PRIME MINISTER TALKS HUMAN RIGHTS WITH KASHMIRIS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 NEW DELHI 003664

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/25/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PINR PBTS MOPS KDEM KISL PHUM
PK, IN
SUBJECT: PRIME MINISTER TALKS HUMAN RIGHTS WITH KASHMIRIS
WHILE TERRORISTS MASSACRE THEM

REF: NEW DELHI 3549

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Classified By: PolCouns Geoff Pyatt for Reasons 1.4 (B, D)


1. (C) SUMMARY: Even as the Prime Minister's talks with
representatives of the people of Jammu and Kashmir state
stretched into their second day, terrorists killed ten more
villagers in Rajouri. During the first day's roundtable
discussions, and following a security briefing by the Army,
the PM stressed to security forces that "it is possible and
desirable that you should be firm but humane, effective and
efficient, in control, but unobtrusive." He also urged
forces to ensure "zero tolerance" for custodial killings.
The PM announced that the roundtable would meet again, that
he would speak with anyone who renounced violence, that he
hoped the Hurriyat would come back to the table, and approved
the formation of five subgroups to examine autonomy,
Delhi-Srinagar relations, human rights, governance, and other
difficult issues. Meanwhile, demonstrating their growing
irrelevance to Kashmiri political dynamics, the Hurriyat told
the papers that they spent the day tidying up their houses,
although the PM graciously left the door to dialogue open
despite their abrupt last-minute refusal to meet him
(reftel). Our Hurriyat contacts acknowledged privately that
the PM's human rights message had been positive. End Summary.

KASHMIRIS, LEND ME YOUR EARS
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2. (C) The Prime Minister visited Srinagar May 24 for two
days of talks with leading representatives of the people of
Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). At a roundtable conference on the
future of the state, the PM exchanged views with senior
elected Members of Paliament from Congress, PDP, and National
Conference, as well as the more obscure Panther Party, the
PDF, and two flavors of Communists, as well as Paharis,
Kargil residents, Hindu Pandits, and Sikhs. Buddhist
Ladakhis and the BJP stayed away, as did the Mirwaiz faction
of the All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC). Pressing ahead
despite the absence of the moderate separatists (reftel),the
PM announced plans to establish five subgroups within the
roundtable to focus on security, human rights, autonomy,
governance, the state/federal relationship, economic growth,
and ways to bring the people on both sides of the Line of
Control closer. He also announced that the roundtable would
meet again, kept the door open to the Hurriyat by saying he
hoped they would come back to the table, and, directing a
message to groups like Hizb-ul-Mujahideen who have signaled
an increasing unease with violence perpetrated by
Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Jaish-e-Muhamed, promised to meet with
anyone who renounced violence.

READ MY LIPS: NO HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES
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3. (C) The headline from day one of the deliberations was the
Prime Minister's declaration following a briefing by security
forces that there should be "zero tolerance" for custodial
killings. Following the security meeting, the PM gave
security forces their walking orders: "Be firm but humane,
effective and efficient, in control, but unobtrusive."
Long-time Kashmir watcher Radha Kumar of Delhi Policy Group
told D/PolCouns that it came as an astounding surprise for

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her to see a Prime Minister of India speak so bluntly to
security forces about the need to respect human rights --
"and in Kashmir, itself, no less!" Kumar argued that such a
statement would have been "hard to imagine" coming from any
past Indian PM.

TEN INNOCENTS MURDERED
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4. (C) The Prime Minister's human rights message was lost on
terrorists, who slaughtered a further ten villagers in
Rajouri near Punch even as he met with the roundtable May 25.
The attack follows a wave of five grenade-throwing incidents
May 24 in Srinagar that injured several at locations around
town despite the security cordon. Security in Srinagar was
so air-tight that tourists complained of ruined vacations and
our contacts said they could not even go out their gates.
Recognizing the disruption his presence was causing, the PM
announced that he would return to Delhi a day early following
a four p.m. press conference May 25.

THE HURRIYAT RE-ARRANGES ITS SOCK DRAWERS
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5. (C) In a move widely regarded by Delhi observers and
newspapers commentators as disastrous for their standing, the
Hurriyat stuck with their announcement to boycott the
roundtable, although the PM repeatedly stressed that he would
still welcome dialogue with them. With all of Srinagar under
an unprecedented security clamp-down that frustrated tourists
and amounted essentially to a curfew, the Hurriyat leaders
told newspapers that they puttered in their gardens, watched
Pakistan beat West Indies in cricket (a subtle pro-Pak dig at
India's recent loss to Windies),and tidied up their houses.

AND WHO NEEDS 'EM, ANYWAY?
--------------


6. (C) Press headlines such as "Why do we tolerate the
Hurriyat?" appeared in Indian media, and commentators said
the Hurriyat had shown "contempt" for a PM who had done more
than any to lift them up and give them a forum for meaningful
exchange with Delhi. Yusuf Jameel of "Asian Age" newspaper
said the PM had not boxed in the Hurriyat nor did he
embarrass them even though they had been churlish. Despite
their feigned indifference, Hurriyat member Professor Abdul
Ghani Bhat told us by telephone from Srinagar that the PM's
human rights message had been "all positive" and hinted that
the Hurriyat would go back to dialogue with the PM oncethe
roundtable ended. Bilal Lone was skeptical about the human
rights promises unless India really delivers. Naeem Khan
said the PM's words "generated hope amongst the people."

COMMENT: LECTURE THE TERRORISTS ON HUMAN RIGHTS
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7. (C) Kashmiris for decades have labeled India a violent
oppressor and lauded separatists of every stripe as
liberators. It is highly ironic, therefore, to have the
Prime Minister of India call for human rights and zero
tolerance for custodial killings even as terrorists kill ten
Kashmiris to send a nihilistic message rejecting his dialogue
process. Our Kashmiri contacts are beginning to wonder why

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the Indians are preaching restraint when some separatists
continue to indulge in violence. Meanwhile, their
self-appointed political leaders are nursing wounds of a
different kind after slamming the door on the one Indian
leader who sincerely wants to hear their views. As usual in
Kashmir, the self-inflicted wounds are worse than anything
the GOI dishes out. END COMMENT.
BLAKE