Committee: Security Council
Country: United Kingdom
Topic: Conflict in Kashmir
Delegate: Ringo Yen
Background of the Topic:
The conflict over the region of Kashmir has occurred for over 50 years. It primarily
began when India and Pakistan both won their independence from Great Britain in 1947. Both
countries both desired this area of land and each side has its own reasons. India believes that
Kashmir is rightfully belongs to it, because according to India, Maharaja Hari Singh in 1947,
signed a treaty of accession that allowed India to take control of the territory. However, Pakistan
thinks differently. Pakistan believes that it deserves Kashmir, because Kashmir is primarily
Muslim, and the main religion of Pakistan is Muslim as well.
In the late 1940s wars erupted between India and Pakistan, over the area of Kashmir and
there were thousands of casualties. Eventually, a ceasefire was enacted, where both sides would
stop fighting. This ceasefire was monitored by the United Nations Military Observer Group in
India and Pakistan, which was a neutral force that attempted to maintain continual peace. Over
time, the area of Kashmir was to be determined through a plebiscite, in which the people of
Kashmir would vote on which country would gain control of this area of land. Pakistan voiced
approval of a plebiscite, but unfortunately, this plebiscite did not occur and the conflict
continued. More bloodshed occurred, through the Sino-Indian war and the Indo-Pakistani Wars
of 1965 and 1971. In the Sino Indian War, China entered the conflict and as a result, won a part
of Kashmir for itself. In the Indo-Pakistani Wars, many soldiers on each side perished, but in the
1971 Indo-Pakistani War, Pakistan lost, and as a result, Bangladesh was formed. In one year, a
peaceful event occurred between these two nations. The Simla Agreement was created, where
both sides agreed to settle the problem through peaceful methods. The agreement also stated that
the Line of Control that divided the area of Kashmir, was the permanent border for this area of
land. This border divides Kashmir into three territories, with 45% to India, 33% to Pakistan and
22% to China. Although both sides of the conflict have areas of Kashmir, they still want the
whole area to themselves, and so the conflict still continued. As the years progressed, there have
been Muslim insurgents such as the Jammu Kashmir Liberation front, in the area of Kashmir.
They have been fighting so that Pakistan will gain control of Kashmir. The actions of these
insurgents have led to the deaths of hundreds of people over the past years. This has been seen
in the Wandhama Massacre of 1998, where 24 kashmiris were killed due to insurgent violence.
In the same year, India displayed its nuclear prowess, when it tested its nuclear weapons, which
act as a dangerous factor in this conflict. Currently, there are peace talks between Pakistan and
India, but the conflict still continues today.
United Kingdom Policy/Past Actions/Solutions:
The United Kingdom is a nation that realizes that it has had past ties to India and
Pakistan, over 50 years ago. However, in this day and age, the United Kingdom is now focused
on the peace process and desires for the conflict over Kashmir, to come to a peaceful conclusion.
In all instances, there must be no more bloodshed, in order for peace to come forth in this
conflict. Additionally, there must be an end to the human rights violations occurring in the area
of Kashmir. The United Kingdom is aware that reports have been circulating, which describe the
unjust treatment of Kashmiris, by the Indian soldiers occupying certain areas of Kashmir. Even
though the situation was full of violence for over fifty years, the UK firmly believes that the
conflict now has escalated into a dispute that has the potential to end in massive amounts of
death. The UK feels this way, because both nations have now acquired nuclear weapons, yet
have not signed the nuclear non proliferation treaty. The United Kingdom is not a country that
stands idly by while such a violent conflict is occurring in the international community. It has
taken action to help end this conflict, and one of its first actions was its approval of UN Security
Council Resolution 307, which asks for a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. As a part of the
European Union, the UK has also asked the country of Pakistan to halt the spread of militants
into the Indian controlled area of Kashmir. The purpose of this was to stop the constant violence
that has occurred in this conflict. The United Kingdom is also aware of the human rights
situation in the area of Kashmir, and has attempted to send humanitarian aid to these Kashmiris,
in order to help these people cope with their present situation.
The United Kingdom has a variety of solutions it would like to suggest, in order for the
conflict to come to an end. The first solution would be the simultaneous signing of the NPT by
both India and Pakistan. By having them simultaneously do this do this, neither country will feel
threatened by each other and both will be unable to use their nuclear weapons, thus taking away
any dangerous advantages that one side would have over the other. Another solution would be to
encourage the continuation of peace talks between India and Pakistan. Peace talks are one of the
few methods of negotiation that can achieve peace, and within these peace talks, timeframes can
be established, in order to ensure that each country will follow through on peaceful actions. For
example, if one side states that it will halt any violent action against the other side, the timeframe
will set a particular date for the occurrence of this action. The UK is also aware that there have
been many innocent people that have been subjected to violence in this region, and so the UK
proposes that there be organizations such as Amnesty International stationed within the area of
Kashmir. These organizations will document any and all cases of human rights abuses and send
them to the ICC. Those who are punished will act as an example to others and show to them that
punishments will occur, if human rights abuses persist. This will then decrease the amount of
human rights violations occurring in Kashmir. The UK is not strongly against the idea of a
plebiscite in order to solve the conflict, but would like to suggest that people in the Kashmir
region partake in the negotiation process with India and Pakistan. This addition of a third party
could make discussion run smoothly and also allow for additional opinion in these dialogues,
thus increasing the possibility that a solution from these dialogues, could come forth.