General Assembly
“Kashmir Conflict”
MUNIMM 2017
By Jose Emilio Gonzales Romero
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Which are the previous experiences?
After the India independence in 1947 the former princely states
were
given the decision to either join one of the two major states
after the partition of the British India; the India Union or Pakistan,
or to remain independent. Kashmir, then governed by the Maharaja
Hari Singh, after remaining independent for a brief period joined
India under the instrument of accession. The decision to join India
was not one of popular vote, some Kashmiri and Pakistani armed
men protested violently against the Maharajas decision and entered
the states territory, and the reaction of the Indian government was
sending troops to repeal the protesters.
The same year (1947), Pakistani tribesmen continued occupying
Kashmiri territory and in response the Indian army forcefully took
them out of the state. Pakistan interpreted such an action as an
attempt of India to take over their borders. Pakistan supported the
tribesmen and officially entered into the conflict.
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In 1948, India brought the conflict to the UN and the resolution 47
was adopted, this resolution called for a plebiscite to be held in a
demilitarized territory in order to know the Kashmir’s people will
in the matter of their allegiance, and to establish a cease-fire in both
parts. The cease-fire was achieved a year later but none of the
countries fulfilled the demilitarization agreement and so the
plebiscite wasn’t held. There were attempts in the subsequent years
to continue with the plebiscite but all failed.
In 1962, China claimed a part of the J&K territory (Jammu and
Kashmir) which was allegedly, a historical part of China's territory
and after a short war the claimed territory was occupied and new
borders were established.
In 1965, after the arrest of Kashmir separatists the Pakistani army
attacked India and the India military responded with an attack,
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these aggressions led to the Tashkent Agremment which
reestablished the status quo in the conflict.
In 1971, following the events of the Bangladesh liberation war,
Pakistan attacked India air force bases, India took part of Pakistan
territory as retaliation, after the war ended, a negotiation was held
and the Smila Agreement was signed, the agreement stood for a
peaceful resolution to the conflict through bilateral negotiation
rather than by the use of the force.
In 1988 after seemingly fraudulent elections and restrictions in the
freedom of press, Kashmir separatists started violent
demonstrations, and other forms of protest both violent and
non-violent, the separatist movement was supported by various
Islamic groups. Those separatist movements have been violently
suppressed by the Indian armed forced since then and military force
has been established in the area, this is the belligerent side of the
Kashmir conflict.
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In 1999 nuclear tests were made by India, followed by Pakistan
making other nuclear demonstration, this escalated the problem to
a nuclear threat, in following years the countries have had mutual
aggressions.
What is the current situation?
The conflict started in 1947 and has developed over the past
decades and is to the day an unresolved international problem that
has led to the death of more than 47,000 individuals, even though it
is estimated that the insurgency of 1989 has led to more than
80,000 causalities. The
armed conflict has caused a decline in
business, agricultural production and tourism. The region has been
left far behind in the rate of literacy and economy. There is sharp
increase in unemployment and poverty with for the conflict has
affected important sources of livelihood of local people. On human
rights, many graves with unidentified bodies have been discovered
in the Kashmir territory, horrendous crimes such as torture, rape,
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assaults and robbery have been reported to different human rights
associations, those crimes have been perpetrated by both India
soldiers and Pakistani soldiers as well as by separatist.
A violation to the line of control was made when, in October 2014
Indian and Pakistani soldiers crossed fire, the result of the
aggression was the death of many civilians and many other fleeing
from their villages, this was, since 2003, the worst violation of the
line of control and the most volatile event between the two
countries.
On the Kashmir internal issues, in 2016, after the death of Burhan
Wani, a Kashmiri separatist who was killed by Indian Security
officers, many separatist protested against the Indian
administration and claimed for the independence of the state. The
protesters where suppressed by the Indian government after a
violent clash where the separatists attacked the officers and public
property.
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A curfew was then imposed in Kashmir by Indian authorities and
wasn’t lifted for over two months. The curfew wasn´t totally
effective as Kashmiri separatists continued protesting until
November, when a “relaxation” was announced by the separatists.
What should be the main objective of the
committee?
The objective of the committee should be to achieve a peaceful
resolution to the Kashmir conflict, to end hostilities between India
and Pakistan and so end once for all the nuclear threats that a
possible
war
represent,
to
end
the
insurgence
violent
demonstrations and military repressions and the horrible crimes
being made in Kashmir. Revert the effects of war in the J&K
territory and support economic growth in the area so the Kashmir
people may finally live in human conditions.
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Which are the main countries involved?
India
India as the nation in which Kashmir is situated, is the main
country involved in the conflict and the insurgency, India is the
sixth largest economy in the world, the seventh largest in surface
area and the second most populated. The country has an army of
1.325 million active troops, being the third largest military.
India claims that Kashmir is an integral part of India under the
Instrument of accession and holds that the occupation of Kashmiri
territory by Pakistan is an illegal act and an attack to the India
Union.
Pakistan
Pakistan is the second most involved country in the Kashmir
conflict, Pakistan is the twenty fourth largest economy in the
world, the thirty fifth largest in surface area and the sixth most
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populated. The country has an army of 617,000 active troops, being
the eight largest in the world.
On the Kashmir conflict Pakistan’s position is that the insurgency
movement shows an inconformity of the Kashmir people with its
current situation, India’s control, and would rather be independent
or join Pakistan, country that has a Muslim majority such as
Kashmir does.
China
China is the third most involved country in the Kashmir conflict,
China is the second largest economy in the world, the fourth
largest in surface area and the most populated. The country has an
army of 617,000 active troops, being the eight largest in the world.
China holds that the partition of the Kashmir territory was wrong,
that Northern Kashmir was partially a historical territory of China.
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Points to discuss:

Human rights violations perpetrated in Kashmir by soldiers
and separatist, how to stop them, and humanitarian help that
can be led by other nations.
 Negotiation of the accession of India and Pakistan to the
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
 Should the plebiscite be held?
 Should Kashmir remain part of India, join Pakistan, or
become independent?
 How can the economy of the state be “revitalized”?
Fundamental knowledge
Kashmir and Jammu state (J&K) - A state in Northern India with
a surface area of 101,387 km2. Jammu and Kashmir has a frontier
with Pakistan in the west, which is called the line of control, and in
the east and north a birder with China. Although the state is
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officially part of the Indian Territory it has been granted “special
autonomy”.
Line of Control- as stated in the anterior definition the term line
of control refers to the militarized division between India and
Pakistan on J&K, and although it is not a legally recognized border
it is the practical separation of the territory.
Plebiscite- An electoral process concerning the gross of the
population. When referring the particular case of the plebiscite
meant to be held in Kashmir, the J&K state population was
supposed to decide the accession of the state to Pakistan or India,
the plebiscite would have been observed by the UN security council
but couldn’t be made because neither India nor Pakistan fulfilled
the requirements for the plebiscite to be made.
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References
Kashmir profile - Timeline. (2016, September 29). Retrieved from
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-16069078
Kashmir: Conflict profile. (2010, December). Retrieved from
https://www.insightonconflict.org/conflicts/kashmir/conflict-profile/
India-Pakistan Background. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/past/unipombackgr.html
United Nations Documents on UNMOGIP. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/unmogip/documents.shtml
Factbox: All about India, China's border dispute. (2009, November). Retrieved from
http://www.news18.com/news/india/factbox-all-about-india-chinas-border-dispute328205.html
A Comprehensive Note on Jammu & Kashmir. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.kashmirlibrary.org/kashmir_timeline/kashmir_files/Indian_Position.html
Bradnock, R. (n.d.). Kashmir: Paths to Peace. Retrieved from
https://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/files/chathamhouse/public/Research/Asia/0510pp_kas
hmir.pdf
Kashmir Fast Facts. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/11/08/world/kashmir-fast-facts/
Futehaly, I. (n.d.). COST OF CONFLICT BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN.
Retrieved from http://www.strategicforesight.com/publication_pdf/91581Cost of Conflict
Between India and Pakistan.pdf
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