Description: Violent and deadly protests erupted in the Ladakh border region in India where four people were declared dead. The protesters, led by climate activist, Sonam Wangchuck, who led several hunger strikes over the years, have adamantly demanded from the Indian government, statehood, federal independence and addressing broader climate issues in the region. The Indian government has stated that the protests were incited by Wangchuck, who inflamed the narrative of an Asian Spring of uprising following deadly demonstrations in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Indonesia. The region’s youth population demands autonomy similar to the Indian controlled parts of the Kashmir region and local government which they would be free to choose through elections. Protesters clashed with the police, setting several buildings and police vehicles on fire and vandalizing the offices of the ruling Indian party, Bhartiya Janata. India’s interior ministry has deployed additional forces in the region to tackle the unrest, while negotiations between local Ladakhi representatives and the Indian government are expected to continue on 06 Oct. The region was part of the brief armed conflict between India and China along the Line of Actual Control located in eastern Ladakh where 20 Indian soldiers and 4 Chinese soldiers were killed.
Impact: India’s government is faced with a growing domestic uprising in a sensitive region which has consistently declared separatist aspirations or at least autonomous federalization of the Ladakh province. The protests follow a youth trend of uprising across Asia, where protest movements in Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Indonesia have contested their government’s integrity and credibility and challenged their governance methods. The region remains of India’s utmost strategic importance as it represents tactically advantageous position in case military animosities with China are reignited. The Ladakh region protest movement could also precipitate political and military tensions in a region which is contested by three nuclear powered countries such as India, Pakistan and China. In case Modi’s government doesn’t shelve a constructive proposal to address the demands from the protesters, the demonstrations could transpire towards a larger movement affecting wider geographical areas which in turn could cause a domestic crisis of larger proportions. The protests could persist in case India’s government decides that violent suppression instead of dialogue and negotiations is the proper method for subverting public unrest.