Making the Case for the Kashmiri Right to Self-determination.8
A. United Nations Action on Kashmiri Self-determination
The United Nations interest in the situation of Kashmir began in 1947-1948 during the de-colonization process of the British Empire in south Asia.9 The leaders of what became Pakistan and India reached an agreement with the British that the people of Kashmir would decide their own disposition. Prime Minister Nehru (India) had gone on record publicly saying that the disposition of the Kashmir people would be up to them.10 Due to a great deal of turmoil in the area, including a full-fledged revolt in Kashmir against the British-imposed maharajah, the United Nations began formally to address Kashmir in 1948. That year, the
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Council established the United Nations Commission on India and Pakistan, which, in addition to the Security Council itself, adopted resolutions declaring that the final disposition of Kashmir was to be via a plebiscite of the Kashmiri people carried out under the auspices of the United Nations.11 To carry out the plebiscite, the
by Fast Free Converter">Security Council appointed a Plebiscite Administrator.12
The Indian government initially backed up its promises that the Kashmiri people would decide the future of Kashmir by indicating to the United Nations that it supported the above-cited United Nations resolutions providing for the plan for a plebiscite under the auspices of the United Nations. For example, on January 5, 1949, India agreed to a Commission resolution stating:
The question of the accession of the State of Jammu and Kashmir to India or Pakistan will be decided through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite.13
