India has once again faced defeat in its conspiracy to stage its own version of elections in Kashmir. The people of Kashmir are aware that it is nothing but a design to misguide world public opinion. In spite of torturous tactics and deployment of more than 600,000 occupation forces, it could not drag the vast majority of Kashmiri people to polling booths. In view of the strike by the government employees and transporters, India had summoned more than 20,000 officials and over 30,000 vehicles from various provinces and still they could not avert Kashmiris' boycott of the elections in response to a call from the All-Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC).

Historical facts demonstrate that elections in Kashmir, including the recent one, have never been free and fair. Over the years, Kashmiris have helplessly watched the facade of elections of so-called public representatives, puppet legislatures and puppet Governments, being created and then thrown out while the dissenters have been kept at bay through the systematic abuse and misuse of law and law-enforcing agencies.

Those who have followed the developments in Kashmir know that the present struggle for liberation began in 1931 when the people came out in open revolt against the autocratic and tyrannical Dogra regime. They had nearly succeeded in over-throwing the regime when India stepped in to take its place in 1947. Since then, India has tried gradually to strengthen its grip over Kashmir by means, fair and foul, unmindful of its constitutional commitment that the future of the State shall be determined by the people in a-UN supervised plebiscite.

Article 21 (3) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights maintains: "The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures."

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides that everyone has the right to take part in choosing a government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives (art.21). The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and on Economic, Social and Political Rights state that, by virtue of their right to self determination, all people have the right to freely determine their political status (common art.1). This right is echoed in the Declaration on Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples (art. 5), which also provides that the freely expressed will and desire of the people is to guide the transfer of power to them.

Political democracy cannot be isolated from other factors in the life of a country. Kashmir is a subject of the right to self-determination at United Nations. UN package on Kashmir prescribed for India to: "Make known the withdrawal of her forces to the minimum, that the presence of troops should not afford any intimidation or appearance of intimidation to the inhabitants of the State, that as small a number as possible should be retained in forward areas" and that "to only exercise the powers of direction and supervision, to be later delegated by the State to UN Plebiscite Administrator." [Security Council Resolution of 21 April 1948].

The APHC termed it as an armed and fake election process through which India plotted to deceive its people as well as the international community and Kashmiris. However, Indian and the world media exposed the occupying authorities' massive rigging and voting irregularities, including use of threats to kill, coercion as well as other forms of intimidation to herd and beat innocent civilians so that they will caste a favourable vote.

In Washington, the US State Department spokesman, Glyn Davies said, "the United States is always concerned when there are reports of voting irregularities in countries around the world, and we have seen these reports of coercion having occurred in Kashmir - in various places in Kashmir - and we are doing what the American people would expect, which is looking into it and making that issue part of our very broad dialogue with the Indian government."

Several New Delhi-based diplomats, who were in Kashmir, feel that the entire electoral exercise in occupied Kashmir may prove to be counter-productive for India. And Harinder Baweja agrees, in a feature article entitled "Voting Under Coercion" in the June 15 issue of India Today, he wrote:"The thoughts that raced through Abdul Ghani's [a Kashmiri voter] head as he joined the long queue were similar to those of his friends: the election was being rigged once again. Kashmir's history was being repeated. Ballot-boxes were not being stuffed like they were in 1987 when the government run by Farooq Abdullah had gone overboard to ensure the defeat of the Muslim United Front (MUF) candidates, but as in the past, candidates were being thrust on them. The decision was not theirs and the candidates chosen did not reflect their aspirations."

"Candidates did not come calling on voters. But those who did were the men in olive green [occupation personnel]. Descending on village after village in the early hours of May 23rd, their message was the same: Cast your vote, we will come back and inspect the marks on your fingers. And they were there in strength, ostensibly to guard the 26 candidates, mostly from among surrendered militants [India's secret army in Kashmir] contesting as Independents and several from the Congress [Party] and the BJP, which put up migrant Hindu candidates in the hope of getting them elected on absentee ballots. The National Conference and the Hurriyat [APHC] had boycotted the poll," India Today.

"Gulam Hussan, one in a crowd of hundreds making its way to the polling booth in the village Nehama, said, 'How can we say no? I don't want to vote but the soldiers threatened our lives.' Some booths, in fact had separate queues for people who came for the ink mark while other presiding officers painted "Vote Nil" on their wrists. 'This is what they [soldiers] want to see and this is what will keep us alive. But this will also turn us away from you Indians. Why can't you just leave us alone? ' a dejected Mohammad Nazir said as he retraced his steps to his village," India Today.

"As the hours wore on, it became clear that the administration had carefully plotted its strategy. Herding the voters to booths was only the first step in the drama that unfolded under the overcast skies. Rules were flouted and changed to accommodate the numbers lining up in serpentine queues - people whose names did not figure on the voters' list were allowed to vote. At some places, they were told who to vote for, and at others, some voters made their anger known by stamping four different symbols at the same time. They had no choice - for if they could have done as they wished, the turnout would have been 10 to 20 per cent as estimated by the Home Ministry and the intelligence agencies, and not shot up to 50 and even 70 in certain segments," India Today.

This is how The Toronto Star (May 24th) reported the elections: "Armed troops herded Kashmiris to the polls yesterday [May 23rd] for the state's first elections in seven years, forcing them to pick representatives to an Indian government they reject. In nearby Sopore, hundreds of people gathered in a square and shouted independence slogans, defying orders to vote."

The London Guardian (May 24th): "Beaten and herded like cattle, Kashmiris were driven from their homes at daybreak yesterday [May 23rd] to cast their votes for the first time in seven years, in an exercise stripped of any pretence of choice or freedom. The Indian army made little attempt to conceal its coercive campaign to ensure a high turnout. 'They [soldiers] told us we had to get out by 7.05 am or they would beat us, ' a man said. 'But we don't know any of the candidates.' Although the pattern of intimidation and force was clear in both Baramula and Anantnag, those carrying it out varied. In areas under the sway of the "renegades" - armed irregulars used by the government to fight separatist guerrillas - tough-looking bearded young men with rifles barely concealed beneath their jackets took their place alongside Indian government troops."

The Times (May 24th) was no different: "The Kashmir valley's first elections in seven years yesterday [May 23rd] undermined India's promise of a free and fair poll. People were forced out of their homes by soldiers . . . producing an artificially high turnout - as proof that Kashmiri Muslims wish to remain Indian, but instead it has raised tensions in the valley with another farcical election. Most polls in Kashmir have been manipulated; this one was no different. 'Nobody wants to vote because that would legitimise India's occupation of Kashmir. Every man, woman and child is crying for azadi [freedom]. We want our independence back, ' he said. 'If they don't find the mark, we will be beaten. They will be very angry. This election is a farce, ' a local doctor said."

And so was The Independent (May 24th): "They were fired on with tear gas by paramilitary police and beaten with clubs. Still they refused to vote. It was only after an army officer, Major Sanjiv Kapoor, rounded up more than 50 children and kept them under arrest until mid-afternoon that their parents, defeated, went to the polls."

"Most did not know who the candidates were, and many said they deliberately spoiled their ballot by marking more than one name," The Washington Times, May 24.

"The message that India wanted to send to the world appeared likely to be lost, or at least heavily muffled. Instead of convincing the United Nations that India has at last obtained a popular mandate for its rule here [Kashmir], the election seemed likely to add to the animosities that have made Kashmir an international flashpoint," The New York Times, May 24.

"The central government has a long history of manipulating elections and handpicking leaders in Kashmir, where democracy has been the least realised in India. Journalists who observed today's [May 23rd] voting in the two Kashmir Valley districts saw widespread evidence of security officers forcing residents to the poll," The Washington Post, May 24.

"India can impose elections on us by mobilising security forces and its secret army in Kashmir, but that will not bring peace in Kashmir," said the APHC spokesperson."The people of Kashmir resisted the process peacefully, public servants went for a three-week strike and demonstrations invoked a total boycott of the polls." The entire leadership of the APHC was arrested prior to the so-called election day. Once again, the international community through the Journalists and a few New Delhi-based diplomats, have spoken out against India's sham election.