Dr Muhammad Khan
THE Washington Post in its Op-Ed (4 March
2020) has published a survey of the
Kashmiri youth, carried out in the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The survey report reveals that, 91% youth of the Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK) demands that all Indian security forces must leave their state immediately. They feel that, Indian security forces in IoK are the real problem. This is a post August 5, 2019 survey published in this authentic American newspaper. The survey reject the Indian claim that Kashmiris are happy under new arrangements in which Jammu and Kashmir was split into union territories after diluting Article 35A and revoking Article 370. India misled the international community and UN that this act would enable India to develop the under-developed parts of the occupied state. The survey was conducted after imposition of Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act-2019 with the sole purpose to know the opinion of Kashmiri youth. A university in Indian occupied Kashmir and New York’s Skidmore conducted the survey with a sample size of 600 college and university students. There were multiple questions asked from 600 Kashmiri youth of various universities and colleges in the survey. These 600 Kashmiri youth were taken for the survey from over 90 % colleges and university students of IoK. The scattered youth from various parts of the occupied state gave a unanimous voice and one opinion; they want complete withdrawal of Indian security forces from all parts of the state and they want their right of self-determination through a process of plebiscite under United Nations.
The Washington Post also published that, “The same percentage backed the holding of a referendum to decide the future status of the Muslim-majority region.” Indeed, it is a clear referendum from the youth of Indian occupied Kashmir that, their future is not associated with India. The elderly people have similar opinions since they are fighting against Indian occupation since last seven decades. Besides, this survey is a clear rejection of Indian claim that decision of August 5, 2019 was right. It is the 4th generation of Kashmiris in IoK which has rejected Indian occupation of the state since 1947. They rejected and revolted against Indian occupation in 1947 and they are constantly fighting against Indian rule in IoK till-date. Had Kashmiris been willing to live under Indian occupation and under Indian constitution, the dispute would have died-down long ago. In fact, Kashmiris have never reconciled with the foreign occupation. This survey report of the Kashmiri youth is a clear referendum against Indian occupation, its forceful declaration of the state as union territories and above all, the deployment of about a million security forces. Today, Indian occupied part of the Jammu and Kashmir state is world’s largest militarized zone. The ratio of troop’s deployment versus local population is highest in the world, never witnessed in the history of world; not even during world wars (WW-I and WW-II). With constant deployment of one million security forces, India is making demographic changes in IoK. These demographic changes aimed to change the Muslim majority in the occupied state by inhabiting non-state Hindus from all over India.
Even after passage of seven months, the occupied state of Jammu and Kashmir is still under a lock-down. People are not allowed to leave their houses without prior permission of Indian security forces. There have been food shortages, non-availability of medicines and other necessities of life in IoK since last seven months. Hospital treatment was allowed to those, whom Indian security forces permitted. In the wake of recent outbreak of Corona Virus, there have been cases in Indian occupied Kashmir too. As per Al-Jazeera “Anxiety and fear is gripping residents of Indian-administered Kashmir after the first Corona Virus case was found in the region’s main city, Srinagar.” So far there are four positive cases of Corona Virus in IoK. There can be many more, since there is no internet facility and means of communication to know exact details. International media reporters like Al-Jazeera revealed these four cases. The Indian administered local Government is less bothered about the people and their health. The local population still remains ill-informed with siege and curfew continuing all most in all parts of the state. According to Zaffar Mohiudin-a medical student from Kashmir, “How will you get informed about this pandemic which has struck globally when you do not have access to information?” This News agency questions Indian response towards the outbreak of this deadly disease. Indian Government is just concerned about the security in the state, not the people’s health. “Here the government is more concerned about so-called security and terror activities but is less concerned about the health and safety of the people of the region. It is high time for the government to restore high-speed internet in the region so that people can have information.”
Since August 5, 2019, Amnesty International has repeatedly asked Indian Government to restore full internet services in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir. India has refuted all such demands and still holding on with a clam-down of IoK. India is misleading the world that, it has restored the communication and internet services in IoK. Nevertheless, its one million strong security forces are still engaged in terrorizing the Kashmiri masses. Kashmiri youth are being killed on daily basis on various accounts through fake encounters. Through an independent survey, the Kashmiri youth from all parts of the state have given their verdict which is a form of referendum. The survey has once again exposed the Indian deceits, its strategy of demographic changes in IoK and above all its designs about the future of the state. With all such evidences, ground realities and surveys, it is right time for the United Nations and major power centres to force implementation of the long-awaited UN resolutions for the grant of right of self-determination to the oppressed people of the Jammu and Kashmir state.
— The writer is Professor of Politics and IR at International Islamic University, Islamabad.
