Kashmir in the Crossfire - Hardcover

Schofield, Victoria

3.94

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Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1860640362 ISBN 13: 9781860640360

Publisher: I. B. Tauris, 1996

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Why has the valley of Kashmir, famed for its beauty and tranquillity, become a major flashpoint, threatening the stability of a region of great strategic importance and challenging the integrity of the Indian state? This book examines the Kashmir conflict in its historical context, from the period when the valley was an independent kingdom right up to the struggles of the present day. Located on the borders of China, Central Asia and the Sub-Continent, the insurgency in the valley has also created serious tensions between India and Pakistan.

Drawing upon research in India and Pakistan, as well as historical sources, this book traces the origins of the state in the 19th century and the controversial "sale" by the British of the predominantly Muslim valley to a Hindu Maharaja in 1846. Through an exploration of the implications for Kashmir of independence in 1947, it gives a critical account of why, for Kashmir, self-determination may seem a more attractive option than affiliation to a larger multi-racial whole.

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From the Back Cover:

Why has the valley of Kashmir, famed for its beauty and tranquility, become a major flashpoint? Given the location of the state of Jammu and Kashmir on the borders of China and Central Asia, the insurgency in the valley threatens the stability of a region of great strategic importance, challenging the integrity of the Indian union and creating potentially disastrous tensions between India and Pakistan which may yet escalate into a greater regional conflict. Kashmir in the Crossfire offers a very readable, carefully documented but highly accessible account of the origins, development and implications of this contentious issue. Beginning with the early history of the independent kingdom of Kashmir, Schofield traces the origins of the modern state in the 19th century, including the controversial 'sale' by the British of a predominantly Muslim Kashmir to a Hindu ruler in 1846. She examines the implications for the people when in 1947 the Maharaja came to choose between joining Muslim Pakistan and secular, yet majority Hindu, India and shows why both neighbouring countries, India and Pakistan, continue to argue over the status of Jammu and Kashmir which, according to recommendations passed by the UN, was to be determined by the will of the people. Drawing upon research in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India, Pakistan, and a range of historical sources, Schofield analyses critically the actions of the key players who, throughout its history, have contributed to the current militarization of the valley. And with the help of numerous interviews she takes into account the hopes and fears of all the interested parties - Pakistan, India and the people of Jammu and Kashmir who are themselvesdivided, not only by their linguistic and cultural traditions, but also in their objectives.

About the Author:

Victoria Schofield is a freelance journalist living in the U.K.

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