Militancy in Jammmu and Kashmir: The Uncovered Face

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Militancy in Jammu and Kashmir: The Uncovered Face tries to understand the nature and causes of militancy South of the Pir Panjal, where the violence was far more complex and brutal than in the valley, in several respects. The narrative revolves around the relationship between the complex ethno-religious composition of the region and developments in the post-1990 violence-torn phase. The rise and decline of militancy in Jammu did not synchronize with trends in the valley and it proved that security in a disturbed area does not depend on armed might alone; it has to be supplemented by socio-political measures. This book would be of immense interest to scholars, journalists and policymakers working on conflict areas.

Luv Puri has been reporting from the state of Jammu and Kashmir for The Hindu since 2001 and has reported from both sides of the Line of Control. Puri is the recipient of several international honours, including the European Commission Award for Human Rights and Democracy.

This book seeks to contribute to the large corpus of studies on I militancy in the Indian administered Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). It focuses attention on largely neglected regional and ethnic aspects of militancy. It traces the origin and growth of militancy to the south of the Pir Panjal range which divides the Kashmir valley and Jammu region. Besides contributing to the debate on the complex issues of Jammu and Kashmir, the book tries to introduce a fresh perspective on the discourse on terrorism through extensive field work. The ethnic and religious diversities that exist in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly to the south of the Pir Panjal, and their impact in shaping the course of militancy in the area, form the core of the study.

The work relies on several years of work by the author in the conflict-ridden parts of the state. Due to the inaccessibility of the region and the complexities of the issues, there is hardly any material available about militancy in this area. Much has been written on militancy in Kashmir but there is hardly any mention about militancy in Jammu. The fact that civilian killings in Jammu constitute 35% of the total killings in Jammu and Kashmir between 1989 and 2007 has not been taken note of by most observers. The study of militancy in Jammu, therefore, has greater relevance in formulating effective counter-terror strategies in several areas across the world. Further, on the scale of intensity, these killings have been far more brutal in Jammu as compared to the Kashmir valley. For a scholar, militancy in the multi-ethnic and multi-religious Jammu region offers new lessons, which may not be present in a homogenous entity like the Kashmir valley. For instance, heterogeneity of the Muslim community in this region and its differing impact on how militancy has expressed itself could help scholars studying the relationship between religious diversities and militant movements in conflict ridden areas like Jammu and Kashmir.

This study throws up some interesting results, which reinforce the point that the war against terrorism cannot be treated merely as a military problem but has to involve an understanding of the political and societal landscape of a society in turmoil. The time covered in this book is from mid 1990s to 2003, though years preceding as well as following are also looked at. 2003 is taken as a cut-off date because militancy abated considerably in this area from then. The threat has reduced but not fully abated as by the mid-2008, 300 to 400 militants were still active in the region and fresh infiltration attempts continue. The study underscores the need for a long-term solution to the problem to make sure it does not recur.