|
India's Defense Minister Makes First Visit to Disputed Kashmir
SRINAGAR, Kashmir May 19 (News Agencies) - Indian home and defense ministers Lal Krishna Advani and Jaswant Singh arrived in Srinigar today amid tight security to assess the situation in strife-torn Indian-administered Kashmir.
Advani, Singh, their entourage and Indian intelligence officials arrived aboard a special plane at (0615 GMT) in Srinagar, summer capital of the Indian part of Kashmir, news agencies said.
Advani is the minister for home affairs while Singh holds both the defense and foreign affairs portfolios. Sources said security was beefed up in and around Srinagar ahead of Advani and Singh's visit.
No civilians were allowed near the lakeside conference complex where the Indian ministers immediately attended a meeting of the unified command -- a security structure consisting of police, army, paramilitary forces and intelligence agencies.
Troops were seen patrolling Dal Lake and commandos with automatic weapons had taken positions on the rooftops of the complex.
The visit, Singh's first to Kashmir as defense minister, takes place as New Delhi is set to decide whether it wants to extend India's so-called unilateral cease-fire, declared six months ago and due to expire later this month.
A cabinet committee meeting on security will take place in New Delhi after Advani and Singh's trip. However, no date for the meeting has been confirmed.
Though called a cease-fire, the Indian initiative actually represents a suspension of some combat operations -- a move which was rejected by Muslim fighters and failed to bring a cessation of violence.
Calls to end the cease-fire have been mounting from factions within India's ruling Hindu nationalist BJP party. Parallel to the cease-fire, New Delhi last month invited Kashmiri groups for peace talks but the response has been poor so far.
At least 350,000 security personnel are present in Indian Kashmir, according to various estimates.
So far, Shabir Shah, who heads the pro-independence Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), has been the only Kashmiri political leader to show interest in New Delhi's offer of dialogue. Shah sought clarifications from New Delhi on the framework of possible talks.
Pakistan-based Islamic groups as well as Kashmir's main political separatist alliance, the All Party Hurriyat Conference, have demanded Islamabad should be included in peace negotiations.
New Delhi's cease-fire has not resulted in a hoped-for reduction in violence. According to official figures, 838 people have been killed between November 28 and March 20 alone, 293 Muslim fighters, 197 security personnel and 348 civilians.
Muslim-majority Kashmir was divided between India and Pakistan in 1947 but remains claimed by both. Part of the population favors total independence.
Clashes with Kashmiri activists who want independence from India freedom fighters have claimed more than 34,000 lives since 1989, according to Indian figures. Muslim leaders say the death toll is twice as high.
|
