Media

Letter to Financial Times

In the absence of political rights, any bilateral deal on Kashmir will fail

Published: May 30 2007

From Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne MEP.

Sir, Your article on Kashmir (”Political wrangles dim the prospect of a deal with India”, May 29) is timely. Last week, for the first time, the European parliament adopted a formal position on Kashmir. The resolution, passed with an overwhelming majority of 522 votes to nine, strongly supports the current peace process, but also urges that “great efforts should be made by the governments of India and Pakistan to involve Kashmiris in the resolution of the core issues”.

While agreement between India and Pakistan is of course vital for any deal, your article completely overlooks the people of Kashmir in the search for a durable solution.

Notwithstanding the need for demilitarisation on both sides of the Line of Control, as parliamentarians our principal concern is for greater democracy, human rights, the rule of law and fundamental freedoms in all parts of Kashmir. Our report “draws attention to the fact that India is the world’s largest secular democracy and has devolved democratic structures at all levels” while lamenting the fact that “Pakistan still lacks full implementation of democracy in AJK [Azad Jammu and Kashmir] and has yet to take steps towards democracy in Gilgit and Baltistan”. Unless Kashmiris are able to “exercise their fundamental civil and political rights in an environment free from coercion and fear”, any bilateral deal will be hollow.

Emma Nicholson,

Rapporteur for Kashmir,

European Parliament

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Link to source:

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/c0a64e00-0e4a-11dc-8219-000b5df10621.html