral places of residence to an open embrace from their former neighbours ushering in the earlier era of centuries old brotherhood, the Kashmir problem would be deemed to have been solved!