Ladakh is in turmoil since four people demanding greater political autonomy for Himalayan territory were killed
\n LEH
\nIndia\u2019s remote high-altitude desert region of Ladakh has been in turmoil since four people were killed in violent protests demanding greater political autonomy for the Himalayan territory.
\nGrowing resentment with New Delhi\u2019s direct rule over the territory, and fears of losing livelihoods, boiled over on Wednesday as crowds took to the streets in the main city, Leh, torching a police vehicle and the offices of Prime Minister Narendra Modi\u2019s Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Initially, police said five people had died, but later revised the toll to four. The sparsely populated region, home to some 300,000 people, borders both China and Pakistan and is a strategic enclave for India. Around half of Ladakh\u2019s residents are Muslim, and about 40% are Buddhist.
\nWhy are people protesting?
\nModi\u2019s government split Ladakh off from Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) in 2019, imposing direct rule on both after cancelling the region\u2019s partial autonomy.
\nSince then, resentment has been growing in Ladakh over Delhi\u2019s rule, with concerns about losing traditional livelihoods, land rights, and cultural identity.
\nResidents say the end of semi-autonomy stripped them of protections over land, jobs, and resources. Decisions on development are made in Delhi and implemented by officials sent from outside, leaving the local elected council sidelined. \u201cAll the protections we had within IIOJK were all gone,\u201d lawyer Mustafa Haji told AFP.
\nWho is leading the demonstrations?
\nThe Apex Body Leh, led by veteran leader Chering Dorjay, has become the main voice of the protesters.
\n\u201cWe have been used like slaves,\u201d Dorjay, 77, said, vowing to continue the struggle in the days to come. Wednesday\u2019s demonstrations were also organised in solidarity with prominent activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had been on hunger strike for two weeks. New Delhi blamed the unrest on \u201cprovocative speeches\u201d by Wangchuk who was detained by police on Friday.
\nWhat are the core demands?
\nThe protesters are demanding protection of land rights and to stop outsiders from buying property in Ladakh.
\nThey also want constitutional autonomy under the \u201cSixth Schedule\u201d of India\u2019s constitution, which would allow a local legislature to make laws on land use and jobs.
\nConstitutional protections sought by Ladakhis may seem far off, but sustained negotiations with New Delhi have yielded some \u201csmall victories\u201d, Dorjay said.
\nThe government has already reserved 85% of jobs for locals and frozen the acquisition of domicile status for Indians from outside Ladakh until 2036.
\nBut Dorjay says, \u201cthere is a long way to go.\u201d
\nWhy is land a sensitive issue?
\nThe government has announced large-scale solar projects and industrial plans in Ladakh that require thousands of acres of land.
\nLocals fear this will endanger grazing grounds critical for pashmina goat herding, already under pressure from climate change and military buffer zones established with China.
\n\u201cThe danger to this centuries-old livelihood undermining lives of thousands of pashmina goat herders is another issue now,\u201d Dorjay said.
\nTensions soared after deadly clashes with Chinese forces in 2020, and new buffer zones have further reduced land available to herders.
\n\u201cA situation where you don\u2019t have any protection for your land and identity is not a happy one,\u201d lawyer Haji said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Ladakh is in turmoil since four people demanding greater political autonomy for Himalayan territory were killed LEH India\u2019s remote high-altitude desert region of Ladakh has been in turmoil since four people were killed in violent protests demanding greater political autonomy for the Himalayan territory. Growing resentment with New Delhi\u2019s direct rule over the territory, and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":505603,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-505578","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n