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Government may reduce troops by 25 percent in Kashmir
Friday January 14, 2011 03:13:10 PM,
IANS
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New Delhi:
The government may reduce by 25 percent the presence of security
forces in the populated areas of Jammu and Kashmir in the next 12
months, Home Secretary G.K. Pillai said Friday, announcing a slew
of confidence building measures to bring peace in the troubled
state.
"We are considering the reduction in the presence of security
forces in Kashmir," Pillai said at a seminar, "What is the way
forward in Jammu and Kashmir".
He said the government wished "to do more" in terms of troop
reduction - a popular demand of various mainstream and separatist
political parties.
"But there is a fear of backlash (from militants). But there will
be a 25 percent reduction of security forces in Jammu and Kashmir,
especially from populated areas, in the next 12 months," he said.
The home secretary said more security pickets would be removed
from Srinagar city in the next few months.
The proposal to further reduce the presence of security forces in
the state comes after a prevailing calm in the Kashmir Valley
following the months of unrest in summer that left 112 people
killed in firing by security forces on stone-pelting protesters.
The government had put a brake on the withdrawal of troops last
year when nearly 35,000 security forces' personnel were removed
from the state that has been battling a separatist war backed by
Pakistan since 1989.
He said the removal of security forces from populated areas was
part of the eight-point agenda the government had approved last
year as part of building confidence of Kashmiris.
"We want the presence of security forces in the state as minimum
as possible," Pillai told IANS later on the sidelines of the
symposium organised by the Jamia Millia Islamia University here.
He said the government was retraining 10 battalions of state
police who can take charge of the law and order situation. "This
has already started. They would not be carrying guns in case of
any local law and order situation. They will have sticks and
shields to manage protesting crowds," he said.
The retraining of local police personnel apparently comes in the
wake of widespread criticism against paramilitary troopers who
last year opened fire at stone throwers,killing 112 civilians
during deadly protests in the summer agitation that lasted for
over 100 days.
He said the government would announce a slew of measures in the
next few months. It would include "making the governance more
transparent by appointing information commissioners and state
accountability commission".
"There are key issues that are being picked up. Negotiations are
on on the political solution of Kashmir and we are clear that any
solution for the state should be acceptable to all the regions
(Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh). Democracy and rule of law should
prevail and the solution should respect the diversity, ethnicity
and all faiths."
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