The peacemakers of the valley

The government has had a series of interlocutors before Dineshwar Sharma to lead talks and usher in peace in the restive state of Jammu & Kashmir. But the former Intelligence Bureau chief's appointment is significant because it indicates a departure in the current government's strategy that dealt with insurgency in the Valley with an iron fist. Insiders in the government say there was no option but to send a message that Delhi was ready to talk. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's comment in August that Kashmir's problems can be solved only by embracing Kashmiris was a clear signal.

There was a view that Sharma, 63, was appointed hurriedly. "He could have been allowed some time to carry out ground work and prepare a strategy," says a government official privy to the developments. But the government did not want to be seen as not willing to start a dialogue process, at a time when there were no signs of a breakthrough in the latest spiral of violence triggered by local poster boy and Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani's encounter killing on July 8, 2016. Women, young boys and girls in large numbers were part of raging mobs that protested and pelted stones at security forces. Many more young men turned to terror as groups targeted them, taking advantage of a situation that was ripe for mass recruitment.

This was followed by an aggressive counter-terror tactic aimed at eliminating terrorists. Over 180 terrorists, up from 150 in 2016, have already been gunned down this year. They include some top commanders. But normalcy did not return."In fact, recent reviews indicate that the killings have led to an increase in violence," says another official.

Right timing

Sharma's appointment on October 23 followed suggestions from the top levels of the security establishment that because terrorist outfits have faced several setbacks, the time is right to start dialogue. One in two local terror recruits in Kashmir is gunned down within 100 days of picking up arms. But this has also led to an unending cycle of violence. Major General BS Raju, who heads the Army's Victor Force carrying out counter-terror operations in the Valley, recently said that out of 115 terrorists active in South Kashmir, 99 were locals. Now, a strategy to get terrorists to surrender is also being explored.

"Killing terrorists is not really a measure of success in Kashmir. It does not mean it will translate into peace," says Lt Gen (retd) DS Hooda, who headed the Udhampur-based Northern Command before retiring in November last year. Hooda says killing locals stirs up more sentiments leading to more stone pelting and locals trying to hamper anti-terror operations. "A surrender and rehabilitation policy is the need to wean out youngsters from the clutches terror groups," he says.

Hurriyat big challenge

It is felt if Sharma can initiate a dialogue process with political leaders and civil society focusing on the youth, many of the local boys who have joined terror ranks may lay down arms. It's in this context that Sharma's appointment as a special representative for talks with all stakeholders in Kashmir becomes more significant. Kashmir observers feel the appointment is a positive step that should be used to facilitate talks ultimately at a political level and not be viewed as a means to solve the Kashmir problem.

AS Dulat, former chief of the Research and Analysis Wing, says that hardline separatist group, the Hurriyat Conference, will not talk is an old story. "If Delhi wants Hurriyat to talk, they will talk. You have to convince them," says Dulat, who spent considerable time in Kashmir serving the Intelligence Bureau. He says Sharma should approach Hurriyat, instead of waiting for it to make a move. "Just like he visited (National Conference leader) Omar Abdullah's house, he should feel free to go to the homes of Hurriyat leaders. The Home Minister (Rajnath Singh) said, he (Sharma) can talk to whoever he wants, but he should also have the freedom to decide how he wants to talk." Dulat says without talking to the Hurriyat the exercise will be meaningless.

Hooda feels getting Hurriyat on-board will be one the biggest challenges for Sharma. "They have taken a strong stand and how he manages to convince other stakeholders to get to them is going to be the key," says the retired officer who earlier also commanded the Nagrota based 16 Corps in Kashmir with his vast experience of serving there. He says that in 2010, there was pressure exerted from traders and other groups on Hurriyat. "It is important what message the government sends out through him," he says.

MM Ansari, part of three interlocutors appointed in 2010, has welcomed the decision of the government but is sceptical of a positive outcome. Ansari and his team had in their 176-page report to the government in 2012 recommended the setting up of a constitutional committee to review all Central Acts and Articles of the Constitution of India applicable in J&K after the signing of the 1952 Agreement made on the basis of then Maharaja Hari Singh's instrument of accession to India in 1947 and the recommendations of J&K's Constituent Assembly. They also recommended the word "temporary" be deleted from the heading of Article 370 that recognises special status to the state. The report is still gathering dust.

Belling the cat

Sharma's choice as an interlocutor is intriguing and this is what makes the situation different from the past. Many feel a former head of the country's domestic spy agency might not be the best option for the job as Kashmiris may not trust him. But the Kerala cadre IPS officer of the 1979 batch tilted the scale in his favour because he has tracked terror networks in Kashmir and India's Northeast for decades. He is known to have compassionate views on the sufferings of the conflict-hit state.

Sharma on his first visit to the state since his appointment knows he has a herculean task cut out for him. He met nearly six delegations in his three-day stay in Srinagar but Hurriyat has already ruled out any talks. Sharma has said he is very satisfied with his first visit. He met former Chief Minster Omar Abdullah and sought his suggestions on taking forward the dialogue process. The advice he got was that sitting in a guest house waiting for people to approach him will not work. Instead, he will have to take the initiative and talk to whoever he wants. He needs to make the right moves to facilitate a dialogue with the people who matter — the separatists.

EXPERT'S TAKE

'Govt didn't take note, our report is gathering dust'

MM Ansari, part of three interlocutors appointed in 2010, has welcomed the decision of the government but is sceptical of a positive outcome. "Our report was exhaustive and touched upon various aspects in Kashmir but it's gathering dust as the government has failed to follow the recommendations. We had consensus from all political parties and also had the BJP and the RSS on board. A total of 19 political parties including Hurriyat Conference were consulted," he says. Because Sharma is a former intelligence officer he will see things from the prism of security, whereas political and social points of view are a must in any dialogue process, Ansari says. He says a dialogue at any stage is welcome but, going by past experiences, there will be no headway unless there is a dialogue at the political level, and that Kashmir's problem should not be viewed only from a security point of view.