Tourists flee as protests swell in Indian occupied Kashmir
Jun 30th, 2008 | By Sindh Today | Category: IndiaSRINAGAR : Violent clashes in occupied Kashmir sparked by the transfer of land to a Hindu group are scaring away tourists, officials say, despite appeals by Mujahideen not to target visitors.
Tensions in the scenic region have spiralled in recent days following the state government decision to transfer land to a trust for the construction of accommodation for tens of thousands of Hindu pilgrims making an annual journey to a mountain shrine.
Three Kashmiris have died in police firing and hundreds have been injured in clashes since Monday, evoking memories of widespread anti-India protests that swept the region after insurgency broke out in 1989.
“Before the trouble broke out, some 10,000 tourists were arriving daily, but now there are no arrivals. People are leaving,” said IGP S.M. Sahai. The clashes have “hurt our tourism industry badly,” he said.
Tourist numbers have been climbing over the past few years, coinciding with a drop in insurgency-related violence thanks to a peace process between India and Pakistan launched in 2004.
Kashmiris view the land transfer as a ploy to settle Indian Hindus in Kashmir, a charge denied by officials, who argue that New Delhi has never encouraged Hindu migration to the disputed Muslim-majority region. The Indian Constitution also prohibits outsiders from buying land in occupied Kashmir. AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2008
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Kashmiri tourist industry suffered economic blunder just as it had taken off to flourish that took nearly ten years to build. The fundamentalist have again deprived the decent people with moderate values of their livelihood and deprived young people of jobs. These young people now out of jobs are being threatened to join the protest and attain the mosque everyday for the orders. If we look objectively at the Kashmir problem neither country is going to give an inch away. Only good has come out is that the government takes no notice of the hardliners. Pakistan government officially has not mentioned Amarnath land issue for it is India’s Internal affair nor has India mentioned any of Pakistanis Internal affairs. This is a good sign though visa relaxation is a wish list as there are doubts especially in India that it will be exploited by the hardliners and the losers will be the moderates who in their sincerity like to trade with India as an economic power. There are thousands of Indian and Pakistani marriages beside lucrative money for sports women and men, actress and actors to name few. Beside Indian women Hindu and Muslim have won equality in India is also well desired by Pakistani women who have no say at all. These Kashmiris are really backward compared to Sindhis, Punjabis and Balochis who have openly safeguarded Hindu temples and Christian churches, allowed them to come to their sites and vice versa in India’s Ajmer shrine for example. Now to restrict Hindus to Amarnath is one sided by Kashmiris and troublesome even for Indian government that will bring out all Hindus to protect that it’s their democratic right to build temple anywhere in India can not be denied. To be fair only those residence who were forced to leave Kashmir must be allowed to return and live as before in harmony. The under any authority can build temples, musjids that are being denied by the hardliner Kashmiris through violence preached within and from abroad by Mullahs. These hardliners have insulted all other muslims for even in Western Europe and America now every mosque is monitored and the name of Pakistan has been spoilt. Pakistanis of all walks of life are facing difficulties in jobs and social society where Pakistani restaurants are forced to call it an Indian restaurant. But these hardliners don’t care for they have no self respect.