KASHMIR. It's not just a Led Zeppelin song, its also a region of the Indian sub-continent that is one of the most widely disputed and high-tension flashpoints on the globe. Poised between rival nuclear powers, one of which is rising to be a strong and influential economic force, Kashmir has the potential to plunge the entire region into chaos. India and Pakistan have fought three major wars over the predominantly Muslim region since 1947, and there have been countless border clashes and a virtually non-stop civil war between separatists and government forces. The peace process has taken a leap forward recently, however, as Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has agreed to open talks with Pakistan and with Kashmir separatists. Peace is absolutely critical to global security and wellbeing as both India and Pakistan possess nuclear weapons, and because India will likely be one of leading powerhouses in the world economy over the next century.
At the heart of the Kashmir dispute is the fact that the region is predominantly Islamic, as is Pakistan, yet when the two countries gained independence it became a part of India, which is predominantly Hindu. Many Muslim Kashmiri residents therefore identify much more closely with Pakistan, and as a result a separatist movement developed which was has since fought India's government with help from Pakistan. Importantly, however, is that this conflict has devolved into what can only be termed a religious battle royale. Whereas India wants to keep the fertile river valley (through which flow both the Indus and the Jhelum) and argues that in a democracy all can be treated fairly and represented, Pakistan and separatist groups counter with reports of terror and violent assaults on Muslims.
The international community can finally take a deep breath and relax a bit, fortunately, since India is now moving to reach some sort of settlement -- perhaps due to the upcoming United Nations summit on the issue. As CNN reports, Singh is attempting to set up meetings with the All Parties Huriyat Conference, the main separatist party, to discuss the resolution of their grievances, especially now that India and Pakistan in general are experiencing "more sporting, commercial, transport and cultural links" despite "little forward movement on their key dispute of Kashmir."
It is without a doubt of great importance to the global polity that peace somehow be reached in this region. To begin with, there is the simple fact that both India and Pakistan have nuclear arsenals and that escalating conflict could result in disaster for both sides. Equally important is the effect of the religious element of the conflict on global religious tensions.
One anti-Pakistan website, www.kashmir-information.com, is littered with references linking Islam to terrorism and denoting the conflict as primarily a religious war. Though it is true that religion is a major part of the conflict, it is not about one religion fighting the other, but instead because many of Muslim citizens see the right to self-determination as choosing to separate with India rather than take part in India's democratic process.
Also critical to both countries and to the international community is India's growing economic position and the resulting need for peace and stability. As Cato Institute writer Ted Carpenter notes, "not only is India the world's second most populous country, but in recent years it has begun to discard the shackles of socialist economic planning and adopt the market reforms that have spurred economic growth." Indeed, the CIA World Factbook reports that India's economy has a very high real growth rate of 6.2 percent and a per capita GDP of $3,100. Industry and commerce are in fact growing even faster as the country takes advantage of its large natural resource deposit and the recent shift of many Western companies overseas. Despite all of this, India has a long way to go, with high poverty and unemployment rates at 25 and 9.2 percent, respectively.
For India to maintain its high economic growth rates and to apply that prosperity across the nation, above all the country requires peace and stability. It has the natural resources, it has the labor force and it has the technology and drive to be one of the foremost economic powerhouses in the world. However, the incredible upheaval in its northern province cannot but hurt investment there and increase religious-based flare-ups across the globe -- flare-ups which can have dire consequences as they are inherently not bound by national borders. India has taken the first key step in restoring peace to Kashmir, but it is up to the international community to ensure that the process is carried through to the benefit of all.
Allan Cruickshanks' column appears Fridays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at acruickshanks@cavalierdaily.com.
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