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Siachen tragedy: A prayer for the departed - 23 Apr 2012
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Resolving Siachen
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Wisdom from the mountains
Demilitarise the Siachen Glacier and thereby save lives, economic resources and the ecology of that region.
The writer is Distinguished Professor of Economics, Forman Christian College University and Beaconhouse National University
No better tribute can be paid to the intrepid soldiers and civilians — still buried under the recent avalanche, and thousands more who have been killed or injured due to the cold over the years in Siachen — than the recent recognition by the Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, that peace is in the best interests of the people and the environment. Earlier, amidst their sorrow at the tragedy in the Giari sector, politicians and the public alike, were unanimous in their conviction that the clash of national egos and needless deaths and human suffering in that icy wasteland must end. The Indian Minister of State for Defence, Mr MM Pallam Raju, immediately welcomed this emerging consensus in Pakistan and seemed amenable to the logic of Pakistan’s view. So let peace talks begin between Pakistan and India to demilitarise the Siachen Glacier and thereby save lives, economic resources and the ecology of that watershed region, which is vital to the life support system of both countries.
The proposition propounded by General Kayani — perhaps the first time by a serving chief of army staff — was a more general one: that Pakistan and India should seek peace in order to pursue the economic well-being of the people. It represents a step towards a welcome change in the national security paradigm. National security in terms of the capacity to defend the country against external aggression becomes meaningful only when individuals within that country have a stake in citizenship: this means an entitlement to democratic freedoms, education, health, food security, livelihood, justice, and protection from violence against an individual’s person. It is these rights flowing out of the fact of citizenship that enable human functioning. It is through the provision of these rights that a state acquires legitimacy and the citizens, the will to defend it. The real strength of a country, therefore, lies in the well-being of its citizens. The military, which specialises in defence, can win respect from society and indeed internal motivation when it restricts itself to its constitutional role under elected civil authority of defending the national territorial space. This space can acquire substance only within the institutional structures that guarantee the freedom of its citizens.
The essential fact about the India-Pakistan problematique is that both countries have common problems of hunger, disease, illiteracy, communal bigotry and internal violence, to varying extents. Yet, in maintaining a hostile posture and spending disproportionate amounts on building military apparatuses of mutual destruction, they are constraining their respective capacities to provide the very economic resources to their peoples which is the real basis of national strength.
The work of Dr Mahbubul Haq suggests that there is a substantial human opportunity cost of military expenditure in South Asia. For example, half the annual military expenditure in the region could provide primary school education to 119 million children for a year, safe drinking water to 200 million people and medicines to 117 million people.
Forty-five per cent of children who embody the future of our countries are suffering from malnutrition, with millions dying of water borne diseases and even more being deprived of primary education. My work for the International Labour Organisation on children in hazardous employment shows that out of those children who are too poor to go to school, millions are engaged in labour: many are maimed, blinded, and struck with lung diseases and brain deformities related to poisonous emissions and physical hazards at workplaces. We are witnessing a mutilation of the innocents in both Pakistan and India.
Together, through peace, economic well-being and protecting the life support systems of our shared ecology, it is time to build a better future for the people of India and Pakistan. Pakistan is taking the first hesitant steps in this direction by opening up trade and talking peace. Demilitarising Siachen could be the next substantial step. Will India have the courage and vision to grasp the moment and take the peace process forward?
Published in The Express Tribune, April 24th, 2012.
Read more:
Siachentragedy
Reader Comments (29)
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” Will India have the courage and vision to grasp the moment and take the peace process forward? “
Yes.
Once Pakistan authenticates the Actual Ground Position Line.
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Thanks for writing on the issue. Let it be clear that majority of people who died in Siachin, Kargil, Gultari, Rato and other high altitude fields are people of Gilgit Baltistan. Before regularizing Northen Light Infantry (NLI) as regular army and stationing them in cities, they were the only savoir of these war zones. Now those sitting in Islamabad should also realize the sacrifices of people of Gilgit Baltistan for Pakistan.
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“Pakistan is taking the first hesitant steps in this direction by opening up trade and talking peace” Sir, India has been taking first steps in good direction since 1980s, by granting MFN, respecting water treaty, never crossing borders. Time and again, it was our military’s mis-adventures, non state actors, our citizens that have crossed the line and caused all the problem. It was we who destroyed trust. To me, this hesitant step from us is inevitable, as we are completely in backfoot with shattered economy, rampant corruption, crumbling infrastructure, mounting loans and zero foreign help. It looks like a move under compulsion rather good intent.
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“Will India have the courage and vision to grasp the moment and take the peace process forward?”
What do you mean by that statement? Siachen is Indian territory and we are merely defending it from the encroachers. Will you give up part of your house to make peace with your neighbour? You would do everything humanly possible to evict the people enroaching into your house. Which is exactly what India is doing.
And why does every columnist have to refer to the number of poor people in India. Do they mean that just because we have poor people, we aren’t supposed to defend our borders?
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You hit the nail..
Please read the excerpts from Pakistan media: http://www.ipl.edu.pk/document/Pakistan_Army.pdf
“………………..the Army’s one-day spending is equivalent to the running
year’s total allocation for education ministry, and the air-force’s per day
expenditures far exceed what was allocated to the health ministry for running the
financial year ending this month (2011-2012)”.
“How much is spent on the ISI, the premier intelligence agency, is anybody’s
guess as the budgetary allocation for the agency is not included in the amount
specified for the armed forces. ”
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one more on siachin. if there are few more like this, i would 100% go bald, I already lost so much hairs in last few days.
Author / ET/ Pakistanis – Pls help us Indians from going bald! Even Navratan Oil is not helping.
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Why this kolaveri?
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@Author, Sometimes it is funny how we make virtue of a necessity and an overture for peace as the first step. Let us have an unbiased attitude and not put on blinkers as the author has put and compare the first steps taken by Pakistan and India.Pakistan is responding to open up trade for two reasons. One due to dire necessity and the second, it is a compulsion as India has already given it an MFN statue and Pakistan has to reciprocate. The first step from the Pakistani side will be to withdraw. And this should be followed by an Indian withdrawal. The Indians have been demanding authentication of the ground position. It is best to agree to that as otherwise once we withdraw, the Indians would legitimately be in their rights to advance as that is what we have been propounding. So the best option is for “bygones to be bygones” and move forward in the interest of the peoples of both the countries. I am sure there will be lots of views on this but it is good that we have atleast started discussing this option.
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Is current economic position of Pakistan or 187 soldier’s death at Siachen or pressure from US to do more or advice from China to improve relations with India making Pak wants to act as peace nik. If it is any or combination of all the reasons stated, then what is the guarantee that pak will not revert to terror sponcership role if situation improves. As your army chief stated once before that intentions can change overnight. How does India trust Pakistan considering all the past mischiefs by Pak. Only workable suggestion will be baby steps , one at time and give Pak a chance to establish its credibility
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@ashok:
@Domlurian:
If this was an open and shut case things would not have come to this suffice it to this. To understand Pakistan’s position on Siachen please see that in the Simla accord of 1972 it says ” thence north to the GLACIER “. The word Glacier is not redundant. Occupation of The two passes by India was an adventure militarily and Kargil was an adventure to cut logistic support. This is how armies fight in the mountains. The cost of logistics of Indian Army is five times of Pakistan in this theatre. We have roads right upto the front line.
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I find it strange when Generals from Pakistan talk of peace. Their bread and butter is linked to continued hostility.
As rgds Siachen, the ONLY option is for Pak to accept the AGPL, sign it so that IA & PA can withdraw.
Can Pak do this ?.. till then we shall continue to lament.
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@Domlurian:
To your statement: “just because we have poor people, we aren’t supposed to defend our borders?”…how about you spend few days hungry and you will find the answer!
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@anand singh:
Politics, my friend, is never that simple. Both sides will look after their interests, and will attempt to outdo the other before a compromise is necessary. Given the current situation Pakistan is facing, a settlement on the Kashmir question will be most beneficial, as internal threats and the possibility of civil war in Afghanistan have changed the national security paradigm..
It will be tremendously stupid not to trade with two booming economies right next to us, the government and military realize this and are making moves to come out of the Indo-Pakistani cold war.
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@anand singh:
Sardar sahib,
Generals are generals and soldiers are soldiers all over the world. Remember the Northern light infantry are indigenous to the area and acclimatise better. But the best solution is withdraw from the triangle bilaterally and push for agreement on the LOC later. Statements from the Indian high ups regarding holding present position to threaten China Pakistan link in Karakoram is counter productive as it is impractical.
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There are so many articles and interviews from our side on de-militarizing Siachen but, in India, hardly anyone has even spoken about it. Is it because we need this more badly than on the other side ?
The guy who holds all the aces is not going to leave the game just because a weak opponent wants to go home.
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Great attempt to make a virtue out of necessity.
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All the arguments, and the conclusions drawn from them, in this very good article have been very well known for decades. The main point to note is that there is a greater acceptance of them by Pakistan lately. The reasons are obvious.
Even now Pakistanis insist on emphasizing the mutuality of losses and benefits, also for understandable reasons.
What is important to remember for Pakistan is the fact that if the bus is missed once again, India will be able to recover while Pakistan may suffer irretrievably. So, grab the chance now!
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Pakistan violated the ‘No Mans’ area of Siachen first. They sent mountain expeditions on it, included it in their maps as part of their territory, mounted it in summers, and ceded that area to China. So India had to take it over as a reaction to this violation of Cease fire agreement. It is now for Pakistan to accept it’s original mistake, and assure India that it will not violate that zone in future.
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@Raja:
@wonderer:
@malik:
Gentlemen/madam,
Militarily Pakistan is looking east ward the USA is trying to say the real threat is from the west, they have the Indian Government on the same page. The question is whether the Indian Army is on the same page.
Modern wars are not about holding territory but harming the economy of your opponent, the Karakoram pass is important to our economy because it gives a land route to China. At least that what I think.
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@Shahzad:
The question is whether the Indian Army is on the same page.
You are mistaken. There is a world of difference between the Pak and Indian armies. Indian army is consulted but has no veto over any decision of the government.
I would go further and assert that imaginary fear of the Indian army has been the bane of Pakistan. Get rid of it now. Indians have never attacked any country in the last over 5000 years. That is not going to change now.
Cheers!
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@Shahzad:
You said “The cost of logistics of Indian Army is five times of Pakistan in this theatre”
This does not really matter to India as with 6.5 times the Population India has Nine to Ten Times the Economy.
So India’s “Real” cost relative to that of Pakistan is less than Three Times as Pakistan, which is just fine!
Having said that I would wish both India and Pakistan to cut their Defence Annual Spending-Budgets and use the Monies saved for Social Uplift of their People.
However, If Wishes were Green Tamarind, then, all of us would have the Mother of Sour Throats!
CheersRecommend
Before reading the comments of indian on this newspaper i thought of them as very well educated people as depicted by there media. But to amazement i found them very shallow in charactor and with no ground knowledge on the subject. By merely writing few sentences in english doesnt take u any where my advice to all of them is to study saichen history see it in the backdrop history, partition and current peace pacts they will get the answer themselves but dont just read your picture of story read in detail both the version.
As for your cost effect of the saichen pakistan has only one division force where as u have to sustain more then a corps size strength which makes it around 4 divisions. Your cost effect is beyond your imagination. What we are suggesting is peace have a heart and take it as possitive step towards progression
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@Afridi
But to amazement i found them very shallow in charactor and with no ground knowledge on the subject. By merely writing few sentences in english doesnt take u any where my advice to all of them is to study saichen history
Now that you have seen theough the Indians, now see through ‘Siachen History’ on this very site.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/368394/the-fight-for-siachen/
What we are suggesting is peace have a heart and take it as possitive step towards progression
India offerd demilitarisation with signing of AGPL long time ago. Can you tell me what are you suggesting. And please spare me the mumbo jumbo about ‘pre 1984′ and ‘hence north’ because that lies exposed with the link provided above.
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Well done Sir, an eye opener for the policy makers, particularly on the Idian side as, the respect of right human life and equal economic opportunities for all has paramount imortance than anything else.
A Peshawary
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@Afridi:
You said : As for your cost effect of the saichen pakistan has only one division force where as u have to sustain more then a corps size strength which makes it around 4 divisions. Your cost effect is beyond your imagination. What we are suggesting is peace have a heart and take it as possitive step towards progression
.
Well my Intelligent Friend if India has Four Times the Expense then it is Fine as India’s Economy is NINE TO TEN TIMES THE ECONOMY SIZE OF PAKISTAN!
.
As such India can sustain the present situation, but, Pakistan cannot as with say One-Ninth the Economy it is spending One-Fourth as much as India.
.
Cheers
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@@Naresh
yes u may have nine times the economy to which i have a doubt but u must read ur army journal and you ll find that the suicide is very common but the highest rate in any army so there is some drastically wrong there.
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Afridi bhai
This is what happens to every Muslim who interacts with Hindus. Haven’t we learnt from the examples of our Great Quaid, Allama Iqbal, and Sir Syed Ahmad? We begin by thinking Hindus are reasonable, but then you listen to them and realize that they are irrational, full of hate for Muslims and Islam, and will not rest until they are exposed the error of their ways.
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@Kaalchakra:
Dear Sir,
We should try and keep this debate objective, I have read some very rational comments but why should all debates degenerate to personal attacks.
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