Valley of Tourism Reaches Its Nadir

In the quiet of the Ramadan afternoon, as Muslim Kashmiris wait to break their fast, the only sound is the wailing of a mother. It is a relentless, desolate howl. People start to gather, standing around in sullen silence. An elderly man steps forward. "Why are you here? Can any of you bring our boy back? Can you punish his killers? So many people are dead. Why? Can you answer that?"

-       “Everyone lives in fear” : Patterns of Impunity in Jammu and Kashmir

The Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir has been subject to often-bitter dispute since the partition of India in 1947, which sparked the first two wars fought between India and Pakistan over this area. Reports of human rights abuses by Kashmiri militant groups fighting to secede from India, and by Indian security forces fighting a counter insurgency have received international attention, with estimates of the number of people killed so far ranging from 6,000 to 17,000. Within Jammu and Kashmir, there was growing dissatisfaction throughout the 1980s with what was seen as increased corruption in the local government and interference by the central government.

Twelve years of violence has cost countless Kashmiris their lives, but even more have lost their livelihoods. The insurgency has virtually eliminated tourism to Jammu and Kashmir, an industry that once supported 100,000 people and produced more than three-quarters of the state’s revenue. In 1989, 750,000 tourists visited the “Switzerland of the East” to enjoy the beauty of its lakes and the Himalayan mountains. The following year, the number dropped to virtually zero. Since then, the number of tourists per year has fluctuated wildly with the level of violence, but has never come close to its former levels.  Everything from the threat of land mines along the mountain hikes to kidnapping and murder by Muslim militants has convinced many tourists and investors to avoid what was once the most popular destination in the subcontinent. Without the business from tourists, hotels are empty of everyone but journalists and soldiers. Restaurants and houseboat owners, cabmen, and shopkeepers are struggling to survive. State government has been a doomsayer when it comes to tourism policy.

The Government of India, Government of Pakistan and all militant and Kashmiri groups should place human rights protection mechanisms at the centre of any attempt to resolve the conflict and ensure responsibility for abuses by ending impunity, without which a sustainable settlement is impossible. India and the state government of Jammu and Kashmir should each establish an independent and impartial commission of inquiry into serious violations of International human rights and humanitarian law by Indian society forces since the beginning of the conflict.  Just as human right abuses and impunity have been a cause of fuel for the conflict, human rights protections and accountability can be key ingredients for a solution. There can be no better confidence building measure than an end to abuses on both sides and the beginnings of an effort to address the crimes of both the past and present. With strong and committed political leadership in India, Pakistan and Jammu and Kashmir, and pressure and support from the US and other key international actors, substantial progress can be made in a short period. Promoting the ideology of Nationalism is the only propitious route to maintain stability. Then “all this violence” may begin to become part of Kashmir’s past, instead of future.