The President of London-based Jammu and Kashmir Council for Human Rights (JKCHR), Dr Syed Nazir Gilani, has written a letter to the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, drawing his attention to the plight of the oppressed people of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Dr Syed Nazir Gilani in the letter deplores that Britain has failed to discharge its obligations regarding sufferings of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
The letter titled ‘People of Jammu and Kashmir and Role of British Government’ has also been sent Keir Starmer, MP (Labour); Sir Ed Davey (Liberal Democrats); Deborah Abrahams, MP Chair APPG on Kashmir; António Guterres, Secretary General United Nations; Mme Michelle Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights; President International Court of Justice – Peace Palace, The Hague.
JKCHR wishes to bring to your attention the ever worsening plight of the people of Jammu and Kashmir described by the United Nations as “people of legend, song and story, associated with snow-capped mountains, beautiful valleys and life-giving waters”.
The two OHCHR Reports of June 2018 and July 2019 and the third report of May 2018 by the UN Secretary General are the second major and significant step after the UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjöld visited Kashmir in March 1959 to assess the political and economic conditions of the people.
I wish to point out that Great Britain has failed to live up to her sense of duty and honour towards the Muslims of Jammu and Kashmir, in the manner, in which Britain and US subscribed their interest in the plight of Jews in Russia in 1891 and the Christians in Morocco in 1909.
The first intervention by US in Russia was on the principle “sic utere tuo ut alteram non laedas” and the second intervention by Britain and France in Morocco was on the basis of “The Laws of Humanity”.
The Jews of Russia in 1891 and the Christians of Morocco in 1909 did not have as strong a connection with US and Britain, as the Muslim Kashmiris of today have with US and UK as American Kashmiris and as British Kashmiris.The jurisprudence of Kashmir case begins with a principal reference to the role of Great Britain.
Prime Minister of Britain was the first person who was informed by the Prime Minister of India on 26 October 1947 that Government of India was sending its military to Kashmir to ‘help’ the ruler. —KMS
