Pakistan International Peace & Human Rights Organization
Nindo Shaher District Badin Sindh Pakistan

Of which types are the conflicts in India, and what are their causes?

The conflict with neighbouring Pakistan is a border conflict, which is already developing since the time of the arbitrary division by the British. The political parties in both countries use this conflict each time they want to divert the attention from domestic problems, or as soon as their political power is wavering. The superpowers also have contributed to keeping this conflict alive for instance by delivering arms. Their role cannot be underestimated. In India itself, low intensity conflicts are dominant. These internal conflicts, marked by terrorist violence, can be found at the local and regional level. They exist between religions, between castes, but can also be of ethnic origin.

India has innumerable political parties, which for political reasons indiscriminately build alliances. The conflicts are most often politically motivated, in which the media play a supporting role as they are easily used to diabolise the opponent. For instance, in one region violence is being stoked when there is a politician opposed to the central government in power. Another essential line of conflict lies in the caste system and its fixed societal and economic order.

We have, roughly speaking, four castes: Brahmans (priests and teachers); Kshatriyas (soldiers); Vaisyas (business people) and Sudra (workers), the so-called blue-collar workers. There are also the casteless, who have the lowest jobs of society, such as skinning animals. They are considered �untouchables�. This system is strictly embedded in society. The three highest castes present in the current society are the rich and highly educated. Legislation obtained that some from the lower castes rose economically and in levels of education. Unfortunately their behaviour towards the members of their own caste is as degrading as the behaviour of members of the higher castes. These conflicts can only be solved when the poor of the lower castes receive power. When the division of power over the groups remains unchanged, the lower castes will remain the underdogs, and the religion will continue to be abused to strengthen the division between the castes. The contemporary voice of Hindu-fundamentalists is trying to ensure that the source of exploitable labour does not dry up. Also the human rights violations are mainly perpetrated against the lower classes and castes and members of tribal groups. Institutions such as the police exercise violence against the weaker parts of the population.

Conflict prevention must be done together with the ordinary local people. The people must become aware of how easily they become the plaything of politics if they are not vigilant. People do a lot for a harmonious co-existence between the religions. They visit holy places and pilgrimage sites of all religious convictions. Unfortunately, politicians have incited a large part of the Hindu population to take the power they claim to be theirs, being the majority. These anti-Islamic and anti-Christian feelings have their roots in the colonial history, when the British governed according to the �divide and rule� method.

Many organisations are involved in peace work. Between people in India and Pakistan there is a people-to-people peace initiative. They meet to convey their wish for peace. Between the people there is no hatred, it is politicians who stir this up. And the poor soldiers are made scapegoats. Some of the religious leaders, from all faiths, work for peace and harmony between the different religious groups. They meet at different religious celebrations and organise multi-faith prayer services. Unfortunately, there are religious leaders who act just the opposite.

One of the most important steps for conflict prevention is to stop the arms trade. As long as the arms manufacturer in the North can earn money unhampered with selling arms, conflicts will be kept alive over the whole world. Pressuring their governments to stop the arms production and to invest money in projects for human development is a challenge for the Northern civil society. The EU governments should pressure India and Pakistan to solve their border conflict. When in India human rights violations take place, sending many letters to the Indian embassies is a great help.