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The Siachen-Karakoram Peace Park Initiative: Prospects for South Asia

The Siachen-Karakoram Peace Park Initiative: Prospects for South Asia. Dr. Saleem H. Ali University of Vermont, Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources & Brown University, Watson Institute for International Studies Email: Saleem@alum.mit.edu. Kashmir and Siachen.

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The Siachen-Karakoram Peace Park Initiative: Prospects for South Asia

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  1. The Siachen-Karakoram Peace Park Initiative:Prospects for South Asia Dr. Saleem H. Ali University of Vermont, Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources & Brown University, Watson Institute for International Studies Email: Saleem@alum.mit.edu Woodrow Wilson Centerr 9/12/2005

  2. Kashmir and Siachen • Territorial conflict since partition of Muslim and Hindu majority areas in 1947: creation of India and Pakistan • Conflict narrative of “who was there first” and for how long -- displacement from ‘Eden’ and ‘Himalaya’ • Following wars in 1948, 1967 and 1971, a line of control was established in 1972 up to the geographic survey point NJ 9842 - after which the demarcation is defined as “from there on to north to the glaciers” • 1984 Indian preemptive move to capture positions along the Siachen glacier (The Name of the Rose) • Since then both sides have maintained a military presence and exchanged sporadic fire. Woodrow Wilson Centerr 9/12/2005

  3. Result of Conflict • 16,000+ lives lost -- 97% of those due to hypothermia and accidents rather than military fire • Indian base camp is at 3,700 meters and Pakistani base camp is at 2,700 m • Aprox cost to India is $1 million per day and to Pakistan is aprox. $600,000 per day • Discourse of despair (with some glimmers of hope) • General V.R. Raghavan. Siachen: Conflict Without End (2002) • S. Ganguly. Conflict Unending (2001) Woodrow Wilson Centerr 9/12/2005

  4. International Interest • Expatriates led by Aamir Ali (Switzerland) • Vermont meeting in October, 2003 • Sandia National Labs • German government’s interest in research and development • Italian government’s interest vis-a-vis K2 (though strategically separate from Siachen) • IUCN - Transfrontier Protected Areas Effort • Southern African focus:Peace Parks Foundation • Didima declaration on the Drakensberg range • Asian mountain initiative • Environmental peace movements: mixed media response to 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Woodrow Wilson Centerr 9/12/2005

  5. Indigenous Interest • Conservation and research (world’s largest non-polar glacier): • Sanctuary Asia, Snow Leopard Trusts • Peshawar Univ-NGS and IKSP collaboration • Eco-tourism and mountaineering -- IIPT - Pakistan and India chapters • Himalayan mountain clubs • Adventure expeditions • Memorializing the region -- an exit strategy? Woodrow Wilson Centerr 9/12/2005

  6. Overcoming S. Asian Challenges • Transforming the military’s role • Sovereignty and territoriality • The Chinese question • Visitor rights (Visa categories) -- Sharm-al Shaikh and HK-Macau examples • Management plans Woodrow Wilson Centerr 9/12/2005

  7. Recent updates • December 2004 meeting in Mumbai organized by Himalayan Club and Sanctuary Asia: • Proposal conveyed to Indian and Pakistani governments • Siachen issue to be potentially discussed this spring as talks resume • Automatic Weather Station in the Baltoro installed; continuously functioning in Urdukas; snow samples collected along the crest of K2 to be assessed for traces of long range pollutants • Decision Support System in the Hindu Kush - Karakoram - Himalaya Region (DSS-HKKH), launched in Sagarmatha and being tested in Pakistan’s CKNP Woodrow Wilson Centerr 9/12/2005

  8. Recent updates continued • Sandia National Labs Siachen demilitarization project • NSF Funding for science for peace effort in Karakorams. Science article on Shroder and Bishop expedition (8/26/05) • Italian government organizing the “International Karakorum Conference - a dialogue between Science and Development” (November 2005) • Undergraduate intern spent summer of 2005 doing surveys of local support for the peace park in Kashmir • Edited volume on Peace Parks being prepared to provide broader context for this initiative • www.k2peacepark.org Woodrow Wilson Centerr 9/12/2005

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