As the World Humanitarian Day is being observed across the globe, today, Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir remains a no-go area for the international humanitarian organizations.
In order to keep its state terrorism away from the sight of the world, the Indian government has never allowed the international humanitarian workers and organizations to operate in IIOJK freely. It has even banned the Jamaat-e-Islami, the biggest welfare organization of the territory.
The International Committee of Red Cross hasn’t been able to work in occupied Kashmir since the Narendra Modi-led Indian government repealed the special status of the territory on August 05, 2019. Foreign aid workers are not being issued visas and the oppressed Kashmiris are being left without support.
The Modi regime had in 2016 stopped the ICRC officials from visiting jails and working for inmates, preventing the Geneva-based organization from its key mission. The ICRC had also been helping released prisoners who were struggling to earn livelihoods. Families whose only breadwinners were in prisons also received such help. The ICRC also helped the families that couldn’t afford travel and other expenses incurred on visiting their kin in jails.
That the ICRC’s low-key programmes have come to a standstill became evident only after media reported that many people have not been able to visit their family members jailed thousands of miles away from their homes in various Indian cities.
Besides the livelihood support programme and assistance to prisoners’ families, the ICRC organ-ised training for the government health professionals of occupied Jammu and Kashmir. During emergencies like 2005 earthquake and 2014 floods, the ICRC also carried out relief missions.
Jamaat-e-Islami of IIOJK had its tradition to do educational and other relief work in Kashmir Valley and Jammu region. —KMS
