IQBAL KHAN
I N a recent report, Amnesty International-India (AII) Director AII Avinash Kumar has urged the Indian government “to abandon random use of force in Occupied Kashmir and create an environment which is helpful for the Kashmiri people to combat COVID-19”. He has referred to some reports indicating that COVID-19 testing facility is not available in IOJ&K. He called upon the international community, particularly the United Nations, totake notice of the situation.COVID-19 relatedlockdown all over the world is voluntary and facilitative, but political lockdown in IOJ&K is brutal, inhuman and suppressive. Much before the advent of COVID-19, the situation in IOJ&K was perilous due to severity of lockdown’s imposition—each household has an armed solider to ensure implementation. Ealier the option was to die of hunger or bullet; now Corona Virus has become another choice. Shortage of ration and restrictions on access to medical facilities in the occupied territories are the glaring highlights of Indian lockdown. Around half of the planet’s population is under some form of lockdown as governments struggle to halt the spread of a disease. Medical facilities all over the world are being over whelmed. Even with the extended capacity, doctors saythey are still havingtomake painful choices. “If you get a surge of patients coming in, and you only have a limited number of ventilators, you can’t necessarily ventilate [all deserving] patients”… “Andthen you have to start picking and choosing.” Shamit Patel of the Beth Israel hospital said. India is anyway not offering full range of medical facilities to the residents of IOJ&K. Pakistan has strongly condemned and rejected the latest Indian action aimed at illegally changing the demographic structure of the India-occupied Jammu & Kashmir through a new domicile law. The so-called “Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Order 2020”is another illegal step by India to settle non-Kashmiris in IOJ&K. The latest Indian action, at this moment of global health crisis, is particularly reprehensible as it seeks to take advantage of the international community’s focus on the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. This is a clear violation of international law, includingthe 4th GenevaConvention. Indeed, Indiais busy evolving a new normal under the hangover of COVID19. This Indian action, a continuation of its illegal and unilateral steps since 05 August 2019, also constitutes violation of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions,internationallaw, bilateral agreements between India and Pakistan, and humanitarian norms. The Kashmiris in IOJ&K have outrightly rejected the new law as “unacceptable.” Indeed, the Kashmiris will never accept such blatant usurpation of their fundamental rights and attempts to change their demography and distinct uniqueness. Kashmiris always take pride in their separate identity and their way ofliving codified underthe caption “Kashmiriat”. To mitigate the COVID-19 effects, global leadership is trying to facilitate the people at large. Geostrategic conflicts have slowed down, at least for the time being.All states are trying their best to protect and facilitate their citizens. UN Secretary General and Pope Francis have appealed for global ceasefire. However, Indian troops continue with ceasefire violations across the Line of Control (LOC) as well as committing brutalities on the people of occupied Kashmir. While the entire world is fighting the menace of COVID-19, Indian attempts to provoke war in the region are condemnable. Pakistan has approached the European Union to take into consideration the prevailing humanitarian and human rights situationin IOJ&K, where over eight million Kashmiris are being deprived of critical information, household items and essential medical supplies due to on-going restrictions on communication and movement. Further underscoring the danger to the health and safety of hundreds ofKashmirileaders, youth and civil societymembers incarcerated by India in crowded prisons.In this context, the Foreign Minister called on the EU to uphold the human rights principles and call upon India to lift all restrictions, allow unfettered supply of goods and medicine, and release all prisoners. Soft revolt by India’s underprivileged urban daily wagers has sent a loud and clear message to India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi as to what a horrible thing lockdown is. While Kashmiris of IOJ&K are suffering a lockdown since 05 August, urban daily wagers of India could only endure it for three days. Facing a choice between deaths from hunger or COVID-19, they decided in favour of the latter. They en-mass defied the lockdown and distancing restrictions, “they walked way for hundreds of miles, in groups of families that included men and women, young and old—all trudging along deserted highways”. Some had nothing but flip-flops on their feet, and others lugged bags on their heads.Young parents balanced children on their shoulders. Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood Khan said on 31 March that for the people of occupied Kashmir, brutalities of Indian forces are more dangerous than the miseries of Corona Virus pandemic. No matter what its tactics, India will never be able to break the will of the Kashmiri people. Pakistan has been consistently sensitizing the international community about the BJP Government’s designs for demographic change in IOJ&K to perpetuate India’s illegal occupation of the disputed territory, manifestly against the wishes and aspirations of the Kashmiri people. The United Nations and the international community musttakeimmediate cognizance of this Indian action, prevent India from changing the demography ofthe occupiedterritory, and hold India accountable forits persistent violations ofinternationallaw. Hopefully,theinternational community, especiallytheUNwould pay attention to implications of India’s new domicile law and ask her to repeal it ab initio. It is time for the UNSG to appoints his special representative for Kashmir. —Thewriteris a freelance columnistbased in Islamabad.
