INDIA’S berserk attitude towards Kashmiris has started catching attention by members of the international community as more and more countries, parliamentary institutions, human rights organizations and media are joining the chorus to urge Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to review his policies. In a sharp rebuke to the Indian Government’s stance that Kashmir was an internal matter of New Delhi, the House of Commons of the United Kingdom (UK) on Thursday held a debate on the ‘critical situation’ in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
The highlight of the debate, proposed by Labour MP Sarah Owen, saw all parliamentarians in agreement ‘to hold the Indian Government accountable for its abusive behaviour, especially in the Kashmir Valley’. It was also heartening to note that the members expressed serious concern over the fact that people of occupied Kashmir are suffering due to an all-encompassing administrative lockdown imposed by the occupation forces since 05 August 2019 to suppress voice of Kashmiris against denial of their fundamental rights, unilateral abolition of special status of the territory and practical measures being taken by Modi Government to change demography of the area, which is in violation of the 4th Geneva Convention. They pointed out that the curfew imposed by Indian in IIOJK has had a profound and far-reaching impact on every aspect of life in Kashmir including health services, school closures and media freedom. The open debate was a clear message to India that the international community was not more willing to remain a silent spectator due to economic interests. There have also been debates on Kashmir situation at the UN Security Council but the institution, which is supposed to promote the cause of peace and security and uphold its charter, decided to keep such debates in-camera and only leaked versions were made available of what transpired during discussions on an issue that is still on the active agenda of the world body. In sharp contrast, British MPs spoke openly and comprehensively on the sorry state of affairs in occupied Kashmir including abuse of women and their rights. The United Kingdom has a special responsibility to play its role in resolution of the Kashmir conflict and help mitigate miseries of Kashmiris as the issue is a legacy of the partition. We hope that the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson would listen to the demand of his MPs for raising the issue in the right perspective with his Indian counterpart during his planned visit to India. In fact, the urgency of the situation demands he should not wait for the visit and do so without loss of further time as Human Rights Watch too, in its latest report, has denounced the Modi Government for intensifying repression in Jammu and Kashmir and targeting Muslims in India. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has also raised concerns over human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir. The UN ought to move beyond closed-door meetings and take firm action to stop genocide of Kashmir, their economic destruction and play a role in peaceful resolution of the longstanding conflict.
