Friday, July 23, 2010

Camp Jammu and Kashmir - by Moses

Traditonally, Kashmir is sacred to India, Pakistan, and the Peoples' Republic of China. The Buddhist Mauryan, Emperor Ahoka, is often credited with founding the old capital of Kashmir, Shrinagari. Since the late 4rth Century of the first millenium. There have been land claims made dependant on the ruling powers within since this time. Originally Kashmir was a Buddhist region, a new religion at that time. In the time of the Mahabharata, the Kambojas ruled this region of the World (6th Century), at the time strictly the land of the Great Himalayas and the Pir Punjal mountain range. It is a Holy Land to Hindu, Muslim and Buddhist faiths and today sees the armies of India and Pakistan on its' borders on previously mentioned land claims. It was Abhinavagupta (950AD-1020AD) one of India's great philosophers, mystics, aestheticians, who was a tremendous influence in Indian Culture to date.
There were Rulers of Kashmiri that were tolerant of all faiths. Sultan Zain ul Abidin (1423-1424), known as Baadshah (the King), is one such leader. Another such leader was Akbar, who in 1588 overthrew Kashmir and translated the 'Rajatarangini' to Persian. This Book is known as the metrical chronical of the Kings of Kashmir.
The 'Rajataranjini' is the first of a series of four histories of Kashmir. It was written by Kalhana in the middle of the 12th Century. Kalhana's work, in six books, makes use of earlier works that are now lost.
Many of the Muslim rulers were intolerant of the other faiths however, Sultan Sikander Butshikan (1389-1413) for example emigrated all of the Hindu faith during his rule. Many of the Brahmin at that time poisened themselves as they refused to give up their religion or leave their land. At the point of destroying all the temples in Kashmir, Sikander was known as 'Destroyer of Idols'.

Today we see the armies of India and Pakistan lined up on their borders on land claims still being made on this land. It is paramount that a Treaty be signed as all three Nations; India, Pakistan, and the Peoples' Republic of China have sophisticated technology that could theoretically be used in terror attacks towards each-other. In 1977 Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, Israeli Prime Minister Manachim Begin, and U.S President Jimmy Carter signed the Camp David Agreement (essentially making the Sinai a neutral land to both Egypt and Israel). What is needed today is very similar to this prior agreement. A peace agreement between Pakistan, India, and the Peoples' Republic of China must be in place, and tolerance of each faith within this region is absolutly necessary. Otherwise Western media cannot insure that Terror outside this region will not occur.

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