Indian and Pakistan have continually fought over Kashmir region. Each of the country has been trying to control various regions such as Siachen glacier, Jammu, Kashmir valley and Ladakh. It has been said the origin of these disputes was the Muslim conquest on some Indian regions, dating back in 711. As a result, many people in the region have violently protested lack of democracy by the Indian government. In actual sense, many people would want to secede from the dictatorial leadership, and hence have used violence to make their demands. Hence, to resolve the Kashmir conflict, it is important that focus is given on the aspirations of the local people.
There are clear ethnic and religious differences in Kashmir, especially in regions such as Jammu and Kashmir valley. In Jammu, 60% of the residents are Hindu’s, while in Kashmir valley, 90% of the residents are Muslims. More over, different languages are spoken in the region, some of which include Punjabi and Kashmiri. The Muslims are also subdivided into Suni and Shia. Thus, it is not possible to come up with a resolution to the conflict without considering all these differences. Specially, the leadership should come up with a solution that can appeal to the ethnic and religious groups in the region.
At the beginning of the Kashmir conflict, ethnic differences played a vital role. However, it soon became a religious issue. A lot of intolerance and intimidation has been experienced with time, leading to deaths and trauma. Many children in the regions have been orphaned at an early age. More over, some have resorted to committing suicide. In fact, many people are in need of psychiatric help because of the violence they have been taken through over the years. Therefore, as governments try to resolve the conflict, it is important that the humanitarian crisis is averted in any way possible.
The Pakistan and Indian governments should be persuaded to co-operate and hence come up with solutions that can benefit the local community. They should re-consider their traditional approach because it will not work in a region that is already experiencing ethic and religious tensions. Specially, the governments should withdraw their forces from the region. Instead, dialogue should be facilitated by the international community so that Kashmir can achieve independence. Such a resolve will help the local community find sustainable peace that they have always yearned for. Precisely, as the governments try to resolve the Kashmir conflict, the real needs of the local community should be considered.