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RAJIV:On more simpler terms what does return to valley mean to an individual who has spent 20 yrs away ( other than nostalgia)

Amitabh Mattoo: The feeling of going back home cannot be easily explained. Ask the Jews who returned after thouysands of years

Aneesh:Amongst current militants fighting in kashmir, what percent is home grown and what percent is foreign fighters?

Amitabh Mattoo: I think most militants now are from outside. THere are few Kashmiris who are joing there ranks

sunil dhar1:For proportional representation,who should take the lead to get same implemented

Amitabh Mattoo: Build public opinion and generate pressure

Sanish Singh:Tell me 2 things you would like the new government to do? ( from a execution perspective)

Amitabh Mattoo: Set up two commissions: a REconcilliation Commision and a Knowledge Commission and act on both

Deepali:to your comment about "not getting involved in politics as its messy". I would like to comment isnt it that most of the educated people are of this view , i mean not getting into politics themselves but that someone else will solve this . I am very much disturbed by this as I think this is the time to take things into our own hands. Like I am doing Ph.d in Physics from Weizmann Institute, Israel but i feel i should do something and even ready to get into politics. But then this isnt something that one can achieve single handily and without proper guidance and proper understanding. Do you have some advice for the young people like me who really want to come forward and change things. How can their efforts be co-ordinated.?

Amitabh Mattoo: I do think that young people should get involved in public life, initially through an NGO or through the media. I would not recommend taking a plunge into politics directly.

sunil:Do you see Omar inducting KP's in the decision making body for the betterment of J&K?

Amitabh Mattoo: I do hope so

sunil dhar1:Mr.Mattoo,as you are aware that nobody from kashmiri pandit community has been selected for state assembly.How should law of land be changed so that they have some representation in house to keep their opinion in decesion making

Amitabh Mattoo: I believe that at some stage radical electoral reforms are needed. One way is to have a system of Proportional Representation and this can ensure that all minorities, including KPs get a voice.

Shahid:Could those "indivdual" Kashmiris advocating sepratism moving into mainstream state and national politics prevent the current disorder of GOI conducting fruitless discussions with the current self-proclaimed "leadership" who represent nothing more than their own parallel interests in the name of Kashmir's Azadi struggle? This summer I was in Srinagar a few weeks before the Amarnath Yatra turmoil and only ONE thing was evident that the people are as disenchanted with the sepratist groups incompetence as they are with mainstream politicians.Shouldn't the government of India be creating an envoy who can reach out directly to the Kashmiri people rather than APHC, People's Conference or any other group who ultimately appear to working for themselves and not the overall population?

Amitabh Mattoo: I think the Govt of Indoa should set up a task force or a special team dedicated to addressing the problems of J&K. And this must be done right away.

Lopa:Hello, Prof Mattoo. Do you see any long-term solution to the J-K problem? Also, don't you think that Article 370 should be scrapped? Won't that help in reducing the state's alienation from mainstream India?

Amitabh Mattoo: I think scrapping Aryicle 370 would be a huge mistake. I feel that there is a long-term solution and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Musharraf came close to it. Making LOC a line of peace, giving autonomy to both sides of Kashmuir, decentralising power to the sub-regions like Ladakh and Jammu and ensuring the end of violence were some of the features of this understanding

RAJIV:U SAID THAT TIME HAS COME FOR KASHMIRI PANDITS TO GO BACK ARE U HINTING AT SOME SUSTAINABILITY MODEL THAT CENTRE AND STATE GOVT ARE PLANNING TO DEVELOP?

Amitabh Mattoo: These are my peronal ideas. I don't now what the government has in mind?

Mir Ishfaq:Mr. Umar Abdullah publicly said that the people came out to vote to get their bread and butter issues solved.I think that was a very honest statement.I think India should look for alternate ways to solve the kashmir issue.Polls never were and never would be the solution to the problem.I think India is trying to cure cancer with Paracetamol,that would never happen.

Amitabh Mattoo: I think many voters came out on issues of bijli, sadak, pani, but for many others there are genuine expectations of a real change. I feel the central and state govt have a unique opportunity to take initiatives that can reward those who have reposed their faith in democracy. Imprioving the human rights record, creating a knowledge economy, taking initiatives on issues like autonomy and self-reliance would be steps in the right direction.

Ravinder Safaya:Do you think with the new CM the Migrants of Kashmir Valley have any hope of returning to their Home Land?

Amitabh Mattoo: I have answered the question earlier. But I am very hopeful. The important issue is that we, the KPs, have to take a lead.

sunil:Mr. Mattoo, do you believe what so called pseudo-secular people say that BJP won 11 seats by raising amarnath issue or did BJP win just because people of Jammu have been deprived of developement and other benefits which people of Kashmir avail?

Amitabh Mattoo: I think the Amarnath issue itself was a symptom of a feeling of deprivation within Jammu

Ravinder Safaya:Sir, Dont you feel the return of Kashmiri Pandits is not possible , because no politician wants us back now to kashmir valley?

Amitabh Mattoo: I am always hopeful. I feel the ultimate test of peace in Kashmir will be when the KPs return. As I said earlier, the time may have come for KPs to take the lead

shahid:Isn't the ultimate problem ONE J&K and Ladakh with Azad Kashmir? Whether an independent country, Pakistan or India? The other matter that needs to be looked into seriously is a an eventual EU style South Asian Union in action where the whole barbwired LOC falls between India and Pakistan.

Amitabh Mattoo: I think the long-term vision of South Asia has to be of a borderlessSouth Asia where there is free flow of goods, ideas, services and people. But what is most required is a common committment of all countries to common values like democracy, human rights, secularism etc

Dheeraj Bhat:Do you think this govt will be able to stop Braindrain from the state and bring back those who want to come back but don't see an oppourtunity to do so?

Amitabh Mattoo: You know these days we speak not just of Brain drain, but also brain gain and a brain chain. Sometimes those outside contribute much more than those who stay behind. But more to the point, I hope that this govt is able to create an environment in which talented Kashmiris can come back and feel that they are contributing to building peace in the state

ARUN JALALI:Will this new govt make any attempt towards re-habilitation of internally diplaced kashmiri pandits. There is no previous record of either NC or Congress having made any efforts in past 20 yrs towards this.They are too pleased with postal votes?. How long will the nation continue to live with this shame and disgrace of not being able to restore the defaults .

Amitabh Mattoo: I do hope this govt led by a young and modern polotical leader has the vision to see that Kashmir is incomplete without KPs. But now I feel the time has come for KPs themselves to take the lead to go back

Deepali:Dear Prof. Matto Why is it that despite being one state there is this division of Jammu and Kashmir region. I mean that the people from both the regions(not everyone) are hostile to each other. Dont you think it is due to more importance and attention given to one region and neglecting the other. I would like to hear your views about this. Do you think that what i said is true? and if yes, what according to you are the reasons and solutions to this and will the new government take care of this.

Amitabh Mattoo: There is clearly a feeling of deprivation and discrimnation in Jammu and Ladakh. In some ways, what sringar feels vis a vis New Delhi is similar to the way Jammu and Leh see Srinagar and Kashmiri poluiticians. The answer is in greater devolution and decentralization of power from New Delhi to Srinagar and from Srinagar to Jammu and Leh

ARUN JALALI:What role does Amitabh Mattoo find for himself in Kashmir poltics?

Amitabh Mattoo: Amitabh Mattoo would ideally like to a public intellectual who can give ideas that politicians can adopt. POlitics directly is too messy

sunil dhar:Hello Mr.Mattoo-----Can after these polls we divide state into 3 regions---ladakh,jammu & kashmir and let responsible people of these regions run the administration indpendently

Amitabh Mattoo: DIviding the state would be a disaster. Instead we need to ensure greater regional balance, and real devolution of power

Rahul:What action plan and timelines would you propose to ensure Kashmirir Pandits are able to go back to Kashmir and get their kids admitted in local schools like BURN HALL...

Amitabh Mattoo: I think it is time that Kashmiri Pandits themselves took the collective decision to go back rather than depend only on the government. If we can, even a few dozen, build a colony in SRinagar we can start the process of going back. Burn Hall is a very good school, but there are newer schools like DPS which are good too.