We have thought it expedient to place before the G20 countries the factsheet about the international legitimacy and unilateralism of the mighty with regard to the place they are scheduled to visit as planned by the Government of India. This effort has a malafide intention to drum a false narrative about the fake normalcy to hoodwink international opinion regarding the disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir. This is an opportunity as well to find the actual state of affairs by reaching out to suffering people who have been subjected to unprecedented humiliation in their imprisoned paradise.
We the bruised humanity living in the vale of Kashmir welcome you with all our concerns and request you to decide objectively and help us redeem our fundamental freedoms and all the human rights including the promised right of self-determination. The most beautiful land of the world surrounded by Himalayan mountains. Filled with cold sweet natural water resources, decorated with natural meadows and mountains covered with snow, lakes, rivers and natural resources but surrounded by three nuclear powers which had made it a nuclear flash point.
We the people of Kashmir will receive you with warm and open arms in the heritage city of Srinagar where you will find different cultural and religious places as signs of unity, brotherhood and harmony. We the people of Kashmir greet you in a country famous for its beauty and history. We the people of the state hail you because we know that your visit will encourage the people to speak to you in such an environment where all is not well. We are ready to receive our international guests in our country if they will collect the information from their own independent sources that what is happening in Kashmir. We are aware that history of Chittisingh-pura will be repeated and innocent Kashmiris will be killed to blame the neighbours.
Reports are that during President Clinton’s visit to India in March 2000 India planed to involve Pakistan and defame Kashmiris’ rights movement. Lt Gen (Retd) KS Gill in 2017 who was part of the investigation, in an interview to Sikh News Express, told Journalist Jasneet Singh “that the Indian Army was involved in the massacre and the report had been submitted to L.K. Advani who was the Home Minister in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government then.”
We fear that all those who are arrested during this month will be disappeared and Indian plan is to eliminate the innocent people especially young boys. Why are all communication sources suspended and recorded by Indian agencies was said by UN Special Repourteour on right to freedom of expression.
Why more forces are sent to Kashmir in presence of 1000,000 Indian army during these days.
We invite you to visit our leadership who are on your way to Kashmir in jails in IIOJK and Indian Tihar and other jails and those who are house ar-rested as well.
Dear G20 countries, there is a very beautiful vil-lage in Kashmir surrounded by hills and mountains called Kunanposhpora. Visit those women and fami-lies who are waiting for justice – it is a forgotten story of mass rape. According to the former Indian Prime Minister Chandra Shakher it is black dot on our democracy.
The US State Department in its 1992 report on international human rights stated that there was “credible evidence” that supports the mass rape charges against the army unit at Kunanposhpora.
Go through these evidences “The Silence of a Night” and “Do You Remember Kunanposhpora? Our guests do visit different graveyards in Kashmir where 100,000 people are buried, among them is six year old child.
Visit orphanages where children without fathers are living. Meet parents of disappeared persons who are waiting for their dear ones. Reach widows and half-widows who are living in fear.
Why India is hosting these working group meet-ings in Kashmir? Yes the answer is not difficult. Everybody knows what is happening there.
Check the track record of Indian human rights situation in Kashmir. India wants to deceive the international community and show normalcy in Kashmir.
Have you forgotten the cries of our women and their cry for freedom?
The Indian government is trying to conceal ground realities from the foreign envoys to Kashmir and achieve its strategic goals.
“India’s present-day government, which in bra-zen violation of the UNSC resolutions had unilater-ally and unlawfully changed the special status of Kashmir in 2019, has since then been remorselessly peddling lies to promote the so-called normalcy narrative on Kashmir”.
The G20 Summit in Kashmir has triggered genuine concerns amongst Kashmiris, fearing that the government would yet again use the summit to crush the people like Pulwama and Chittisinghpura.
The prevailing situation in the region, will help our friends to understand the Indian designs and motives and will revisit their plan to attend the summit.
We hope that the honourable members of the Group will not allow the Indian government to use this meeting to project its baseless normalcy narrative without giving an iota of importance to the wishes and aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
We know economic relationship and cooperation between the countries is essential for their people. But what about those who have been denied of their basic rights? Who are promised to live a free and independent life as your people are enjoying?
We believe that the imposed war by India on the people of Kashmir who are helpless unarmed un-supported will get your attention on the recent de-velopments made by India to crush the identity and divide the state into pieces.
We also believe that the upcoming event being hosted by India in Kashmir is to create an atmosphere of fear and communicate to neighbouring countries that India is big boss of this region.
Punkaj Mishra’s article is a big hope for unheard people of Kashmir, he writes “Bloody protests against military rule get little coverage, while India maintains its repression”.
We hope that your support to resolve the issue peacefully by dialogue and your long-held position on the issue will continue to play its role to help the Kashmiris to live in peace and stop India to become a serious threat to peace and security in South Asia.
We the people of occupied Kashmir have been demanding implementation of the UNSC resolutions that, besides upholding the Kashmiris’ right of self-determination, call for a free and fare referendum to allow the Kashmiri people to exercise their right to determine their political future through an impartial plebiscite.
Peace cannot be achieved through tourism and political games. It needs commitment political will and respect for human rights.
To conclude it is worthwhile to quote the Indian diplomat Mr Satinder Lambs who says in his book ‘In Pursuit of Peace: India-Pakistan Relations Under Six Prime Ministers’ “that great powers should not wait passively for events to unfold, but should seek to shape their environment in pursuit of their national interest.”
Dear G20 countries rise to the occasion and ad-dress our political uncertainty and the Indian repres-sion. Uncertain times give rise to uncertain answers.
[Shamim Shawl is political and human rights activist and representative of International Muslim Women’s Union at UNHRC Geneva.]
