Documentary--Kashmir: Valley of Tears

Posted by: Jordyn Phelps

For a deeper understanding of the tensions between India and Pakistan over Kashmir, ranging from the historical situation to the contemporary political situation, watch this short excerpt of a documentary video, Kashmir: Valley of Tears by JourneyMan Pictures, a London-based independent documentary contributor.

While the documentary does a solid job in laying the contextual background for understanding the conflict's history, editorially, it is critical of India, pointing to alleged human rights violations and disappearances in Kashmir by the Indian government. There is one scene that is particularly emotionally charged when a Kashmiri mother and father are interviewed about their missing children. The couple believes the Indian government has disappeared their children. They heave from crying during the interview and the father asks, don't we have the right to know where our children are or at least to see their bodies if they are dead?


What are your thoughts on the documentary? Is the Indian government covering up human rights abuses in Kashmir? Whether yes or no, how are you affected by the comments offered by India's External Affairs Minister? Is the Indian government justified in its handling of the Kashmiri conflict or can it be improved? Remember, India is confronting the Lashkar e-Taiba insurgency group, which has allegedly orchestrated terrorist attacks on India. Please share your comments and join the conversation.

Corruption at Focal Point of National Protests

Reuters reports that 100,000 trade unionists marched in New Delhi to protest rising food prices and corruption within the India government today, showing their displeasure with a deadlock in the Indian government that has lasted months. [1] The protests mostly focused on the rising cost of food, a problem caused more by supply problems than Indian governmental inaction, but come at a a particularly bad time for the Indian government, which is embroiled in corruption scandals. The problem is incredibly widespread; in 2008, over one in four members of the Indian parliament were purported to have committed some crime, from corruption or embezzlement to more serious charges of rape and murder. [2]

The deadlock in the parliament may be coming to an end, however, as the Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, agreed to join an anti-corruption probe supported by opposition politicians. The opposition Bharativa Janata Party (BJP) has demanded investigations into the sale of frequencies on India's 2G network, which were allegedly sold at artificially low prices by India's then-telecommunications minister. This deal potentially cost the country more than $30 billion. [3]

The breaking of this particular deadlock may represent a turning point in the fight against corruption, in the form of bipartisan support for anti-corruption measures. However, if the deal is limited to this particular exchange, and the $30 billion that it lost India, then it will fail to make a larger impact on the rampant corruption in the government. If the Congress party has made a deal with the BJP to cast off only one corrupt telecommunications minister, then this action could actually stunt true efforts to fight endemic corruption before they actually begin.

Ultimately, Mr. Singh's statements about the concession show a clear unwillingness to progress. His deal was based on "these special circumstances" of a deadlocked Congress, instead of the moral imperative of solving India's problems. Without a cultural and political shift that rejects corruption, instead of dealing with it on a case-by-case basis, India will not be able to solve a problem that cost it an estimated $462 billion between 1948 and 2008, 40% of its GDP and a loss 12 times the size of the 2G scandal. [4]

[1]Mukherjee, Krittivas "Thousands march against India's embattled government". Reuters. February 23, 2011, http://af.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idAFTRE71M1B820110223

[2] Wax, Emily "With Indian Politics, the Bad Gets Worse". The Washington Post, July 24, 2008.

[3] Achin, Kurt "Indian Leader Makes Concession on Corruption Probe to Break Legislative Deadlock". Voice of America. February 22, 2011, http://www.voanews.com/english/news/Indian-Leader-Makes-Concession-on-Corruption-Probe-to-Break-Legislative-Deadlock-116648074.html

[4] Prabhakar, Binoy "Black Money Trail: 'India drained of Rs 20 lakh crore during 1948-2008' ". The Times of India, November 18, 2010.

Topics

Domestic:

Caste system & Politics

Spirituality vs. Materialism

Role of corruption in the government

International:

The relationship between Pakistan and India
Kashmir Conflict