Independence for Kashmir

As a Kashmiri American I want to commend G.H. Jansen for bringing out the fact that the current uprising in Kashmir is not a religious-based separatist movement by a few militant youths but a mass movement (“In the Valley of Kashmir, a Struggle for Freedom Amid Fears of War,” Opinion, May 20). The freedom movement in Kashmir started in 1931. Religious intolerance is not and never has been an issue in the Kashmiris’ struggle. There has never been any communal violence in Kashmir. The simple fact is that India continues to hold Kashmir by force.

India continues to ignore the pledges that it made to the world community. The Kashmir dispute has been in the United Nations since 1947. The right of self-determination for Kashmiris through a plebiscite was agreed upon by all parties to the dispute, and by the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council. This U.N.-mandated plebiscite never took place.

The point I want to emphasize is that at the United Nations, whenever the Kashmir dispute has been discussed, the United States has shown compassion for the plight of Kashmiris. Resolution of the Kashmir issue at the United Nations has not been possible because the Soviet Union has continually vetoed any attempts which implied possible limitation of India’s control over Kashmir. Now that the Soviet Union is promoting perestroika and glasnost , Kashmiris are apprehensive that the leadership here in the United States may become disinterested in the Kashmiris’ freedom struggle.

I believe that the whole future of democratic movement for the subcontinent is at stake. If the United States does not play a constructive role, the democratic movement in the area will not take root, militancy will. I hope Washington will heed Jansen’s advice and capitalize on the current opportunity to bring lasting peace to the subcontinent. Unless Kashmiris are given the right of self-determination there can be no peace in the area.

RAFIQUE A. KHAN

Los Angeles