Description: After a day of deadly protests in the districts of Leh and Kargil, part of the Ladakh region, Indian security forces have established order and imposed a curfew in the Leh district. The protests resulted in four people being killed while 80 more were hospitalized with severe physical injuries. Members of the local police force were also injured as clashes rapidly spiraled in all – out violence where vehicles were set on fire, as well as buildings and regional party headquarters. The leader of the protests, Sonam Wangchuck issued calls for peace and calm and urged the protesters to respect the government’s decision of the curfew imposition. Local residents have been protesting the region’s right for autonomy as well as the low level of job quotas. Ladakh was seceded from the Kashmir province in 2019 and put under India’s central government in New Delhi. Negotiations on the growing regional issues between the local government and the government in New Delhi are set to continue on 06 Oct.
Impact: The violent upsurge of civil unrest in the Ladakh region came as a result of the local calls for autonomy and the unfavorable economic conditions, mostly affecting the region’s youth population. The government’s curfew imposition is currently a temporary measure until the socio – economic demands of the population are addressed through direct negotiations. The potential for resurgence of violence presently remains low, considering that local government representatives and the leadership of the movement have issued calls for peaceful resolution of the disputes. The Indian government’s position of justifying and defending the actions undertaken by the police and its reluctance to properly address the region’s issues poses a potential risk for the faltering of the upcoming negotiations.