War clouds loom in South Asia

by MKN Moorthy

NEW DEHLI: The Indian subcontinent is again on the edge of a war. India and 
Pakistan, two nuclear powers, are at loggerheads. With a heavy exchange of 
fire at the border, thousands of panic-stricken residents are fleeing from 
the Kashmir valley, abandoning their houses.

After the massacre of Indian soldiers' families in Kashmir, May 14, 
allegedly by Pakistani-sponsored Kashmiri terrorists, the Indian Government 
cut off all diplomatic relations with Pakistan.

The right-wing-led government met and decided to combat Pakistan-sponsored 
terrorism in Kashmir valley with arms, not other methods.

Most of the other major political parties, excluding the Left, are also 
backing up the national government for a full-scale war instead of 
diplomatic, economic or political solutions.

General Secretaries of both the Communist Party of India and Communist 
Party of India (Marxist) met with Prime Minister Vajpayee, separately, and 
asked him to avoid armed conflict, stressing that "war is no solution", 
whether it is a limited or a full-scale war.

Both stressed diplomatic and economic measures to end terrorism, saying, 
"India should ask Washington to put greater pressure on Pakistan to shut 
down the terrorist camps on its soil and cut back economic aid."

While publicly the Bush administration is urging Pakistan to cut support 
for the Kashmir terrorists and urging India not to move to war, the US 
clearly has its own interest in a further destabilised region and a so-
called independent Kashmir.

With US troops in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan, another military 
base in Kashmir can be used to target Russia, China, India, Iran, Iraq and 
smaller countries of the region.

US military and economic interests are not in the interests of the people 
of Pakistan and India, including Kashmir.

Also, a war between India and Pakistan would benefit US arms dealers. 
According to the reports from the inner circles of the Indian Defence 
Ministry, India is considering weapon imports from the US, to bridge the 
gaps in their defence arsenal.

Over one million soldiers from India and Pakistan have massed on the 
border, and tanks, warships and fighter jets are in action in the area.

Pakistan President Musharraf denies arming or funding the Kashmiri 
militants, saying it only provides them with "moral" support. Yet, as 
reported by many, the Pakistan military, along with the "notorious" Inter-
Services Intelligence (ISI) have developed a vested interest of their own 
and, through repressive methods, uses Kashmir for its own undemocratic 
purposes.

The Kashmiri people have expressed their will to stay with the secular 
Indian Union, but Pakistan continues to undermine this on the basis of 
religion. India and Pakistan have fought two of their three wars over this 
Himalayan province since independence from Britain in 1947.

The danger is heightened by the right-wing, Hindu-extremist nature of the 
leading party in the national government of India, the BJP, which has been 
hostile to the autonomy of Kashmir.

The Government has targeted the Muslim minority in India for repression, 
undermined Indian secularism and sought US support, undercutting the long-
standing Indian foreign policy of non-alignment and independence.

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Terrie Albano contributed to this story.

People's Weekly World, paper of Communist Party USA