KASHMIR: RETURN TO WORK AFTER 3 DAY GENERAL STRIKE

Описание: (18 Aug 1995) English/Nat

After three consecutive days of general strikes, the situation is getting back to normal in Srinagar and the other major towns of Kashmir.

The strike call partly political and partly to show condemnation of the kidnapping of westerners by militants was given by several pro Pakistan political and militant groups operating in Kashmir and it evoked near total response.

Local politicians say the kidnapping has tarnished the image of Kashmir and are concerned about the delay of local elections.

Workers were back out on the streets of Srinagar. After days of calm caused by strikes things are returning to normal.

But this troubled region has anything but a calm history.

Since late 1989, dozens of Muslim militant groups have been fighting for the independence of Jammu Kashmir, the only state in mostly Hindu India with a Muslim majority.

Some want it to become a separate country, others want it to become part of Pakistan.

A previously unknown group calling itself Al Faran has been holding an American, two Britons and a German, offering to exchange them for 15 jailed militants. Nearly all the rebel groups have condemned the kidnapping as damaging to their movement.

Security issues such as the kidnapping incident have caused the postponement of local elections for Kashmir's state parliament.

Elections should have taken place two months ago.

The "Congress Party" thinks elections should be held right away.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"The foreign agencies which are working now in Kashmir, they will never allow that there should be elections. As far as I'm concerned my personal view is there should be elections and the time is here that we should hold elections, the people are fed up with militancy, they want a popular government."
SUPER CAPTION: Taj Mohiudin, General Secretary of Kashmir unit of India's ruling Congress Party

Representatives of opposition elements say there must be recognition of the fact that Kashmir is a disputed area before any elections are held.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Again they demonstrate the same thing, I think that ...in India, they should show that there is normality in Kashmir, but this won't happen at all, unless they ....every single gun (is turned in)...there will be violence, (it will) be like this. We are for peace, we have asked them to come discuss the things on the table, provided that they accept that Kashmir is a disputed area. If they accept this thing, if they take Pakistan into confidence, the real perpetrators of Muhajadeen into confidence, they can come and discuss things at our table. But I don' t think election is the solution for any problem."
SUPER CAPTION: Sahidul Islam, Supreme commander of Hezbollah

The abduction of Western hostages by Kashmiri militants is a shot in the war to drive India out of Kashmir.

But observers say the hostage crisis came as India was preparing to move toward political disengagement anyway.

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