Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06NEWDELHI4369
2006-06-21 12:51:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy New Delhi
Cable title:
NEW KASHMIR BUS SAFELY LAUNCHED, BUT TERROR
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 004369
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PTER PBTS SCUL ELTN IN PK
SUBJECT: NEW KASHMIR BUS SAFELY LAUNCHED, BUT TERROR
CONTINUES
REF: A. NEW DELHI 3835
B. 05 NEW DELHI 1282
NEW DELHI 00004369 001.2 OF 002
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 004369
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PTER PBTS SCUL ELTN IN PK
SUBJECT: NEW KASHMIR BUS SAFELY LAUNCHED, BUT TERROR
CONTINUES
REF: A. NEW DELHI 3835
B. 05 NEW DELHI 1282
NEW DELHI 00004369 001.2 OF 002
1. (SBU) Summary: The second trans-LoC bus, connecting
Poonch in J&K with Rawalkote in Pakistani Kashmir for the
first time in 58 years, kicked off yesterday without a hitch
or an attack. This bus may end up being more heavily used
than the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route because more families
are divided in Jammu than in Kashmir. Although the bus
escaped targeting, at least for now, terrorism in J&K
continues in June; one particularly gruesome attack that left
10 dead included a beheading and mutilation. In addition to
scaring away tourists from what had been predicted to be one
of J&K's most successful tourism seasons in years, the
continued violence is leading some Hindus to cancel plans to
participate in one of the religion's most significant
pilgrimages, the Amarnath Yatra. End Summary.
New Bus Service Launched Peacefully
--------------
2. (SBU) Hoping that "with this bus service the
people-to-people contact will increase" and proclaiming that
"it has demolished another wall of mistrust between our two
countries," UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, accompanied by
Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee, J&K Chief Minister Ghulam
Nabi Azad, his predecessor Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, and federal
Water Minister (and Delhi-Srinagar back-channel) Saifuddin
Soz on June 20 flagged off the second cross-LoC bus link
connecting Poonch (Indian side) and Rawalkote (Pakistan
side),just one day after the original target date. The
April 2005 launch of the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service
was met with a spectacular attack on the Srinagar Tourist
Office, but no terrorist incident was reported for the
Poonch-Rawalkote launch. In fact, reports indicate a
festival-like atmosphere, with security forces on either side
of the crossing point celebrating by exchanging sweets and
flowers.
3. (SBU) This bus stands a chance of being more heavily used
than the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus because more families are
divided in Jammu than in Kashmir, but the documentary process
is such a pain, say our contacts, that it is almost easier
just to get a visa in Delhi that allows travel throughout
Pakistan, and not merely to divided J&K. The modalities and
frequency of the dual bus service and the travel documents
procedure mirror those for the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus (Ref
B),including the requirement for passengers to clear customs
at the cross-over point and walk across the LoC because the
busses will not cross.
4. (U) The station-to-station route is 47km, of which only
10km lie within India. In the inaugural run, the bus
departing Poonch carried 66 passengers -- 36 of these were
returning to their homes in Pakistani Kashmir, including some
who had crossed the LoC on foot via the authorized land
crossings established last winter, the remainder being Indian
nationals. The Chakan-da-Bagh border post is one of these
crossings. The bus originating from Rawalkote brought 29
passengers to J&K. The last bus to ply this route ceased
operations 58 years ago.
But Terror Has Not Taken a Holiday
--------------
NEW DELHI 00004369 002.2 OF 002
5. (U) Bus euphoria notwithstanding, the drum-beat of
terrorist attacks against non-Kashmiris (Ref A) continues
unabated. In only the last week, significant attacks include:
-- Two security officers and four civilians were injured in a
June 19 grenade attack on a bus in Doda.
-- Eight unidentified terrorists reportedly sporting military
uniforms rounded up 13 Bihari and Nepalese laborers and a
newly-recruited Kashmiri soldier. The terrorists tortured
the abductees, including cutting off their ears and noses,
then they shot dead nine of the laborers, wounded four, and
beheaded the soldier.
-- Also on June 12, a grenade attack on a Jammu bus stand
left one dead and 18 wounded. The bus stand was only 2km
from the base camp for the Amarnath Yatra, one of the most
important annual Hindu pilgrimages.
Violence Scaring Away Tourists, Pilgrims ...
--------------
6. (SBU) Our Kashmiri contacts tell us that tourism numbers
continue to drop in the wake of the continued terrorist
violence. Targeting tourism infrastructure, including
busses, and killing non-Kashmiris (including imported
laborers) is sending a signal to the rest of India to stay
away; Indians are picking up on that signal. In addition to
tourism, we hear that the attacks are stifling attendance for
the yatra. Srinagar-based "Asian Age" reporter Yusuf Jameel
estimated earlier this month that "half-a-million devotees
are expected to undertake the journey," but some hotels are
already reporting massive cancellations.
7. (U) Visit New Delhi's Classified Website:
(http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/sa/newdelhi/)
MULFORD
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PTER PBTS SCUL ELTN IN PK
SUBJECT: NEW KASHMIR BUS SAFELY LAUNCHED, BUT TERROR
CONTINUES
REF: A. NEW DELHI 3835
B. 05 NEW DELHI 1282
NEW DELHI 00004369 001.2 OF 002
1. (SBU) Summary: The second trans-LoC bus, connecting
Poonch in J&K with Rawalkote in Pakistani Kashmir for the
first time in 58 years, kicked off yesterday without a hitch
or an attack. This bus may end up being more heavily used
than the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route because more families
are divided in Jammu than in Kashmir. Although the bus
escaped targeting, at least for now, terrorism in J&K
continues in June; one particularly gruesome attack that left
10 dead included a beheading and mutilation. In addition to
scaring away tourists from what had been predicted to be one
of J&K's most successful tourism seasons in years, the
continued violence is leading some Hindus to cancel plans to
participate in one of the religion's most significant
pilgrimages, the Amarnath Yatra. End Summary.
New Bus Service Launched Peacefully
--------------
2. (SBU) Hoping that "with this bus service the
people-to-people contact will increase" and proclaiming that
"it has demolished another wall of mistrust between our two
countries," UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, accompanied by
Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee, J&K Chief Minister Ghulam
Nabi Azad, his predecessor Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, and federal
Water Minister (and Delhi-Srinagar back-channel) Saifuddin
Soz on June 20 flagged off the second cross-LoC bus link
connecting Poonch (Indian side) and Rawalkote (Pakistan
side),just one day after the original target date. The
April 2005 launch of the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service
was met with a spectacular attack on the Srinagar Tourist
Office, but no terrorist incident was reported for the
Poonch-Rawalkote launch. In fact, reports indicate a
festival-like atmosphere, with security forces on either side
of the crossing point celebrating by exchanging sweets and
flowers.
3. (SBU) This bus stands a chance of being more heavily used
than the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus because more families are
divided in Jammu than in Kashmir, but the documentary process
is such a pain, say our contacts, that it is almost easier
just to get a visa in Delhi that allows travel throughout
Pakistan, and not merely to divided J&K. The modalities and
frequency of the dual bus service and the travel documents
procedure mirror those for the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus (Ref
B),including the requirement for passengers to clear customs
at the cross-over point and walk across the LoC because the
busses will not cross.
4. (U) The station-to-station route is 47km, of which only
10km lie within India. In the inaugural run, the bus
departing Poonch carried 66 passengers -- 36 of these were
returning to their homes in Pakistani Kashmir, including some
who had crossed the LoC on foot via the authorized land
crossings established last winter, the remainder being Indian
nationals. The Chakan-da-Bagh border post is one of these
crossings. The bus originating from Rawalkote brought 29
passengers to J&K. The last bus to ply this route ceased
operations 58 years ago.
But Terror Has Not Taken a Holiday
--------------
NEW DELHI 00004369 002.2 OF 002
5. (U) Bus euphoria notwithstanding, the drum-beat of
terrorist attacks against non-Kashmiris (Ref A) continues
unabated. In only the last week, significant attacks include:
-- Two security officers and four civilians were injured in a
June 19 grenade attack on a bus in Doda.
-- Eight unidentified terrorists reportedly sporting military
uniforms rounded up 13 Bihari and Nepalese laborers and a
newly-recruited Kashmiri soldier. The terrorists tortured
the abductees, including cutting off their ears and noses,
then they shot dead nine of the laborers, wounded four, and
beheaded the soldier.
-- Also on June 12, a grenade attack on a Jammu bus stand
left one dead and 18 wounded. The bus stand was only 2km
from the base camp for the Amarnath Yatra, one of the most
important annual Hindu pilgrimages.
Violence Scaring Away Tourists, Pilgrims ...
--------------
6. (SBU) Our Kashmiri contacts tell us that tourism numbers
continue to drop in the wake of the continued terrorist
violence. Targeting tourism infrastructure, including
busses, and killing non-Kashmiris (including imported
laborers) is sending a signal to the rest of India to stay
away; Indians are picking up on that signal. In addition to
tourism, we hear that the attacks are stifling attendance for
the yatra. Srinagar-based "Asian Age" reporter Yusuf Jameel
estimated earlier this month that "half-a-million devotees
are expected to undertake the journey," but some hotels are
already reporting massive cancellations.
7. (U) Visit New Delhi's Classified Website:
(http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/sa/newdelhi/)
MULFORD