Conflict “has impacts for anyone connected to that region,” says Dr. Neilesh Bose, history professor at UVic
Photo via @soccollective on Instagram.
The recent escalation in tensions between India and Pakistan is causing significant stress and uncertainty for international students at UVic.
On April 22, 26 tourists were killed in the town of Pahalgam by terrorists within the boundaries of Indian-administered Kashmir.
This led to India launching Operation Sindoor — carrying out airstrikes against nine locations in the state of Pakistan, as well as within Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
Shortly after, Pakistan retaliated, raising concerns about a potential war between the two nations.
“There have been wars over numerous decades over this area,” said Dr. Neilesh Bose, a history professor at UVic and a historian of modern South Asia. However, Bose said in an interview with the Martlet, an extensive war between India and Pakistan is “highly unlikely.”
“These tensions … can create a lot of emotional stress and a lot of uncertainty for international students at UVic [who] are from these countries,” said Abhee Senthilkumaran, UVSS Director of International Student Relations.
Senthilkumaran said in an interview with the Martlet that many international students feel helpless, because they are away from home and feel that they cannot do anything.
An international student at UVic, originally from Chandigarh, India, mentioned that the conflict has made it difficult to maintain normalcy.
“Even though we were not very close to the border, there were multiple nights wherein there was a blackout across [Chandigarh] due to imminent threats posed by the Pakistani drones being sent across the border,” said the international student. “Witnessing conflict from this far is a nerve-wracking experience I never thought I would experience.”
While news about the conflict has circulated in the past weeks, Bose said that disputes between India and Pakistan are quick to catch international attention — but are also quick to be forgotten.
Despite recent news coverage, some feel there is still a lack of awareness. Senthilkumaran said she found out about the conflict through social media. “If I hadn’t seen the two people post about it, I wouldn’t have known about it as much,” she said.
When most of the information about the conflict being consumed by the public is on social media, some find it harder to know and to trust what is actually happening.
“Very little of it seems like news, a lot of it seems like propaganda,” said Taha Qureshi, coordinator for the Students of Colour Collective (SOCC) at UVic.
For individuals who have ties to the region, a situation like this is not out of the ordinary. Since the partition in 1947, Kashmiris have been fighting for sovereignty, and have often found themselves at the centre of tensions between India and Pakistan, as both countries seek to control over the region and its inhabitants.
Since 1947, military presence has only increased in Kashmir. It is now one of the most militarized zones in the world.
In the decades-long fight between India and Pakistan over Kashmir, many Kashmiris have begun to resent the two states that have occupied them since 1947.
“The people of Kashmir … have never been able to enjoy any kind of sovereignty,” said Bose.
Many Indian and Pakistani students are members of UVic’s international student community, yet one international student told the Martlet they were troubled that UVic had yet to release a public statement.
In an emailed statement to the Martlet, a UVic spokesperson said that “escalating conflict and humanitarian crises can weigh heavily on our campus community” and stated that it “has a responsibility to care for all members of our community — including those on both sides of this conflict.”
Bose said that people cannot be shielded from what is happening in their home countries, and from what is being circulated online.
“[The conflict] may either create or exacerbate any distinctions of conflicts between Indian origin and Pakistani origin people, where there is so much rumour and hearsay,” said Bose. “There is a heightened sense of the other as instigator, and this informs and affects how people see each other.”
UVic said that its priority is to foster a welcoming space at UVic where everyone has a sense of belonging, as articulated by its Equity Action Plan.
Some, meanwhile, fear that these events will exacerbate existing worries for international students. They often do not have the same experience on campus as domestic students, Qureshi told the Martlet, citing higher tuition fees and a lack of supportive resources. The escalation of conflict between India and Pakistan, for many, is contributing to this even further.
“It’s hard to talk to your parents or loved ones who are telling you they have to evacuate and move, and can see things in the sky that aren’t stars or the sun or the moon, only to have to put your phone down and go to class or work,” said Qureshi. “A lot of us are in privileged positions simply because we are so far away, but we obviously remain worried for the safety of our loved ones.”
UVic stated they have a number of resources available for students, including the Equity & Human Rights (EQHR) office and the International Centre for Students.
Qureshi also told the Martlet that for those who may need emotional support, SOCC is available to support students and provide a sense of community, while Bose emphasized the importance of remembering the victims of the conflict.
“We should think about the people of Kashmir … and the people who were killed by the terrorists,” said Bose. “Both should be the most important part of any discussion about this.”
