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Civil society of Jammu & Kashmir discusses prospects of self-governance

While the Governments of India and Pakistan finally resume talking to each other after months of standstill, civil society stakeholders from both sides of the Line of Control have kept a dialogue alive even after the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, which cooled the temperature between the two nations down to a freezing point. These meetings are facilitated by the Centre for Dialogue and Reconciliation (CDR) with the support of FNF.

“We urge all Kashmiris to enter the dialogue process and work towards a consensus about the future of the State”, reads the joint statement by Indian and Pakistani intellectuals, who asked both nuclear neighbours to refrain from war talks in January.

Peace measurements can only be sustainable, if they meet the needs and aspirations of the people. Suggestions from the Kashmiris themselves need to be heard and taken up by the negotiating governments. Therefore, finding common grounds between the regions of the state of Jammu & Kashmir is an essential precondition for sustainable peace talks on the Kashmir-issue between Pakistan and India.

For a second time in 2009, an Intra-regional conference brought opinion-makers from Kashmir to the table with opinion-makers from Jammu. Participants represented politics, trade and business, academia and the media. The discussion started from a general overview about new political developments and their impact on the Kashmir-issue and moved on to specific suggestions of cross-border cooperative mechanisms, for example by increasing trade across the Line of Control (LoC). The paper presented by Dr. Mobeen Shah, President of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry can be downloaded here. The participants agreed to continue the discussions on different models of autonomy to narrow down differences and build consensus.

Models of self-governance for Kashmir will be the focus of future dialogue conferences, which are being held by CDR and FNF since 2005. They provide a space for Kashmiris on both sides of the LoC to exchange their opinions on crucial aspect to ease the situation of the Kashmiris and formulate suggestions to the governments of India and Pakistan.

Link:
Beyond Borders. In search of a solution for Kashmir (2007)

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