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Peace still evades J&K

THERE are more signs of thaw in Kashmir. India has finally decided to give green light to the Hurriyat visit to Pakistan administered Kashmir. A team from the umbrella organisation of separatist outfits is to travel to Muzaffarabad on June 2.

On the other hand, however, Amnesty International says human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir have continued in spite of the subcontinental thaw.

In fact, there has been a sudden upsurge in violence in the Valley in the past few weeks. There has been a steady stream of reports involving violence by security forces. Innocent people continue to get caught in the so-called crossfire despite the fact that the "cross-border infiltration" has completely come down now that there is a concrete wall dividing the two parts of Kashmir. If the infiltration has stopped, as India admits it has, who are these young men, and women, who come in the line of fire of security forces with frightening frequency? The violence against civilians has not spared even women, children and the old.

If India and Pakistan are at peace with each other and there is a ceasefire in place, why is there no peace in Kashmir itself? Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has talked of reducing armed forces in the Valley. Peace cannot return to Kashmir as long as security forces remain there.