The Role of Civil Society in Conflict Prevention in Jammu and Kashmir
Hilal Ahmad Wani

Abstract
Civil Society raises always their voices against repression and injustices. It can play a vital role for resolving the Kashmir conflict. Civil society in Kashmir is not emerging as strong due to turmoil situations in Kashmir. It is the Civil Society, which has the power to speak truth and make the Government accountable and transparent regarding abuses and violations. Civil society is one of the main players in the conflict resolution process. It can play a greater role in prevention of violence not only in Kashmir, but also across the globe. Civil society can
highlight the demands of the people, issues of gross violation of human rights. It can pressurize the government to take better steps for the people. It can participate in over all humanitarian activities. It is only the civil society, which has the power and potential to speak truth and make the Government accountable and transparent regarding the abuses and violations. The civil society actors have no political agendas and aims but their main objectives are to work for the betterment of entire society. It is only civil society, which can knock the doors of law to make justice a possibility. Therefore, it would be not wrong to quote that civil society is really working for the betterment of entire humanity. Peace is only possible when there is justice and equality. Once the culprits are punished and brought to book, the people can repose their trust in the system and definitely, the wrong doers could restrain themselves from abuses and violations. The civil society could have established pressure group and this way the State Government could be transparent and responsive, accordingly the Government of India and Government of Pakistan as well as leaders of Kashmir will come under pressure and will be forced to get the problem solved. The civil society actors can approach both Governments India-Pakistan and Kashmiri separatist leaders to go for the permanent solution of Kashmir imbroglio. From the very beginning, it was the aim of civil society to work for the public good. The civil society is able to bring the changes in the attitudes and mindsets of the conflicted parties by presenting viable, productive and sustainable policies. The civil society throughout world got a common agendas and common policies i.e. human welfare, peace, prosperity and dignity. Thousands of people in Kashmir are in need of relief and rehabilitation. Leaders have failed to bring smiles on the faces of affected persons; it is again the voluntary sector of civil society, which can do it. It is able to mobilize the local resources; the trust, which the civil society is enjoying of people, can be utilized for this task. Civil society actors can enjoy an entry everywhere as they are impartial having no specific association with any agenda. The actors of civil society have to think and sit together for having common platform in order to bring peace and prosperity in Kashmir valley. Civil society organizations have an important advantage when it comes in conflict prevention. Because they are independent, flexible and close to the people, they are in an ideal position to strengthen social networks, build confidence between different population groups and sound alarm when the first signs of violence appear.

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