JAMMU AND KASHMIR: THE GOI CRACKS DOWN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 NEW DELHI 002289 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/21/2018 TAGS: PGOV PTER PHUM PREL KDEM KISL IN SUBJECT: JAMMU AND KASHMIR: THE GOI CRACKS DOWN REF: A. NEW DELHI 2223 ¶B. NEW DELHI 2146 ¶C. NEW DELHI 2109 ¶D. NEW DELHI 1799 ¶E. NEW DELHI 1684 Classified By: Political Counselor Ted Osius for Reasons 1.4 (B and D) ¶1. (C) Summary: Indian security forces cracked down forcefully in the Kashmir valley to prevent a protest march in Srinagar on August 25. They arrested prominent separatist leaders and imposed a complete curfew in the entire valley. The police and paramilitary aggressively enforced the curfew with riot gear, tear gas, baton Charges and firings. Reports are that 3-4 people died and about 50 were injured in clashes with the police. The government made progress over the weekend in talks with counter-protesters in the Jammu region on finding a resolution to the Amarnath land use controversy (reftels) although an agreement does not appear imminent. The growing protests in the valley had begun to inflict heavy political damage on the GOI as the rest of India witnessed television coverage of huge crowds shouting anti-India slogans and waving Pakistani flags while the security forces sto/d aside. It is not possible to predict which way the valley will go in the coming days. If there is extensive violence and death in clashes with the police, it will only perpetuate the cycle of protests and repression. The situation would become further inflamed if terrorist jihadi elements were to begin responding to the GOI crackdown. Unless there is a quick and significant improvement in the security environment in Jammu and Kashmir, it is unlikely that state assembly elections will be held on schedule in October. The GOI will not want to risk an election in which the turnout could be very low. End Summary. GOI Reasserts Control in the Valley -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Indian security forces clamped down hard in Kashmir on August 25 in an attempt to bring to an end weeks of popular strife that began over an innocuous land use proposal to assist Hindu pilgrims (reftels) but has now escalated to full-fledged demands for the end of Indian rule in the valley. The crackdown came ahead of a proposed August 25 "March to Lal Chowk (Red Square)" that had been called by separatist leaders to press their demands. Shujaat Bukhari, the Hindu's Srinagar correspondent, told Poloff that the security forces have been able to control Srinagar but it is not clear what the situation is in rural areas. ¶2. (C) The security forces imposed a total curfew in all 10 districts of the valley on August 25. They arrested top All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) leaders on August 24-25. Hardliner Syed Ali Gilani and moderate Mirwaiz Farooq were picked up on the evening of August 24 on charges of breaking the peace. The GOI said it had taken the two into protective custody to prevent them from coming to harm from militants. Arrest warrants were issued on August 24 against APHC leader Shabir Shah and protest organizers Massrat Alam and Naim Khan. Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chief Yasin Malik was arrested on August 25 when he led a group of about 50 protesters in defiance of the curfew. Saleeem Pandit of the Times of India in Srinagar told Poloff he believes that the Mirwaiz and Yasin Malik have not been eager for all these Gilani-inspired marches and may have asked the GOI to take them in. ¶3. (C) The security forces began to aggressively enforce the curfew on August 25. The Army was called in to patrol the rural areas of the valley. Additional Central Reserve Police Force personnel were moved into Srinagar. The police and paramilitary forces were in riot gear. News agencies reported that 3-5 persons were killed and about 50 others injured in incidents around the valley as protesters tried to defy the curfew and the security forces reacted forcefully. In Bandipore district, a dozen people were injured when paramilitary forces fired on protesters after a shot was fired from the demonstrating crowd. Scattered groups of protesters also came out on the streets in Kupwara, Narbal, Bijbehara, Sopore, Beerwah, and Kulgam. They were confronted by the security forces, who used tear gas and baton charges to control the protesters. According to AFP correspondent Izhar Wani, who spoke to Poloff, Lal Chowk, the site of the proposed march, was cordoned off with razor wire. Pandit of NEW DELHI 00002289 002 OF 003 the Times of India confirmed to Poloff that Lal Chowk has been isolated with no one allowed near it. He observed that protesters have tested the curfew in some parts of Srinagar and had been pushed back by the security forces. ¶4. (SBU) There were some reports that the local media were asked not to broadcast news and current affairs programs in the valley. There were also reports alleging that the press's curfew passes were not being honored by the security forces. Muzamil Jaleel of the Indian Express reported that six journalists had been roughed up by the paramilitary forces on August 24 and a reporter from Sahara television was in the hospital from a broken rib after an altercation with the police. Progress in Jammu Talks -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Talks between Amarnath Yatra Shrine Samiti (AYSS) that is coordinating the counter-protests and representative of the government reported progress over the weekend. Former Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir S.S. Bloeria, who is the head of the four-member committee constituted by the government to find a resolution of the Amarnath controversy, met with AYSS representative and reportedly came out with an agreement in principle which would involve use of the disputed land for temporary facilities for pilgrims and the reconstitution of the Amarnath Shrine Board. Brigadier Suchet Singh of the AYSS reported "that the talks had been "absolutely fruitful and productive." ¶6. (SBU) Yet, an agreement in principle is not enough and there is considerable distance to go. Even as the talks continue, the AYSS announced a rally on August 27 to press its demands. It already has in place a relatively successful strike in the Jammu region through August 31. Besides one instance of communal tension in Poonch in which 25 were reportedly injured and some shops gutted, the region was generally peaceful Comment: GOI Enforces its Writ -------------- ¶7. (C) It was only a matter of time before the Indian security forces would crack down on the protesters. As the security forces stood down, the protests began to get larger and more brazen. Television images of the government standing aside as the crowds chanted pro-Pakistani slogans and waved Islamic and Pakistani flags began to inflict a heavy political cost in the rest of India for the United Progressive Alliance government. The crackdown came two days after a huge rally in Srinagar on Friday went off peacefully as the Indian security forces stood aside but the protest reinforced the image of a weak government unwilling or unable to confront separatist Muslims. Faced with a continuous stream of separatists' calls for protests and demonstrations, the GOI felt it must begin to reassert its authority in the valley before the situation snowballs even further out of control. ¶8. (C) It is not possible to predict which way the valley will go in the coming days. If there is extensive violence and death in police-protester clashes in the coming days, the two sides will become even more polarized and a resolution even more elusive as the cycle of protests and repression escalates. The situation would become further inflamed if terrorist jihadi elements were to begin responding to the GOI crackdown. If the violence and intensity of police-protester clashes is limited, however, and the arrest of the separatist leaders takes their provocative rhetoric out of the mix, it is possible that the situation could improve. An agreement on land use for the Amarnath pilgrimage would also be helpful, at least to diffuse the tension in the Jammu reion. Comment: State Elections Unlikely -------------- ¶9. (C) Unless there is a quick and significant improvement in the security environment in Jammu and Kashmir, it is unlikely that state assembly elections will be held on schedule in October. In the current atmosphere, the elections may serve as another pretext for the separatists to keep their grievances and the protests alive. The GOI will NEW DELHI 00002289 003 OF 003 also not want to risk an election in which the turnout could be very low if the separatists call for a boycott or otherwise try their best to ensure a low turn-out. In the charged atmosphere currently existing in both the valley and the Jammu region, it will be very difficult for any of the mainstream parties to conduct an election campaign. Last, the Congress Party will be reluctant to hold elections because it will likely suffer heavy losses in both the valley and Jammu. If state assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir are not held in October, the GOI will try to hold them together with the national elections, which are scheduled before May 2009 MULFORD