Kashmir which has been subject to constant political uncertainty and continuing conflict remains highly militarized. From the last decades, a large number of search operations by military forces show that the common citizens of Kashmir have been under a psychological onslaught. Recent Pulwama suicide bomb attack has raised the stakes. The militaristic approach to a political problem has stirred up emotions among common citizens with fear and anxiety turning into anger and sadness.
A fresh military deployment comes amid a crackdown on Jama’at-e-Islami and JKLF ahead of the hearing on Article 35A in the Supreme Court. The National Investigation Agency raided the houses of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Yasin Malik, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, Shabir Shah and others. A large number of civilians have died during combating operations.
Therefore, we can say that instead of deescalating governments are only adding the fear psychosis in Kashmir. The political leadership should have used peace talks to establish a certain type of behavioural restraint that has resulted in the establishment of regional peace or economic growth through various forms of agreements or peace treaties elsewhere. It may have resulted in de-escalation, greater economic activity and consequently substantial prosperity.
Psychological peace is important and often a necessary precursor to establishing the lasting peace. Sometimes the peaceful behaviour results from the peaceful inner dispositions which have expressed the belief that peace can be initiated with a certain quality of inner tranquillity that does not depend upon the fears of daily life for its serenity. So the consciousness of peaceful environment for oneself and others can contribute to resolving of otherwise seemingly irreconcilable competing interests and the common peoples psychological serenity can be important for restoring peace in places like Kashmir.
The leaders sometimes de-escalate conflicts through compliments and generosity. Psychological research shows that the small gestures of rhetorical and actual generosity were larger in levels of reciprocal generosity (and even virtuous circles of generosity). This type of behaviour eventually may become a lasting basis for improved relations between individuals and groups of people. The peace talks started continuously without preconditions and preconceived notions because they are more than just negotiating opportunities. They rest the attention on peace itself over and above what may have been previously perceived as the competing needs or interests of separate individuals or parties to elicit peaceful feelings and therefore produce benevolent behavioural results. Therefore sometimes the peace talks were uniquely important for learning opportunities of the individuals or parties involved. So its important for the government of India, to restore the peace and to recognize how Military Deployment affects peace and psychological behaviour of common citizens of the Kashmir valley.
Umar Majeed
Research Scholar
Jamia Millia Islamia
New Delhi-110025
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