Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Should India

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Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
Should India be admitted as an
observer state?
Overview
It seems remarkable that an organization broadly representative of the Ummah – the global
community of Muslims – does not include India, a country called home by over 170 million
Muslims. Nearly 1 in 9 of the world’s Muslims lives in India, but it is not a member-state of the
OIC, perhaps in part because India is not a majority-Muslim country (4 of 5 Indians are not
Muslim) and in part because of India’s unresolved dispute with neighboring Pakistan (an OIC
member) over Jammu & Kashmir. In recent years the possibility of India’s admission to the
OIC as an observer state (not as a full member) has been raised. On the one hand, observer status
would permit representatives of India’s Muslim minority to participate in the OIC’s proceedings.
On the other hand, perhaps observer status is either too much (for a country that has antagonized
the Islamic Republic of Pakistan) or too little (why not full membership status?). Consider the
question of whether India should be admitted to OIC as an observer state, and determine where
the country you will represent in the OIC would be for or against this proposal, and under what
conditions you might be prepared to negotiate India’s status vis-à-vis the OIC.
Historical Context/Background
India has been tied to the OIC since the
organization’s very beginning. Although India is
not currently an OIC member state or observer
state, it was a part of the first Islamic Summit
Conference. Held in Rabat in September of 1969,
this conference gave birth to the OIC. The original
purpose of the summit was to address the
desecration of the Al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem,
which had been damaged by arson. Saudi Arabia’s King Faisal was instrumental in extending
the invitation to India as he argued that the desecration of the third holiest place in Islam was a
matter of concern to all Muslims, not merely to “Muslim states.” He further argued that India’s
very large Muslim population entitled it to be represented at the conference.
Subsequent developments and the antics of the Pakistani President of the time, Yahya
Khan (in refusing to leave his residence until the Indian delegation was no longer invited to
meetings), resulted in the exclusion of the Indian delegation from the remaining sessions of the
1969 Islamic Summit Conference. No invitations were extended to India in subsequent years
and the domestic political backlash of the Rabat incident persuaded most people in India against
the OIC.
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It was only after the Pakistan-backed insurgency in Kashmir beginning around 1990 that
Pakistan started using the OIC as a forum to produce strident anti-India resolutions. These
resolutions were a source of embarrassment for India until the world-view on Islamist terror
turned around after 2001. Meanwhile, India was able to contain the armed insurgency in
Kashmir, but hostility between the two neighbors and rivals continued.
At the OIC meetings preceding their Summit in 2003, a senior Qatari official proposed
that India should be invited to join the organization. While the proposal was not taken much
further, its point that the Muslim community of India lives and flourishes in a secular
environment, had an impact on the larger membership of the OIC, especially those which had
seen an exponential growth in their economic relations with India. India’s growth and economic
success and its growing relationship with the United States has affected the monarchs in the
Gulf. This has allowed India to find ways of marrying the Middle East’s hydrocarbon and
financial resources with India’s skills, human resource talent, and exponentially growing market.
It was in this context, in 2006 during a visit to Delhi that Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah
suggested that India could obtain an observer status in the OIC like Russia. Pakistan strongly
objected to the proposal, and India also did not show interest. The argument for seeking a limited
association with an observer status suggests that since Russia and others have an observer status
there, it would not hurt India to join as well. The OIC unilaterally announced that it would act as
an envoy for Kashmir if India legitimized it by seeking any association with the OIC.
The territory of Kashmir was greatly contested
even before India and Pakistan won their
independence from Britain in August 1947.
Under the partition plan provided by the Indian
Independence Act of 1947, Kashmir was free to
accede to India or Pakistan. The King of
Kashmir at first decided to remain independent,
but eventually acceded to India, signing over
key powers to the Indian government in return
for military aid and a promised referendum.
Since then, the territory has been the spark for
two of the three India-Pakistan wars: the first in
1947, the second in 1965. In 1999, India fought
a brief but bitter conflict with Pakistani-backed
forces that infiltrated Indian-controlled territory
in the Kargil area of Kashmir. (For an overview of the conflict in Jammu and Kashmir, see the
timeline at the end of this topic guide and further reading sources.)
Although in recent years violence in Indian-administered Kashmir has abated, the causes
of the insurgency have not gone away. Demonstrations still take place regularly in the Kashmir
valley. Many people in the territory, especially in the Muslim-majority Kashmir valley do not
want to be governed by India and prefer to be either independent or part of Pakistan. The
population of the Indian-administered state of Jammu and Kashmir is over 60% Muslim, making
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it the only state within India where Muslims are in the majority. The young people in the
Kashmir valley especially sense alienation from Delhi, and the sentiment has only worsened with
high unemployment and the use the military to stifle protests. Although the insurgency today
may not be so vigorously fought as it was in the 1990s, the scope for violence to resurface is very
much present.
Source: http://islamicbanking.info/trying-to-bring-islamic-banking-to-india/
Current Situation
The decision of whether or not India should be admitted as an observer state to the OIC
depends upon many different but connected parts. In spite of having the third largest Muslim
population in the world, India isn't a member or even an observer within the Organisation of
Islamic Cooperation. While countries like Saudi Arabia have overtly supported the inclusion of
India within the OIC, Pakistan has blocked India’s membership, citing irreconcilable differences.
The current requirements for membership in the OIC are as follows:
● Being an Islamic state and/or having a large Muslim population
● No violation of its values as specified in the OIC Charter
● Absolute consensus by existing members in approving new memberships
It has been stated that no United Nations Member State wishing to be a member of the OIC
may be in current conflict with a member already in the OIC. This is the main issue keeping
India from being granted membership. The Indo-Pak dispute over the region of Kashmir has
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made it difficult for some current OIC Member States (including Pakistan) to allow for India’s
inclusion.
Several nations feel that India’s secular status and 20% Muslim (minority) population are
what's keeping it from the OIC, since the OIC Charter stipulates that solely Muslim countries
willing to push the objectives of the organisation are eligible for membership. However, many
non-Islamic nations (but with large Muslim populations) have received membership in the past.
As India has one of the largest Muslim populations in the world, why should this be a reason for
India to not be a member? Furthermore, with India’s Muslim population being a minority, would
it not allow the OIC to better address problems of Muslim minority populations globally? (For
more on the OIC
and Muslim
minority
populations, see
Sa’ad S. Khan’s
article from 2002
in the Journal of
Muslim Minority
Affairs.)
The main issue
keeping India from
being granted
membership is the
Indo-Pak dispute
over the region of
Kashmir. In early
October 2009, the
OIC appointed a
special envoy for
Jammu and
Kashmir, drawing
a wedge between
India and itself.
The OIC stresses that as long as the Indo-Pak tension over the region remains unresolved, there's
little or no area for improvement in the organisation’s relations with India. While the OIC
advocates the problem of self-determination and resolution of Kashmir in accordance with the
UN resolutions of 1948 and 1949, India is firm regarding resolving the difficulty bilaterally with
Pakistan. This stand has been receiving increasing international acceptance, and seems to be the
foremost choice to resolve the Kashmir issue.
However, as much as these issues influence the decision about India’s membership, the
debate here isn't regarding Kashmir or regarding Pakistan. The larger concern is the Muslim
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world and what it stands to realize with India finding a grip within the OIC. It seems natural to
anticipate that India would gain reciprocal diplomatic advantages through such a move.
Equally vital are factors that were highlighted by Hamid Ansari in 2006. (See full
statements below.) The former diplomat and Indian Vice-President mentioned India deserves to
be an OIC member, not simply an observer, since although India isn't a part of the Muslim
world, “it isn't far away from it; not a Muslim majority state in statistical terms nevertheless host
to the biggest community of Muslims in the world; not a society centered on Muslim welfare
solely however one in which Muslims, as an integral a part of a larger whole, get the attention
that each other section does.” As a result, a formal place for India within the OIC would augment
the collective believability and negotiation power of the organization. The OIC would be able to
leverage India in regard to vital problems concerning the Muslim world. This would facilitate the
OIC address the “state of disunity” among Muslims, which several see as one of the worst in
fourteen centuries of Islamic history. In a post-9/11 twenty-first century, the Muslim world faces
various challenges – impoverishment, terrorism, entails political reform and unemployment.
In addressing these and implementing the Ten-Year Programme of Action that was set
out at the OIC Summit in Makkah in 2005, several believe India’s experiences would be more of
an asset than a liability — particularly envisaging joint action to push tolerance and moderation,
modernization, in depth reforms in all spheres of activities such as science and technology,
education, trade, and sensible governance and promotion of human rights. With over 250 million
Muslims as of 2015, most of them a part of the world’s largest democratic process, India
deserves to be related to the OIC. It's however, imperative to note that India has never formally
requested OIC membership, which results in skepticism regarding their desire to essentially be
associated with the OIC. Also, being a secular country, several internal political organisations
powerfully disfavor India’s potential association with the OIC, or any other non-secular
organization.
It should be re-emphasized, though, that India has never formally applied to be either a
member state or observer state of the OIC. The government has expressed interest in joining but,
because of its secular nature and the initial disgrace of the 1969 Conference, India has not
formally applied. India’s desire to join or not to join the OIC is a matter only its government and
citizens can determine. It is further important to take into consideration the impact of India’s
membership (both positively and negatively) on the OIC and on the Muslim world overall.
*****
FortheperspectiveofanIndianofficialontherelationshipbetweenIndiaandtheOIC,
pleasereadthedocumentthatspansthenextthreepages.
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From:http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/the-oic-and-india-signals-of-a-rethink/article3246619.ece
January30,2006–MohammadHamidAnsari(PreviousChairmanofIndia’sNational
CommissionforMinorities,currentVicePresidentofIndia)articlefromTheHinduentitled,
“TheOICandIndia:SignalsofaRe-Think”
ONTHEeveof[a]recentvisittoIndia,inaninterviewtoanIndiannewspaper,KingAbdullah
BinAbdulazizofSaudiArabiaremarkedthat"Indiashouldhaveanobserverstatusinthe
OrganisationoftheIslamicConferencesimilartothatheldbyRussia."Headdeditwouldbe
"beneficial"ifIndia'sentrywasproposed"byanationlikePakistan."
Intheabsenceofatranscript,itisdifficulttovisualisethecontextofthequestionand
theanswer.Onthefaceofit,itsuggeststheOIC(oratleastitsmostimportantmember)isnow
inclinedtoofferIndiaanobserverstatusafterhavingdoneitforRussia.Italsosuggestsa
preferredproceduralmethodology.Thishintsatanelementoftentativenessaboutthe
suggestionandmakesitatrialballoon.Thatitwasso,andwasquicklypunctured,isevident
fromthereactionemanatingfromPakistan.Any
Neitheranostrich-likepostureofignoring
countrythatwishedtoacquireobserverstatuswith
theOIC,saidtheofficialspokespersonoftheForeign theOICnoranavidembracewouldserve
MinistryinIslamabad,"shouldnotbeinvolvedinany India'spurpose.Incrementalinteraction,
andaquietinsistenceontherestoration
disputewithamemberstate."
oftheoriginalmembership,wouldbea
TheOIC'sinteractionwithIndiahasahistory. betteralternative.
TheOrganisationitselfisaproductoftheIslamic
SummitConferenceheldatRabatonSeptember22-25,1969.Theprovocationforthat
gatheringwasthedesecrationoftheAlAqsamosqueinJerusalem.KingFaisalofSaudiArabia
waspersonallyinstrumentalinhavingIndiainvitedtotheConference.Heacceptedthe
argumentthatthedesecrationofthethirdholiestplaceinIslamwasamatterofconcerntoall
Muslims,notmerelyto"Muslimstates"andthatIndia,withitsverylargeMuslimpopulation,
wasentitledtobeconcerned.However,sincethegatheringwasaninter-governmentalone,
onlytheGovernmentofIndiacouldbeinvited.Consequently,Indiaparticipatedinthethird
sessionoftheConference,ontheafternoonofSeptember23.TheChairmanoftheConference,
KingHasanofMorocco,interruptedthescheduledorderofspeakerstogivethefloor"tothe
AmbassadorofIndiawhoisrepresentinghiscountryaftertheConferencehasdecidedthat
Indiashouldberepresented."ThespeechoftheIndiandelegateformspartoftheofficial
transcriptoftheConference.
Subsequentdevelopments,andtheanticsofthethenPresidentofPakistan,aretoowell
knowntobearrepetition.ItresultedintheforcibleexclusionoftheIndiandelegationfromthe
subsequentsessionsoftheConference.Furthermore,theDeclarationoftheConferencewas
ingeniouslycraftedtoshowthemas"RepresentativesofMoslemCommunityofIndia."
NoinvitationswereextendedtoIndiainsubsequentyearsandthedomesticpolitical
backlashoftheRabatincidentpersuadedmostpeopleinIndiatowishawaytheOICandits
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activities-tillabout1990whenPakistanidiplomacydiscoveredittobeafertilegroundfor
focussedanti-Indianresolutions.Facedwiththepracticalnecessityofcounteringthese,Indian
diplomatsinvariousplaceswereinstructedtointeractwithOICofficialstodrawattentionto
theIndiansideofthecase.Theexerciseresultedinsomesofteningofpositionsbutmadelittle
dentonformalresolutions.
TheCharteroftheOICwasfinalisedinMarch1972andwasregisteredwiththeUnited
NationsonFebruary1,1974.TheOICclaimedandwasaccordedthestatusofanintergovernmentalorganisation.TheU.N.GeneralAssemblyroutinelyadoptsbyconsensusa
resolutioneveryyearoncooperationbetweentheU.N.andtheOIC.Inanessentiallypractical
gesture,withperhapssometingeofsymbolism,Indianeversoughttoopposethisconsensus.
Manymoonslater,andinachangedandchangingworld,aprocessofreassessingthe
positionoftheOICvis-a-visIndiawasgingerlyinitiated,firstbySudanandthenbyQatar.The
onsetofregulartalksbetweenIndiaandPakistanfurtheredthere-thinkintheexpectationthat
itwouldsavemanyOICmembersfromthedistastefultaskoftakingpositions.
InthemeantimeRussia,drivenbyimperativesofthesituationinChechnya,soughtto
reducehostilityintheMuslimworldbymakingoverturesthatwereaccommodatedfora
varietyofreasons.Hencetheofferofobserverstatusthatwasavidlyaccepted.TheRussians,
likesomeothers,haddiscoveredthata"Muslimcause,"tomakeprogressintheOIC,neededa
sponsorwithintheOrganisation.
Inthisbackground,theIndiangovernmenthasnotreactedpubliclytoKingAbdullah's
exploratorysuggestion.Itis,ofcourse,possibletoignoretheOICsincethepeakofits
unfriendlyactivitiesisinanycasebehindusandisunlikelytoberevived.Ontheotherhand,
however,anIndiathatisnolongerbesieged,maywellconsiderrespondingdifferently.
Ifthedebateistobereopened,itneedstogobacktothebeginning.IfIndiawasan
originalinvitee,thequestionofofferingitanobserverstatusshouldnotarise.Instead,itshould
beasimplematterofrestoringthefounder-membershipthatwastakenawayfromIndiabya
sleightofhandthatdidnocredittothosewhodidit,orassisteditinanymanner.Infact,the
offerandacceptanceofanalternativestatuswouldrevalidatewhatwasdonein1969.Forthis
reason,itshouldberejected.
ThedebateisalsoaboutrecognisingIndia'suniqueness:itisnotapartoftheMuslim
worldbutisnotawayfromit;notaMuslimmajoritystateinstatisticaltermsyethosttothe
secondlargestcommunityofMuslimsintheworld;notasocietyfocussedonMuslimwelfare
onlybutoneinwhichMuslims,asanintegralpartofalargerwhole,gettheattentionthat
everyothersectiondoes.
TheIndianexperienceofapluralsociety,secularpolity,anddemocraticstatestructure
is,infact,relevanttoallsocietiesthatarenothomogenous.Itoffersanalternativetothe
multiculturalmodelthatisnowunderstressinmanyWesternsocieties.Indiaisasaladbowl,of
pluralisminthoughtandaction.
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Twoquestionsinevitablyarise.WouldtheOICbewillingtotravelfarenoughonthis
question?WouldIndiabepreparedtoretrieveitsfullmembershipoftheclub?
IthasbeenevidentforsometimethattheindividualmembersoftheOIChaveindulged
insomeintrospectionabouttheOrganisationanditsactivities.Malaysiatooktheleadinthis;
sodidTurkeyinsomemeasurefromitsuniquepositionofaconstitutionallysecularstatethatis
alsooverwhelminglyMuslimintermsofitsdemography.IrandidlikewiseintheKhatamiera.In
recentmonthsKingAbdullahofSaudiArabiahastakentheinitiativeofconveningfirsta
conferenceofMuslimintellectuals,andthenofOICheadsofgovernment,toreviewandrethinktheobjectivesofthegrouping.Theoutcome,regrettably,waslessthanadequate.
TheIndianposition,onitspart,isgroovedintheexperienceof1969andhasbeen
reinforcedbythenegativeperceptionsgeneratedbytheOICinitsparrot-likereiterationof
resolutionsthatevenPakistan,initspresentdiplomaticposture,wouldfindoflittleuse.
Despitethis,theremaybeacaseforthinkingbeyondtheobvious.
TheOICaccountsforabout29percentofthetotalmembershipoftheU.N.,47percent
oftheAfricanUnion,and100percentofthemembershipoftheArabLeague,theGulf
CooperationCouncil(GCC),andtheEconomicCooperationOrganisation(ECO).Nearerhome,
threeofthesevenmembersoftheSouthAsianAssociationforRegionalCooperation(SAARC)
areintheOICandsoarethreeASEANstates,withtwoothers(PhilippinesandThailand)
attendingmeetingsasguests.TheOIC,therefore,isafactorofrelevanceinmultilateral
gatheringsanddoesinfluencetheoutcomeofelectionstoU.N.bodies,andtheirdecisions.
Geographyisrelevant.Muslimcountriesandsocietiesformtheimmediateand
proximateneighbourhoodofIndiainSouth,SouthEast,Central,andWestAsia.Contactswith
Muslimcountriesfigureprominentlyinourexternalrelations.Theseforthemostparthavea
substantiveeconomiccontent,andconsiderablepotentialintermsofourdeveloping
capabilities.Theyhaveabearingonourstrategicenvironment.
Thechallengenowistodefinethecontoursofpolicythatwouldenergisetheserelations,inan
imaginativerenewalofexistingcommitments,intermsofthepresent-dayimperatives.Theaim
shouldbeto(a)expandareasofmutuallybeneficialcooperation,(b)minimiseareasof
misperceptionordivergenceofinterests,and(c)maximiseadvantagesthatmayaccrueto
India.
ManyyearsbacktheIslamicDevelopmentBankwaspermittedtooperateaprogramme
inIndia.Similarly,someinteractionhastakenplacewiththeculturalaffiliatesoftheOIC.This
canbedevelopedaspartofourculturaldiplomacy.TheaimshouldbetoshownottheMuslim
faceofIndiabuttheIndianfacethathasaMuslimdimensionalso.
Neitheranostrich-likepostureofignoringtheOICnoranavidembracewouldserve
India'spurpose.Incrementalinteraction,andaquietinsistenceontherestorationofthe
originalmembership,wouldbeabetteralternative.
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Involved Actors/UN Involvement
India
● Current Prime Minister: Narendra Modi
● Muslims account for 14.2% of India’s population and are India’s largest minority
population (according to 2011 Census)
● State with highest Muslim population in India is J&K (Kashmir) at 68.3%
Pakistan
● Current Prime Minister: Nawaz Sharif
● In conflict with India over J&K and calls for self-determination of population
● Vehemently opposes India’s membership or observer status in OIC
Jammu and Kashmir
● State in northern India, also known as J&K
● Disputed since independence between India and Pakistan (and China, at times)
● Only state in India with a Muslim-majority population
Saudi Arabia
● Founding member of OIC
● First invited India to join in the 1969 Islamic Summit Conference
● In 2006, King Abdullah stated the idea of observer status for India in OIC during a visit
to Delhi
OIC
● Has admitted observer states and member states through the Council of Foreign Ministers
even though some criteria may not have been upheld (i.e. “Islamic state” versus large
Muslim population)
● Could be said that it has become Pakistan’s venting route about India
For OIC’s most recent resolutions on J&K and India/Pakistan, see pages 21 and pages 25,
respectively, here: http://www.oic-oci.org/oicv3/subweb/cfm/42/en/42cfm_res_pol_r2_en.pdf
Forquestionstoanswerasyoupreparetodeliberatethisissue,andforatimelineofevents,references,
andadditionalresources,seetheremainingpagesofthetopicguide.
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Questions to Ponder
1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of India joining the OIC for the
Organisation itself? Would India’s accession be advantageous or troublesome for
the Member-State you represent?
2. How would joining the OIC change Members’ relationships with India as trading
partners in the Middle East? In what other ways might OIC membership alter
India’s relationships with Member-States?
3. Should an international organization with a religious basis such as the OIC accept
as Member-States countries that are secular or specifically in this case, non-Islamic?
4. Should the requirement for consensus be suspended or annulled when it comes to
decisions such as new members? Should a majority vote be followed instead?
5. Should OIC reconsider the observer or membership status of other potential states
such as the Philippines or Northern Cyprus? If so, why? If not, why not?
6. Should India be encouraged to become an observer state of the OIC? If not, should
alternative arrangements be made to allow India greater presence or influence on
the Organisation?
TimelineofEventsinJammuandKashmir(J&K)
1846:TheStateofJammuandKashmiriscreatedundertheTreatyofAmristar,whentheMaharaja
GulabSinghbuystheKashmirValleyfromtheEastIndiaCompanyandaddsittoJammuandLadakh
alreadyunderhisrule.
1857:TheIndianRebellionof1857againsttheBritish/FirstIndianWarofIndependence.
1931:ThemovementagainsttheMaharajainKashmirbeginsbutissuppressedbyStateforces.
1932:SheikhMohammedAbdullahsetsupthe‘AllJammuandKashmirMuslimConference’tofight
forKashmirifreedomfromtheMaharaja'srule,whichwouldbranchofftobecometheNational
Conferencein1939.TheGlancyCommissionpublishesareportinApril1932,highlightingthe
inequalityoftheMuslimpopulationanddiscussestheneedfortheiradequaterepresentationin
thestate'sservices;theMaharajaacceptstheserecommendationsbutdelaysimplementation;the
MaharajagrantsaConstitutionprovidingalegislativeassemblyforthepeople,buttheAssembly
turnsouttobepowerless.
1939:TheNationalConferencelaunchesthe‘QuitKashmir’movementdemandingabrogationof
theTreatyofAmritsarandacallofsovereigntyforthepeopleofKashmir.
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1940:ThePakistanResolutionispassedanddemandstheestablishmentofanindependentstate,
comprisingallregionsinwhichMuslimsarethemajority.
1947(Mar):AninternalrevoltbeginsinthePoonchregionbutissuppressedbytheMaharaja’s
forces.
1947(15Aug):ThepartitionofIndia:TheBritishIndianEmpireisdissolvedandtheMuslim-majority
areasintheEastandWestarepartitionedtoformtheseparatestateofPakistan.
1947:KashmirsignstheStandstillAgreementwithPakistan.TheMaharajadelayshisdecisionto
accedeintoeitherIndiaorPakistan.
1947(Oct):Indo-PakistaniWarof1947:ThousandsofPashtunsfromPakistan’sNorthWest
FrontierProvinceattackKashmirandtheMaharaja’sforces.TheMaharajaaskIndiaforhelp,who
abidesundertheconditionsthatherelinquishcontroloverdefense,communicationandforeign
affairstoIndia.TheMaharajaagreesandsignstheInstrumentofAccession.
TheIndianArmyentersthestatetorepeltheinvaders.SheikhAbdullahendorsestheaccessionas
ad-hocwhichwouldbeultimatelydecidedbyaplebisciteandisappointedheadoftheemergency
administration.
1948:IndiatakestheKashmirproblemtotheUNSecurityCouncil.Theresolutionordersthe
cessationofhostilitiesandaformulationofatruceagreement,andthataplebisciteshould
determinethefutureofJammuandKashmir.However,bothcountriescannotagreeontheterms
ofdemilitarisation.
1949:On1January,theceasefirebetweenIndianandPakistaniforcesleavesIndiaincontrolof
mostofthevalley,aswellasJammuandLadakh,whilePakistangainscontrolofpartofKashmir
including,whatPakistancalls,AzadKashmirandNorthernterritories.
1950(Jan):Indiagainsindependenceandbecomesarepublic.
1957:India’sHomeMinisterdeclaresthattheStateofJammuandKashmirisafundamentalpartof
Indiaandtherecanbenoquestionofaplebiscite.Kashmiriactivistscontinuetoinsistonselfdetermination.
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1963(Dec):MassuprisingsoccurintheKashmirValleyandprotestsoccuragainstArticles356and
357oftheIndianConstitution,bywhichtheIndiangovernmentcanexerciselegislativepowers.The
Indianarmyattackstheprotesters.
1965:Indo-PakistanWarof1965.PakistanbacksrebelgroupsinKashmirandsendsarmedPakistani
infiltratorstojointhemacrosstheceasefireline,whichleadstomoreviolenceacrossthewholeof
theKashmirValley.
1966:KashmirinationalistsformanotherPlebisciteFrontwithanarmedwingcalledtheJammuand
KashmirNationalLiberationFront(NLF)inAzadKashmir,withtheobjectiveoffreeingKashmirfrom
Indianoccupation.
1971:TheIndo-PakistanWarof1971:PakistandescendsintocivilwarafterEastPakistandemands
autonomyandlaterindependenceofwhatwillbecomeBangladesh.
1972:IndiaandPakistanagreetoaceasefire,andsigntheSimlaAgreement,whichstatesthatthey
willrespecttheLineofControl,theborderbetweenthetwocountriesandChina.However,fighting
continuesalongthisline,makingitoneofthemostviolentanddangerousborderlinesintheworld.
1987-1990:KashmirInsurgency:Afterthe1987electionstheMuslimUnitedFront(MUF)declares
theelectionsasrigged,andtheinsurgencyinthevalleyincreases.TheMUFcandidatelaterbreaks
awaytobecomeheadofthemilitantgroupHizb-ul-Mujahedin.Furtherprotestsandanti-India
demonstrationsintheKashmirValleyfollowedbypoliceretaliation,arrestsandcurfewordersby
theIndianpoliceandarmy.
1989:AttheendoftheSovietoccupationofAfghanistanagreatdealofweaponsarereleasedinto
KashmirandPakistanprovidesfurthertrainingtoKashmiriandforeignmilitantgroupsinKashmir.
TheKashmiriindependencemovementbecomesmoreIslamistinitsideology.
1990(1Mar):AnestimatedonemillionpeopletaketothestreetsinprotestoftheIndian
occupationandmorethan40peoplearekilledbythepolice.Thisisseenbymanyasthebeginning
ofamassiveKashmiriuprising,butIndiaclaimsthatitisorchestratedbyPakistanitrained
operatives.Manyofthe162,500HinducommunityinKashmirfleetheareatorefugeecampsin
Jammu.
1990:Anestimated34,000peoplehavebeenkilledsince1978.
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1998:IndiaandPakistanperformnucleartestsinashowofstrength.
1999:IndianandPakistanimilitariesclashinKargil,Indialaunchesair-strikesinKashmir.
1999:GeneralMusharrafleadsamilitarycoupinPakistan.
2000(Nov):IndiaputsaceasefireintoeffectinKashmir.However,violencecontinues.
2001(Oct):KashmiriassemblyinSrinagarattackedand38peoplearekilled.
2001(Dec):AttackonIndianparliamentinNewDehli.ThemilitantgroupsLashkar-e-Taibaand
Jaish-e-Mohammedtakeresponsibility.
2003:IndiaandPakistanrestorediplomaticties.
2004(24Sep):PrimeMinisterSinghandPresidentMusharrafmeetinNewYorkduringUNGeneral
Assemblyforfirstroundofpeacetalks.
2006:SecondroundofIndo-Pakistanpeacetalks.
2007:AmnestyInternationalandotherhumanrightsorganisationsreportofgrosshumanrights
violationsfromIndiathatincludesystematicarrestsanddetentions,enforcedcurfews,and
testimoniesofrapeandtorture.Indiadeniesmanyoftheseclaimsandstatesitissuppressing
terrorism.
2008(Aug):Thebeginningoftheseconduprisingbylocalgroupsandyouthswhichleadstomassive
redeploymentofIndiansecurityforces.
2009(Oct):OICappointsspecialenvoyforJammuandKashmir,flaringtension.
2010(Aug):Tensofthousandsofpeoplestagestreetdemonstrationsagainstthedeathsoftwo
youngmendetainedinIndiancustody.
2010(Sep):TheIndiangovernmenthasclaimeditwillreleasehundredsofstudentsandyoung
peopleaftermonthsofcivilunrestthathasleftatleast107peopledead.
2011(Aug):ChiefMinisterOmarAbdullahannouncesanamnestyforthe1,200youngmenwho
threwstonesatsecurityforcesduringtheanti-governmentprotestsintheKashmirValleythe
previousyear.
Canisius College
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2011(LateAug):IndianStateHumanRightsCommissionconfirmspresenceofmorethan2,000
unidentifiedbodiesinunmarkedgravesneartheLineofControl.Activistssaymanymaybepeople
whodisappearedafterbeingarrestedbysecurityforces.
2011(Sept):IndianforceskillthreePakistanisoldiersinfiringacrosstheLineofControl.India
accusesPakistanofopeningfirefirst.
2013(Feb):KashmiriJaish-e-MohammedmemberMohammadAfzalGuruhangedoverrolein2001
Indianparliamentterrorattack,promptingprotestsinwhichtwoyoungmenarekilled.
2013(Sept):PrimeministersofIndiaandPakistanmeetandagreetotryreducethenumberof
violentincidentsattheirdisputedborderinKashmir.
2014(Aug):IndiacancelstalkswithPakistanafteraccusingitofinterferinginIndia'sinternalaffairs.
ThedecisioncomesafterPakistan'sHighCommissionerinDelhiconsultedKashmiriseparatist
leadersinadvanceofthetalks.
2014(Aug):DuringavisittothedisputedborderstateofJammuandKashmir,India'sPrime
MinisterNarendraModiaccusesPakistanofwagingaproxywaragainstIndiainKashmir.
2014(Oct):PakistanandIndiaexchangestrongly-wordedwarnings,afteraflare-upofviolence
acrosstheircommonborderleavesatleast18peopledead.
2015(Mar):India'srulingBJPpartyisswornintogovernmentinIndian-administeredKashmirfor
firsttimeincoalitionwithlocalPeople'sDemocraticParty,withthelatter'sMuftiMohammad
Sayeedaschiefminister.
2015(Sept):MuslimseparatistleadersinIndian-administeredKashmircloseshops,businessesand
governmentdepartmentsinprotestattheenforcementofacolonial-erabanoneatingbeef.
2015(Nov):OnepersondiesinviolentprotestsfollowingavisittoIndian-administeredKashmirby
PrimeMinisterNarendraModi.
2016(Jan):ChiefMinisterMuftiMohammadSayeeddies.
Asadaptedfromhttp://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-16069078and
https://www.insightonconflict.org/conflicts/kashmir/conflict-profile/conflict-timeline/
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Resources
http://www.oic-oci.org/oicv3/topic/?t_id=11171&ref=4392&lan=en
(fromMay12,2016,OICinPakistanaboutKashmir)
UniversityofGeorgiaMUN(WordDoc)
~Relatedresourcesanddiscussionquestions
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/the-oic-and-india-signals-of-a-rethink/article3246619.ece
~India’sinabilitytoachievestatusbecauseofadisputewithanOICmember
http://www.mei.edu/content/philippines-elusive-quest-organization-islamic-conference-oic-observer-status
~exampleofthePhilippines’inabilitytogainobserverstatus(mentionofIndiaunder
thirdpoint)
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/article/20091009/ARTICLE/310099941/1098
~WhynotIndiainOIC?(articlefrom2009)
http://www.arabnews.com/node/328857
~Newsarticlefrom2009aboutendingIndia’sisolationinOIC
http://www.gatewayhouse.in/india-and-the-oic-to-join-or-not-to-join/
~ArticlefromIndiannewspaperonwhetherIndiashouldorshouldnotjoinOIC
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/13th-oic-summit-in-turkey-india-objects-as-oic-supports-jk-plebiscite-2755721/
~2016articleaboutKashmirdisputeandeffectsinOICfromIndia’sresponse
http://www.bbc.com/news/10537286
~BackgroundfromBBConKashmirDispute
http://www.oic-oci.org/oicv2/m/en/topic/?t_id=11171&t_ref=4392&lan=en
~OICdelegationtoKashmirandJammu
http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/unmogip/documents.shtml
~PertinentdocumentsforKashmirconflict/UNMOGIP
http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/unmogip/facts.shtml
~UNMOGIPfactsandfigures,plusbackgroundandotherdocuments-officialwebsite
http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/unmogip/background.shtml
~BackgroundofUNMOGIP
http://www.oic-oci.org/is11/english/charter-en.pdf
~OICCharter(asof2008=11thsummit)
http://www.oic-oci.org/36cfm/w/en/res/36CFM-POL-RES-FINAL.pdf
Canisius College
Model United Nations
38th Annual Conference
~2009politicalresolutionsofOICaboutIndia-PakistandisputeandKashmir
http://www.oic-oci.org/oicv3/subweb/cfm/42/en/42cfm_res_pol_r2_en.pdf
~2015politicalresolutionsofOICaboutIndia,Pakistan,Kashmir
http://ieer.org/resource/south-asia/short-history-of-kashmir-dispute/
~ShorthistoryofKashmirdisputefromthirdparty,butupdatedonlyuntil2012
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kashmir_conflict
~Kashmirconflict(seeresourcesatbottomofpageforfurtherreading)
http://www.dawn.com/news/1159577
~2015Saudiking’sdeath,Indiaresponse
http://www.associationdiplomats.org/Publications/ifaj/Vol1/1.2/1.2%20-%20Oral%20History%20-%20India%20at%20the%20Rabat%20Islamic%20Summit%20-%20GSingh.pdf
~IndianForeignAffairsJournal,Indiaandthe1969Rabatconference
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Census-2011-Assam-records-highest-rise-in-Muslim-population/articleshow/45972566.cms
~2011CensusdataaboutreligionandMuslimpopulation