Islamabad
The All Parties Hurriyat Conference Azad Jammu and Kashmir (APHC-AJK) chapter has written to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, drawing attention to the Narendra Modi-led Indian government’s attempts to mislead the world by staging parliamentary elections in the UN-recognized disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Kashmir Media Service, in the letter, the APHC-AJK Convener said that despite the suspension of fundamental freedoms and widespread human rights abuses, India is attempting to project a facade of democracy.
The letter, written on behalf of the Kashmiris, said, “India is using these elections as an instrument to project a facade of democracy and de-legitimate the Kashmiris’ peaceful struggle for right to self-determination”.
It said, the Kashmiris have largely boycotted previous elections, seeking permanent solution to the conflict, adding the international community has also raised concerns about the legitimacy of these elections and called for a peaceful resolution to the dispute.
The letter highlighted the alarming deterioration of fundamental freedoms and civic space in occupied Jammu and Kashmir since India’s apartheid regime led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi stripped the region of its special status in 2019. Over the past five years, the Modi government has targeted critics, including civil society groups, human rights defenders, and independent media, to crush dissent in the territory, it adds.
The APHC-AJK convener urged the UN chief to take immediate action to address the situation in the occupied territory, adding, “It’s important to note that the situation in Kashmir is complex but the Indian government, notwithstanding the harsh ground realities, is unabashedly engaged in painting a sort of “all is well” portrait of Kashmir-the region where chaos and uncertainty reigns supreme”.
He called for a UN-supervised plebiscite to determine the Kashmiri people’s political fate. The letter also demanded an end to human rights abuses, the release of political prisoners, and inclusive dialogue to resolve the lingering dispute peacefully. KMS-R
The text of the letter is as follows: His Excellency,
Mr. Antonio Gutters
The UN Secretary General
UN Headquarters,
New York, Washington DC
Subject: Elections not a substitute to plebiscite in Kashmir
Excellency,
I, on behalf of the people of the Indian held territory of Jammu and Kashmir, wish to seek your urgent attention towards the Indian government’s attempts to mislead the world by staging yet another Election-Drama in the held territory in the name of parliamentary elections.
Excellency,
It is noteworthy to mention here that the election is taking place at a time when essential fundamental freedoms in the region remain largely suspended. There has been an alarming deterioration of fundamental freedoms and civic space in Kashmir since India’s apartheid regime led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi stripped the region of its special status in 2019. Over the past five years, the Modi government has attempted to crush every form of dissent by targeting critics including civil society groups, human rights defenders and independent media.
Excellency,
The Indian government has been using its repressive state apparatus to silence political dissent and maintain control over the region. Ruthless suppression of dissent has led to a wide-range of human rights violations, including:
• Use of excessive force and pellet-gun against peaceful protesters
• Arbitrary detentions, arrests and torture of political activists, civilians and leaders of the APHC .
• Enforced disappearances and fake encounters
These actions have been criticized by international human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the United Nations.
It’s important to note that the situation in Kashmir is complex but the Indian government, notwithstanding the harsh ground realities, is unabashedly engaged in painting a sort of “all is well” portrait of Kashmir-the region where chaos and uncertainty reigns supreme.
The allegations of human rights violations and the use of excessive force by the Indian government in Kashmir are well-documented and widely condemned by the international community.
Excellency,
New Delhi has since long used farcical elections as a smokescreen to create a false impression of normalcy in the territory. However, the legitimacy of elections held in Kashmir by India, in the presence of a large number of troops, is a highly contested and debated issue. Independent observers have always raised their concerns over the credibility of these polls lacking fairness and transparency.
The heavy military presence has been used by the Indian government as a leverage to:
• Intimidate voters and opposition candidates
• Restrict freedom of speech and assembly
• Skew the electoral process in favor of pro-India candidates
Moreover, these elections were used by India as an instrument to:
• Project a facade of democracy and de-legitimate the Kashmiris’ peaceful struggle for right to self-determination.
• Hoodwink global community • Strengthen its control over the region
• Divide and rule the Kashmiri population
Excellency,
The international community, including human rights organizations and foreign governments, have time and again raised their concerns about the legitimacy of these elections and called for:
• A reduction in military presence • An end to human rights abuses
• Release of all political prisoners • Inclusive and meaningful dialogue to resolve the lingering dispute peacefully
• Holding a UN-supervised plebiscite to allow Kashmiris to determine their political fate
The Kashmiri population has also largely boycotted these elections in the past, citing a lack of trust in the process and a desire for a permanent solution to the conflict. But India has blatantly refused to give a heed to the clarion calls emanating from within and outside Jammu and Kashmir.
