THE HINDU Editorial Vocabulary - May 19, 2018 - Topic 1
A chance in Srinagar
On Ramzan ceasefire
The Centre’s announcement of a cessation of
operations in Jammu and Kashmir during the month
of Ramzan is a welcome step. The direction to the security forces not to launch
operations in the State during this period, while allowing them to reserve “the
right to retaliate if attacked or if it is essential to protect the lives of
innocent people”, is aimed at bringing respite to the Valley after two years of
escalated violence, since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen ‘commander’ Burhan
Wani in July 2016. The decision came days after Chief
Minister Mehbooba Mufti informed the Centre that an all-party meeting had
called for a ceasefire.
The quick response will help her recover some
equilibrium politically, and get an administrative grip on the street. In this
current phase of violence in the Valley, there has been a marked increase in
home-grown militancy. All too often, the funeral of a local militant has become
the rallying point for anti-state protests, which lead to new recruitment. The
ceasefire will limit such occasions. The stone-pelting protests too have taken
their toll and deepened alienation. The cessation of cordon-and-search
operations is a high-risk initiative — but it is the very riskiness of the
gesture that could invite confidence among local groups to consider ways and
means to mark an end to the violent couple of years.
A series of calibrated complementary
steps are required if any lasting contribution to improving the situation on
the ground is to be made. Importantly, the announcement came just ahead of
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to Srinagar on Saturday, and his
remarks will be closely tracked. The ceasefire has brought back memories of the
2000 Ramzan effort of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. That initiative set
in motion a series of developments towards dialogue, despite the still-fresh
wounds of the 1999 Kargil conflict. There are parallels between those days and
today. In terms of violence, Kashmir is quickly spiralling out of control to
the level seen 15 years ago. Even as the security forces have gunned down 64
suspected terrorists in 2018, a large number of young Kashmiris have taken up
arms. According to the latest data from the State police, 69 local youth have
joined militancy, 35 of them in the wake of the April 1 operations in which 13
locals were killed. But just a temporary halt to security operations in Kashmir
is not enough. At best, it can be the first step in a long and difficult road
to recovery, and eventually peace. Currently, the 2003 ceasefire on the
Pakistan border is in tatters. It must be urgently restored. But most
important, a political outreach, possibly unconditional, is required to help
Kashmir get back to normal. As Mr. Vajpayee did back then, Mr. Modi must take
political ownership of the outreach. Else, the Ramzan ceasefire could remain an
isolated outreach.
Vocabulary
Cessation: the fact or process of
ending or being brought to an end.
Example: The cessation of hostilities
Synonyms: end, ending, termination, stopping, halting, ceasing, finish
Essential: absolutely necessary;
extremely important.
Example: It is essential to keep
up-to-date records
Synonyms: crucial, necessary, key, vital, indispensable, important
Escalate: increase rapidly.
Example: The price of tickets
escalated
Synonyms: increase
rapidly, soar, rocket, shoot up, mount, spiral
Ceasefire: a temporary suspension
of fighting, typically one during which peace talks take place; a truce.
Example: War with people who break
their ceasefire agreements is the default position
Occasion: a particular time or
instance of an event.
Example: On one occasion I stayed up
until two in the morning
Synonyms: time, instance, moment, juncture, point, event, occurrence
Alienation: the state or
experience of being isolated from a group or an activity to which one should
belong or in which one should be involved.
Example: Unemployment may generate a
sense of political alienation
Calibrate: mark a gauge or
instrument with a standard scale of readings.
Example: The model was calibrated on
the basis of the similar experimental results
Conflict: a serious disagreement
or argument, typically a protracted one.
Example: The eternal conflict between
the sexes
Synonyms: dispute, quarrel, squabble, disagreement, dissension, clash
Eventual: occurring at the end
of or as a result of a series of events; final; ultimate.
Example: It's impossible to predict
the eventual outcome of the competition
Synonyms: final, ultimate, concluding, closing, end, resulting, ensuing
