Buddhist-Muslim Relations in Ladakh

(click the title for the articles)

Something I have always been intrigued by, yet is so difficult to talk with anyone about.  Many deny there is any conflict. .

Three Idiots

Hit Hindi Film staring Bollywood star Aamir Khan is still all the rage in India - It's called 3 Idiots and tells the story of Aamir's character and his two buddies as they bumble through engineering school. 

Many have said this film was written about Sonam Wangchuk, founder of SECMOL in Ladakh, education reformist, activist, and brilliant human being.  The film is actually based on a novel, but it is undeniable that the character portrayed by Khan resembles Wangchuk's life very closely. 

Wangchuk was awarded a "Real Heros of India" award (sponsored by Reliance Networking) two years ago.  Aamir Khan presented the award to Wangchuk and 19 of his peers who have set the bar high for Indian standards of reform, development, and all-around goodness. 

Here's a link to an article written by an old SECMOL volunteer from India.  Though SECMOL wasn't featured in the film (it was another similar school), the talk of Ladakh has been Wangchuk's resemblance to the main character of the film. 

China Response to Border Bullying

China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Jiang says she has not read any reports of border encroachment around the Lines of Control in Ladakh.  In fact, she says, "China has always strictly honored its commitments."

Indian Defense Minister, AK Antony, also denies the recent claims that China is subversively grabbing land along the border. 

Both of these articles - from Times of India and Press Trust of India - are quite short and without many details.  The TOI article reports Antony saying, "There is only a difference in perception," about the border encroachment.  One wonders about pressure to post some information from an Indian source denying the recent claims...

What is the difference?  How should it be explained?  What are the different perceptions - that China IS harassing nomads along the high mountain plateau border, but India shouldn't perceive it like that?   His words certainly imply that something is going on. 

China and India are in their final rounds of talks to "safeguard peace and tranquility along the border."

China bullies the other side?

While talks seem to be moving forward between India and Pakistan regarding the Kashmir issue, is China using the distraction to agress toward nomads in high mountain areas of Ladakh to lay claim on land? 

This is just an editorial, but...

People better watch their backs.

Many Voices and Concerns on Kashmir Solution

Peace conference called by two separatist leaders of J & K at the Indian International Center seem to speak about the 'real' issues here.  Ethnic group rights in the process need to be heard - many people are greatly affected by the stalemate in the northern areas.  Neither is willing to give an inch to the other and the 'dialogue' process is at a standstill because credibility of this technique has been lost through eruptions of violence in the past 15 years. 

One of the leaders, Sajjad Lone, proposes trade as a means to build trust and build the economy of the region.  Through this, the region can be unburdened by "the monotony of sovereignty."  He released a document called "Achievable Nationhood," the first of its kind since violence in 1989, at the beginning of Jan 2010.  Is this just the type of leadership that the region is needing to emerge from protracted conflict?

The paper calls for tax-free movement of goods between a united J & K. "Lone's peace formula comes a month after Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf said Islamabad would abandon its claim to Kashmir if India agreed to give the territory autonomy under joint supervision by both countries," says Reuters. 

New Peaks open for Tourism in Ladakh

The Times of India published an article saying which restricted areas are now open to foreigners for mountaineering-type pursuits.  This is going to highly imact tourism in Ladakh.

I wonder if this is India's way to lay claim to previously restricted areas... if J & K state then makes tourism dollars off of peaks in the southeaster corridor of the Karakoram, Pakistan and China cannot very well claim any of that land is belonging to them, can they.  The closer India pushes toward the borders, the more tenuous the situation may get.

Don't know if this is such a good idea, India.
And Ladakh, it's time for you to dial up the sustainable eco-tourism business strategies.  Helena Norberg-Hodge, where are you when we need you!

Gilgit-Baltistan

Historically (? Source) a part of Kashmir (State language is Urdu but linguistics in Baltistan suggest strong connection to Tibeto-Burmese languages as opposed to Persian/Arabic What is the persian/arabic family of languages called?) folks in Gilgit-Baltistan have been under Pakistani rule since 1949. 

India recently made a public claim for the region.  This article verbalizes India's claim that Pakistan is illegally occupying the land there, despite claims from the newly elected Chief Minister Mehdi Shah that the region has no connection to Kashmir.  Elections in November were successfuly administered and CM Shah's win made G/B officially the fifth province in Pakistan. 

India is calling out Pakistan for not addressing human rights violations that have occured in the past few years as the seperatist movement is gaining momentum. 

Watch this region - another example of contracted ethnic conflict where struggle for human rights against oppressive nationalist government is compounded by the fact that many eyes are on the strategic region.  Issues are Karakoram Highway (KKH) for trade with China, Taliban presence in areas north and west of Balitistan, other seperatist movements as a result of central Pakistani government not paying much attention to folks up there - including human rights issues of food and resource accessability, health needs, and education. Read this one about that.

India and Pakistan - Maps, resources , and glacier melt

Northern Border Conflict or Siachen Conflict refers to the elusive boundary issues in India's northernmost state Jammu & Kashmir.  Eruptions of war, armed conflict, ethnic aggression plague the region as China, India, and Pakistan figure out their stakes.  Other stakeholders are Gilit/Baltisani, Afghani and Tajik peoples living in and on the borders of the Karakoram.

Siachen Glacier
The highest battlefield in the world at 21,000 ft is the glacier set in the Saltoro range (northeast of the Ladakh range) in the Nubra Valley of Ladakh.

I always wonder about the impact of the military presence in Ladakh - benefits and drawbacks for the people, but also the landscape I read this interesting article the other day about environmental impact on this glacier given the melt caused by the military presence there. 

Protest in Ladakh

I found this image on this yahoo groups site called MadhiUnite The caption read "Protest in Kargil, Ladakh, India."  There's no text or explanation about what the protesters were protesting. 

Kargil district is the western most district of Ladakh, close to the line of control between India and Pakistan.  There is majority population of people following Islam in this district compared to Leh district where the majority identify as Buddhist.