Cover Sri Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji eLibrary [email protected] Sri Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji eLibrary [email protected] Border and People – An Interface Edited by Rekha Chowdhary Centre for Dialogue and Reconciliation 2012 Sri Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji eLibrary [email protected] The views expressed in this report are those of the author alone, and should not be taken as necessarily representative of the Centre for Dialogue and Reconciliation, Friedrich Naumann Foundation or the European Union. Sri Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji eLibrary [email protected] Contents An Introductory Note for Four Studies 7 Rekha Chowdhary I.1 The Concept 9 I.2 ‘Alienated Borderlands’ of Jammu and Kashmir 11 I.3 The Study 16 References 1. ‘Bordered People’: Impact of Conflict on the lives of People Living 17 on the Border in J&K – A Case Study of Arnia Belt Rekha Chowdhary 1.1 Introduction 17 1.1.1 Conceptualisation of Border 17 1.1.2 An Approach to Border 19 1.1.3 Methodology of the Study 20 1.1.4 Border in Jammu and Kashmir 20 1.1.5 Border Belt of Jammu/Samba/Kathua Districts 21 1.1.6 Border and the People 21 1.1.7 Focus of the Study 22 1.1.8 About Arnia Belt 22 1.1.8.1 Allah 23 1.1.8.2 Devigarh 23 1.2 Before and After 1947 – Bordering of Arnia Belt 23 1.2.1 Life in Pre-1947 Period in Arnia Belt 23 1.2.2 Border of a Different Kind 24 1.2.3 Linkage across the Border with Sialkot 24 1.2.4 Inter-community relations 25 1.2.5 The Moment of Partition and the Bordering of People 25 1.3 Bordered Life 29 1.3.1 Bordered Life with Porous Border 29 1.3.2 Militarisation of Civilian Area 30 1.3.3 Shelling and Firing 32 1.3.4 Displacement 32 1.3.5 Mines Endangering Life 34 1.3.6 Fencing 37 1.4 Response of the State 39 1.4.1 Response of the State to Border-related Problems 39 1.4.2 Issues Related to Land 40 Sri Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji eLibrary [email protected] 1. 5 Response towards the Peace Process 42 1.5.1 Attitude towards Pakistan and the Peace Process 42 1.5.2 Dividends of Peace 43 1.6 Conclusions and Recommendation 44 1.6.1 Conclusions 44 1.6.2 Recommendations 45 References 46 2. The Shrine of Peace: Baba Chamliyal 48 Jigar Mohammed 2.1 Introduction 48 2.2 Shared Religious Spaces – A Culture of the Indian Sub-continent 48 2.3 The Shared Religious Spaces and the Shrines of Jammu and Kashmir 49 2.4 Baba Chamliyal 49 2.5 Vanishing Border: Baba Chamliyal as a Bond between People of India and Pakistan 52 2.6 Conclusion 54 Annexure 2A.1 55 Annexure 2A.2 55 3. Internally Displaced People from Across LOC: A Case Study of Mirpuris in Jammu 57 Rajni Dhingra 3.1 Introduction 57 3.1.1 Borders and Individuals 57 3.1.2 Internally Displaced Persons 58 3.1.3 The Displaced Community from PoK 59 3.1.4 The Mirpuris 60 3.2 Displacement and Rehabilitation 62 3.2.1 The Process of Rehabilitation 62 3.2.2 Rehabilitation and Relation with Host Community 64 3.2.3 Issue of Compensation for Property 64 3.2.4 Women as Double Victims 65 3.2.5 Community Bonds 65 3.3 Moving On 66 3.3.1 Positive Orientation of Displaced Mirpuris 66 3.3.2 Attitude towards Mirpur Muslims 67 3.3.3 Divided Families and Moving on 68 3.3.4 Response towards Peace Process 69 3.3.5 Nostalgia for Homeland 69 3.4 Conclusions, Recommendations and Suggestions 70 3.4.1 Concluding Remarks 70 Sri Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji eLibrary [email protected] 3.4.2 Demands 70 3.4.3 Recommendations and Suggestions 72 Annexure 3A.1: A Note on Methodology 72 Annexure 3A.2: A Note on Perspectives on Identity Formation 75 References 77 4. A Study of West Pakistan Refugees in the State of Jammu and Kashmir 79 Seema Nargotra 4.1 West Pakistan Refugees in J&K – Introduction 79 4.1.1 Background 79 4.1.2 Socio-economic Background 80 4.1.3 Reasons for Migration of West Pakistan Refugees in 1947 80 4.1.3.1. Developments in Punjab at the Time of Partition 80 4.1.3.2. Developments in J&K at the Time of Partition 81 4.1.4 West Pakistan Refugees, 1947 83 4.2 ‘Statelessness’ and the Issue of Permanent Resident Status 84 4.2.1 Issue of Permanent Resident Status – Legal and Constitutional Provisions 84 4.2.2 Legal Disabilities 86 4.2.3 Union Government Initiatives 88 4.2.4 The Response of the J&K Government 89 4.2.4.1 The Wadhwa Committee, 2007 89 4.2.4.2 The All Party Meeting of May 2007 89 4.2.5 The Response of the West Pakistan Refugees on the Issue 90 4.3 Problems Faced by West Pakistan Refugees 91 4.3.1 Land-related Issues 91 4.3.2 Education- and Employment-related Issues 93 4.3.2.1 Education 93 4.3.2.2 Employment 95 4.3.3 Domicile Certificate 95 4.3.4 Political Representation 95 4.3.5 Reserve Category Benefits 96 4.3.6 Other Basic Amenities 96 4.3.6.1 Extension of the Benefits of Schemes Like Indira Awas Yojna (IAY)/ 96 Below Poverty Line (BPL ) to the West Pakistan Refugees 4.3.7 Special Relief Package 97 4.3.8 Comparative Analysis of Rehabilitation of POK and West Pakistan Refugees 97 4.3.8.1 1965 Refugees 98 4.3.9 Politics of Protest 99 Sri Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji eLibrary [email protected] 4.4 Conclusions and Suggestions 99 4.4.1 The Issue of Statelessness 99 4.4.2 The Issue of Landlessness 101 4.4.3 Education and Employment 101 4.4.4 Political Representation 101 4.4.5 Special Relief 101 4.4.6 Enumeration of West Pakistan Refugees 102 4.4.7 Scheduled Caste Certificates and Other State-supported Facilities 102 Annexure 4A.1: West Pakistan Refugees and International Protection 103 4A.1.1 Refugee Protection Regime under International Law 103 4A.1.1.1 Political Rights of Refugees under the Human Rights Regime 104 4A.1.1.2 Political Rights of Refugees under the 1951 Convention 106 4A.1.2 Indian Position on Refugee Rights 107 4A.1.3 The Case of West Pakistan Refugees 108 References 110 Sri Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji eLibrary [email protected] An Introductory Note for Four Studies Rekha Chowdhary Department of Political Science University of Jammu 7 Sri Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji eLibrary [email protected] Sri Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji eLibrary [email protected]