Fire on the mountain

The killing of protesters and Sonam Wangchuk's arrest have brought Ladakh statehood talks to a standstill

- BY TARIQ BHAT/LEH

They were just boys, some in school or college. First there were smoke shells, and then there was firing. Many people were hit by bullets.”

This is how a resident described the confrontation between protesters and security forces that led to the death of four men, including a former soldier, in Leh on September 24.

The protesters, mostly youth, had torched the BJP office and damaged the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) building. They were demanding statehood and constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

For a region long known for peace, the bloodshed was a turning point. The violence began after two elderly men on hunger strike, led by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, were admitted to hospital. They went on strike on September 10 to protest delays by the Union home ministry in continuing talks on statehood and the Sixth Schedule.

Although the ministry had invited leaders for talks on October 6, the Leh Apex Body—a coalition of political, religious and social groups in Buddhist-majority Leh—wanted to meet earlier because of the hunger strike. Wangchuk had warned the Centre that the youth could intensify the agitation, but hoped for a peaceful resolution.

After the violence, Wangchuk ended his strike, saying: "My message of peace was ignored today. I appeal to the youth to please stop this nonsense. It only damages our cause." He also urged the government to be sensitive to Ladakh.

"When violence started, the leaders tried their best to control the situation," said Tsering Nordon, a social activist who was there. "The youth were so angry that it erupted. The situation worsened, and there was firing. I saw it all. Nobody provoked them."