The Place of Wild Roses-Siachen Glacier

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Thought to have a dedicated thread regarding the Siachen conflict. Though few related threads (mainly concerning the pictorial stuff) regarding Sicahen Glacier are already on the board, this one would try to 'talk' more.

i'll start it with a book on the subject, i am sure most of you must be familiar with the book.

WAR ABOVE THE CLOUDS

CA, 1996, 1st edition., 1996. 20 pp text, 120 full page photos. This is Martin Sugarman's photographic document of the bitter territorial war that has raged between India and Pakistan in northern Kashmir since 1984. In 1994-95, Sugarman photographed the landscape of this long struggle in which eight out of ten deaths are caused not by the battle but by the hazardous terrain.

In this war men fight for oxygen on icy mountain peaks at altitudes up to 23,000 feet. This astonishing book of photographs is the only record of an unwinnable war fought on the highest battlefield in military history, a war tragically not reported in the mainstream media. A photo-journalistic account of the India-Pakistan war, which loses more men to frostbite and altitude illness than gunfire. Superb photos of the peaks and glaciers. Large-format softcover, New. We bought these new from the author in 1998.

From The Daily Star Friday, Bangladesh, August 20, 2004

Siachen -'war above the clouds'Brig Gen M. Sakhawat Hussain ndc, psc (retd)

Sometime in 1987 two soldiers belonging to the Pakistani 'Special Force' were dropped in one of the peaks in Siachen, the highest battleground the world has ever known, to fend Indian occupation of an observation post. It was 21,000 ft above sea level, a frozen glacier, claimed to be the largest outside the two poles, now known world over as Siachen Glacier, that the two embittered countries, Pakistan and India have been fighting ever since India physically occupied it in 1984. Since then the Glacier has became the most disputed region of Kashmir.

What are these two armies fighting for, on a height where temperat}re varies between minus 30 and 70 degrees Celsius that freezes almost all liquids except kerosene, where not a single blade of grass grows? The answer is national pride more than strategic concerns. Both claim the most weirdly un-demarcated cease-fire line converted to Line of Control (LoC) between two parts of Kashmir, apart from the purely military strategic ascendancy associated with it. In fact being part of larger Kashmir region, Siachen issue symbolises the entire dispute. The forty-seven mile long and three-mile wide glacier and the flanking ranges, most ambiguously demarcated, remain a bone of dispute that carries the undertone of the complexity of the Kashmir tangle.

The glacier, once part of the Ladakh region of greater Kashmir, was discovered in 1907. It averages 16,000 feet in height and originates near Indra Koili Pass on thm Pakistan-China border, thirty seven aerial miles southeast of the K-2, then runs along Saltaro Range in the southeasterly direction then turns south to Nubra River near Dzingrulma, in Indian occupied Ladakh region. On the south east of the Glacier is the Karakoram Pass with Pakistan, which connects Chinese central provinces. Much to the west, along the Karakoram Range and along the Hunza River runs the most strategic Pakistan-China link, the Karakoram Highway, connecting Central China specifically the Uguyar region, through the Kunjerab Pass.

The Saltaro range, that contains the glacier and claimed by Pakistan, provides access to five ancient passes which remain mostly frozen. These passes, though inaccessible at any given time, had played significant role in the Middle Ages in connecting China and the central parts of Asia, as part of the Silk Route. Since Pakistan's occupation of large parts of the mountainous but strategic regions of Ladakh, now known as 'Federally Administered Northern Area', these passes were never used nor their significance ever noticed until 1984 when Indian troops landed in or around Soltaro Range in strength. Nevertheless, Siachen Glacier has other access through the Nubra River, ascending from south to northwest in Indian Ladakh, but remains extremely hazardous. Northwest to east is China's Uguyar region mostly inhabited by Muslims, which makes the Glacier, and the ranges in dispute more significant ground to be held. Close to the glacier is the Chinese held portion of Laddakh i.e. Aksai Chin. A large number of Chinese troops are stationed in that region since 1962, a constant worry for Delhi.

The Siachen Glacier had never come under focus since the Indo-Pak cease-fire Line was established in July 1949. The demarcation runs northeast, through Kargil, up to a point known as NJ 9842(map reference), north of the Shyok River within Saltaro Range. But area beyond NJ 9842 }p to Karakoram Pass that came in possession of Pakistan after the October 1947 military invasion remains un-demarcated. Owing to the fact of inaccessibility the cease-fire line and the ownership of the Glacier remained unde|ermined. It was for the first time in 1972 Simla Agreement that India agreed and vaguely referred that the cease-fire line, converted to Line of Control (LoC), runs northwards to the glacier from NJ 9842, but without putting it on the map. The ambiguity resulted in claim and counter claim. India accuse{ Pakistan of shifting from the Simla Agreement over the years.

This ambiguity in defining the LoC beyond NJ 9842 was the cause of the costliest battle and resulted in recurring extravagant expenditure for maintenance of troops. The battle cost is not only in terms of finance but the standoff exceedingly entails human cost. More troops were killed from frostbite, edema, pne}monia, and lack of oxygen and height related breathing problems than bullets.

It all started in April 1984 when Pakistan, to boost its tourism, allowed some foreign trackers to climb into Siachen Glacier assisted by its para-military. India presumed the Pakistani action to be a ploy to occupy the un-demarcated portion of the strategically significant heights that would provide Pakistani forces the ability to overlook Ladakh and the valley down below. India air-dropped four hundred troops atop a portion of the Soltaro Range and occupied large portions of Soltaro Range and the Glacier. As a countez, Pakistan dispatched aro}nd three hundred special forces that resulted in the fiercest battle away from human eye, above the clouds. The bitter fighting that broke out in 1987 remained inconclusive. Artillery duels continued till both sides agreed to a cease-fire. India considers the possession invaluable in terms of strategic gains despite the soldiers' nightmarish experience in the region.

Talks at military commanders' level failed. Efforts to withdraw troops back to the 1972 position also failed. Pakistan proposed to demilitarise the Glacier in contention but India is yet to respond. The situation further deteriorated after the Kargil war till 2004 when both the countries decided to resume dialogue over all out{tanding issues |o normalise relations.

As a part of the ongoing process of composite dialogue, Delhi hosted a defence secretary lmvel meeting on [iachen from 6-8|h August 2004, without any tangible result. Pakistani defence secretary accused India of violating the 1972 Simla Agreement with the purpose of altering the LoC. His Indian counterpart was not in a mood to give in to Islamabad's off and on interpre|ation of 1972 Simla agreement.

Be that as it may, Pakistan maintained its earlier proposal to demilitarise the region but New Delhi was not in a mood to entertain it unless Pakistan 'verifies the map' and remained insistent on accepting ' Actual Ground Position Line' (AGPL) that began, as Delhi reportedly maintains, from NJ 9842 and ended in the current Indian possessions on Soltaro Ranoe. Pakistan's minimum demand was for India to ~acate the occupation before deciding 'future line'. That proposal India would never accept unless entire issue of Kashmir was rmsolved.

New Delhi is well aware that it is not so much the strategic value of the area in the era of availability of standoff surveillance system, as compromise on Kashmir acceding to such demand would mean. While the talks remain inconclusive, both parties fully realise that there is neither a military solution nor is the region suitable for conventional battle to resolve the issue. Yet they have xromised to meet in near future to resolve the issue through dialogue.

Meanwhile, up above the clouds, in the icy glacier and peaks, the soldiers continue to suffer and die, if not form bullets than from nature, occasionally looking down in the valley where politicians of South Asia find it hard to give peace a chance. The title is adopted from Martin A. Sugarman's book on Siachen.

 

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Siachen - The World´s Highest Battlefield
By Brig. Ghazanfar Ali and Brig. Akhtar Ghani

The Siachen Glacier (Siachen meaning "Black Rose" in Balti), discovered in 1907, is the world´s longest glacier outside the polar regions. It also holds another and less benignant record: the hither-to-fore uninhabited, unexplored and relatively unknown icy-caped region has become the highest battlefield in the world, where Pakistani and Indian troops are entrenched against each other.

The Siachen measures approximately 75km in length and 4.8km in width, and rises to about 4,800m. The glacier originates near the Indra Koli Pass on the Pakistan-China border, about 70km southeast of K-2 (Chogori), the second highest peak in the world; From here it runs along the Saltoro Range in a southeasterly direction till it turns into the Nubra River near Dzingrulma, a small village in Indian-held Kashmir (IHK) near Ladakh.

The glacier is flanked by the Saltoro Range to the west and can be approached from Khapalu, a Balti town in the area. Another access is along the Nubra River, ascending from south to northwest in Indian-occupied Ladakh. The historic Saltoro Pass is flanked by high mountains, of which the Saltoro Kangri (a Balti word meaning "peak") at 7,740m is the most prominent.

The Saltoro Pass, also known as Bilafond La ("Pass of the Butterflies") has a unique history. In early 14th century, it was traversed by the Muslim saint Syed Ali Hamadani, who traveled from Kashmir through Shigar to Kashgar in Central Asia, spreading Islam en route. In the 16th century, a Turkish Sultan, Abu Sayid, invaded Ladakh from China through this pass. Domination of these strategic passes is a key to control the surrounding areas. The Saltoro Range inside Pakistan provides access to Siachen through five passes, i.e., Sia La (7,300m), Bilafond La (6,160m), Gyong La (5,640m), Yarma La (6,100m) and Chulung La (5,800m). These heights and passes, remain snowbound throughout the year.

The Roots Of The Conflict

The current conflict over Siachen Glacier is part of the bitter, unresolved dispute between Pakistan and India over Kashmir - a dispute which dates back to the independence of the two states in Agust 1947 as a result of the partition of the Indian sub-continent based on Muslim and Hindu majority populations. The Siachen issue arose over the interpretation of the precise direction of the line of control beyond grid point NJ 9842 as it turns through the ice-covered area of northern Kashmir. In the Karachi Agreement (27 July 1949), it was specified that the line would move "north to the glaciers" from Khor, the last identified location.

In April 1984, the Indian Army in an operation code-named MEGHOOT ("Cold Messenger") airlifted a battalion from the Kumaon Regiment and Ladakh Scouts onto the glacier, and a platoon on each of the two key northern passes, Bilafond La and Sia La, in the Saltoro Range just west of Siachen.

As Siachen Glacier is an integral part of Baltistan, a region in Pakistan's Northern Areas, Pakistan responded quickly to forestall Indian agression and foil the Indian attempt at using the passes over glacier to invade and occupy more territory. The Indian occupation of Siachen Glacier also threatens the Karakoram Highway (the old "Silk Route"), which is a major road linking Pakistan to China at the Khunjerab Pass. By its strong resolve and determination Pakistan has thus prevented future Indian aggression in the region. Tracing back the annals of history, Siachen has always been part of Pakistan since independence in 1947. Mountaineering and trekking expeditions to the Siachen area routinely applied for, and obtained authorization by the government of Pakistan. The renowed American journalist, Martin A. Sugarman in his book "Siachen - War Above the Clouds" quotes many examples and authorities which prove Pakistan's possession and its claims over the area. According to Mr Sugarman, "As early as 1957, the imperial College of London asked Pakistani authorities for permission to send an expedition to Siachen. Many other international expeditions, including one by an Austrian team (in 1961) and three by Japanese groups (in 1962, 1975 and 1976), sought Pakistani authorization to visit Siachen's nearby mountain peaks and glaciers. In addition, many international mountaineering and trekking journals and guidebooks refer to Pakistan as the governmental authority in the Siachen area".

American and British maps and atlases including the Britannica Atlas, the National Geographic Society's Atlas of the World, The Times Atlas of the World, and the University of Chicago's Historical Atlas of South Asia" - show the Ceasefire Line/Line of Control running from NJ 9842 in a straight path northeastward to the Karakoram Pass on the Chinese border, with Siachen Glacier clearly inside Pakistan".

In addition, Sir Own Dixon, first UN Representative to India and Pakistan, indicated in his comprehensive report on Kashmir to the Security Council in 1950 that Siachen Glacier fell within the northern Areas of Pakistan. The highly regarded account was including in a book published in 1958 under the title "Essential Documents and Notes in the Kashmir Dispute", by the Indian writer P.L. Lakhanpal, who supported Dixon's findings. More evidence to back Pakistani claims comes from prominent Indian defence analyst Ravi Rikhye, who in his 1982 book "The Fourth Round: Indo-Pak War 1984", includes a map showing the Ceasefire Line runnig northeastward to the Karakoram Pass on the Chinese border, again putting Siachen Glacier clearly inside Pakistani territory. Another important book "The Western Front: Indo-Pakistan War 1971", published in India in 1984 by retired LtGen K.P. Candeth (a former commander of India's Western Command), includes several maps supporting Pakistani claims.

Operating In An Hostile Environment

Ever since the Indian aggression in 1984, soldiers of the Pakistan Army stand vigil against invasion in areas characterized by a very hostile enviroment: high and vast mountains and large glacial expanses; altitudes of around 6,000m and above; temperatures that fall to -50°C in winters, further accentuated by the wind chill factor; frequent and harsh blizzards that blow away, separate or bury tents, stores and shelters. In these areas, traditional measures for security and information cannot be carried out because men and equipment cannot be carried out because men and equipment cannot move about freely. Traditional solutions and practices as regards weapons, equipment and doctrines are unsuitable, for nowhere else in the world have such conditions been encountered. Military operations take on completely new dimensions, further compounded by the effects of high altitude and a deepening sense of isolation.

The gradients in this region are extremely steep and the valleys very narrow. Vast glaciers, which give birth to fast-flowing streams and rivers, are hemmed in the valleys. The glaciers are the only avenues of movement along their medial moraines; these routes, however, are only fit for foot movement as loose snow and numerous crevasses make cross-country movement almost impossible. Snowfall during winters and the melting of ice durring summers cause continuous changes on the glacial surface and within it. Due to extremely low temperatures and frequent storms and blizzards, survival is possible only with special clothing, equipment and accommodation. Summers are very mild, and altitudes above 4,500m remain snow-bound throughout the year.

The most striking feature of high altitudes is the glacier, with its crevasses and mounds of snow, rock and ice. These glaciers are formed by accumulated snow which inches down the valleys to some 1,200m below the snow line. Though apparently inert, glaciers move at a steady pace , bringing in continuous changes on their surface, pushing up boulders and rocks 4.5-6m in diameter, and creating crevasses as deep and deadly as the depth of the glacier itself. Above the glaciers, on the steep slopes of surrounding mountains, avalanches occur frequently, often without warning. Apart from natural causes (breaking of tension within the snow structure or rise in temperatures), avalanches can also be initiated by aircraft breaking the sound barrier, or heavy weapons firing, or helicopters flying close to the mountain sides.

Jeepable tracks are available only up to the snouts of some of the important glaciers; beyond them the stores are supplies are handled either by helicopters or by porters. Because of steep gradients, frequent hairpin bends and road-cutting across sheer cliffs, the driving is not only strenuous and hazardous, but extremely time consuming. A vehicle may cover about 80 kilometers in five to six hours; a convoy may take about ten to twelve hours for the same distance. The slopes of the mountains being unstable, the area is subject to frequent slides, thus severing road communications for days. This is especially more pronounced during the snow-melting and monsoon seasons.

Foot movement is equally slow and fatiguing. To traverse about 25km beyond 4,200m requires fice to six days of walking. On ice surfaces its is even slower and cumbersome, with speed reduced to 100m in 15-20 minutes with two-three minutes rest after every five minutes. Beyond 5,400m, more frequent halts for rest become necessary; a person not properly acclimatized takes much longer, and is always a liability for the group. Altitude also has a telling effect on the porters who can barely manage a 15-20kg load beyond 5,400m - and that too with a day/two days rest after each trip. A soldier's combat load also has to be correspondingly reduced, with the attendant loss of operational efficiency and selfreliance.

Helicopter operations are also adversely affected. Due to the rarefied atmosphere, varying temperatures and unpredictable wind conditions, the lift capability and serviceability of helicopters and greatly reduced. Only light helicopters can be used beyond 4,500m; an ALOUETTE, for example, can just deliver about 40kg up to 6,100m in summer and about 80kg in winter - and this while operating at its extreme capacity. Evacuation of casualties is another nightmare, requiring frequent turnover to avoid pilot fatigue.

Since these areas are mostly inaccessible, maps are highly inaccurate, which of course means more reliance on physical reconnaissance either by patrols or by helicopters. This, however, is not always possible; when the sky is overcast and the clouds are very low, visibility becomes severely restricted, and similarity of terrain makes recognition of features extremely difficult. In blizzards, snowfalls and bad weather the visibility is further reduced (down to a few meters), severely curtailing movement, target engagement and operation of helicopters. At an average, these conditions prevail for seven out of ten days during winter.

Harsh Winter Conditions

Winter conditions present a whole series of challenges beyond reduced visibility. Temperatures drop to as low as -40°C in non-glaciated areas and -60°C in glaciated areas. Beyond 5,400m, temperatures as low as -70°C to -80°C have been experienced. The wind in the valleys can blow at 70-80 knots, accentuating the wind chill factor. At heights, these winds take the form of blizzards that bury tents, shelters and weapons emplacements under heaps of snow. Blizzards lasting for over two-three days and burying shelters under 2.5-3m of snow are not an uncommon phenomenon.

Extremely low temperatures adversely affect the physical well-being of troops and have pronounced psychological implications. Slight carelessness or lack of proper clothing results in frostbite within a matter of minutes, at times ultimately needing amputations. Prolonged isolation and confinement to shelters during snowfalls and blizzards, weighs heavily on the nerves of the men. Continuous loss of fluid through perspiration and reduced fluid intake, can lead to kidney failure if not checked in time. Light clothing, however warm enough to beat the freezing cold, is essential. By the same token, snow tents are fine for short-duration halts or for patrols needing overnight stay away from the base; however, for prolonged stays pre-fabricated shelters with proper insulation are needed. The shelters have to be strong, yet light enough to be frequently dug out and reassembled after a snowstrom.

Living at high altitudes exposes soldiers to henceforth uncommon ailments, including most particularly pulmonary and/or cerebral oedema. Both occur as a result of the lack of oxygen at heights and increased activity; pulmonary oedema is quite common, but not very serious if treated in time, while cerebral oedema is invariably fatal, though fortunately less commom. In the former, death can occur due to lung failure and in the latter, due to brain damage if the victim is not evacuated in time. Another common but not very serious ailment is high altitude sickness resulting in vomiting, headache and fatigue. Psychological effects include a tendency towards intolerance and acute mental depression.

The standard and effective curve for the above ailments is to bring the patient below 4000m. That, however, is not without problems - even without considering a situation of military conflict. To bring down one casualty from 6,100m to 5,400m requires a party of five-six persons and normally takes six to eight hours - while for any such casualty, time is at premium. Due to biological changes in human blood and extremely low temperatures, many drugs lose their potency and effect. More casualities occur in these areas as a result of natural hazards than through other reasons.

Extremely low temperatures also have their effects on weapons, munitions and equipment. Experience reveals sluggishness in the cyclic operation of weapons, malfunctioning due to freezing of lubricants, and breakage due to brittleness. Munitions - especially mortar bombs, rockets and recoilless rifle projectiles - tend to behave erratically, a phenomenon attributable to the rarefied atmosphere. Formation of fog close to automatic weapons restricts visibility and prevents their continuous use. Food is another aspect which is seriously affected due to the high altitudes and extreme cold. Loss of appetite or aversion to the same type of food for days on end, seriously affects the morale.

Outlook

The Indian intransigence over Siachen in 1984, forced Pakistan to defend its territorial integrity. Lately, however, having found the human and financial cost of maintaining its troops there unmanageable, the Indians have reportedly been making diplomatic moves to persuade Pakistan to disengage from Siachen. Pakistan, however, maintains that Siachen has always been part of Pakistan; hence, India should vacate the area, as it was the aggressor to occupy a portion of it back in 1984.

 

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P.S. Mods are requested to merge this thread, if deemed feasible, with the following two:
http://www.defence.pk/forums/military-photos-multimedia/25282-worlds-highest-battle-field.html

http://www.defence.pk/forums/milita...-siachen-pak-army-pics.html?highlight=siachen