Conflicted Boundaries: Kashmiri Intifada

Description

The history of the Indian subcontinent is a complicated one, and so are the regional disputes that arise in this region. A specialty of this geographical region is the hydra-headed nature of conflicts that are born here. The case of the Kashmiri conflict is no different. The presence of an array of state actors, global actors, and non-state actors in an area of 15,948 km square of Kashmir makes this conflict so complex and geopolitically important. I have been studying the area of international relations for over half a decade now. During a course I took at the University of Copenhagen on the Middle East and the Arab Spring, I learned about the Palestinian intifada. As an international law enthusiast, I could not help but notice the similarities between Palestinian insurgency and the quasi-violent techniques used by non-state actors in the Kashmir valley. This curiosity led me to learn more about the historical background of the conflict and how it has evolved in recent years.