How Can Pakistanis help
the Kashmiri People
Introduction
The real tragedy
that has happened with the current Kashmir struggle and its dejected youth is
this age in which struggles are no more struggles but acts of terrorism. Over
the past three decades, state apparatuses from around the globe and national
security machines have played with the pedigree of protests. Jihad got
redefined repeatedly to take the form it eventually did. It is now interpreted
as nothing but terrorism. The Indian government
exercised each and every measure to suppress the unarmed freedom-seeking
people, but, ironically, neither did the international community appeared upset
over the atrocities nor the world powers tried to rein in the oppressor.
Non State Actors
Within Pakistan,
the jihadi groups and all those trying to gain public attention are very
critical of the government not taking action. Notwithstanding that the current
political dispensation is eager to improve links, there is not a lot it can do
militarily. The last option was exhausted during the Kargil war. When asked
during a DCC if the military could push further to capture the valley, General
(retd) Musharraf had responded in the negative. Given the current international
scenario, most of Pakistan’s international friends, including the Chinese or an
older infatuation such as the US, would not recommend upping the ante in
Kashmir through regular forces or non-state actors. Musharraf did close down
Pakistani infrastructure to help the Kashmir war, camps were closed and people engaged
were let go . Pakistan, however, did refuse to act against private groups who
were assisting the Kashmir militants.
Bilateral and International Institutions
The Pakistani government must take up the matter bilaterally or even
through institutional mechanisms such as the OIC, SARAC and the UN. For this,
it must work on building its reliability. No matter what the government says
about Islamabad not being isolated, international forums reverberate with
echoes of Pakistan’s dual approach in fighting terrorism. Additionally, states,
since they organise around their permanent interests and not ethics, seem to
pay little attention to the Kashmir struggle . Since a large issue with the
Kashmir movement is the environment it is taking place in, Islamabad’s primary contribution should be to remind people about
the exact nature of the movement; this being about people’s woes rather than
terrorism, and to build pressure on the international community regarding its
moral responsibility to protect humanity
Lack of Intensity in Pakistan’s
response
Pakistan’s response to the Kashmir issue has been
lukewarm. The group comprising parliamentarians set-up to rally international support
( a year or so ago) were found half-prepared to garner the needed assistance. However, with the initiation of CPEC,
which is bound to change the dynamic of this region, Pakistan should seek the
involvement of China and Russia into the Kashmir issue just as they are
involved in solving the Afghan cause. The dynamics of the insurgency in
Afghanistan and Kashmir could be different but the danger of the Kashmir
struggle morphing into terrorism under the assistance of other regional
terrorist network cannot be ruled out. After all, both Afghanistan and Kashmir
are fighting for their right to have an independent state without the influence
of foreign or rogue state forces. In this context, it is imperative that
Kashmir should also stop bleeding, and Pakistan has to take a more robust lead
in seeing this happen.
Indian ban on news related to Kashmir
India has banned the
newspapers, TV and internet. International community is unaware of the
prevailing conditions in Kashmir because of this ban. Pakistan must provide
authentic news related to the plight of the Kashmiri people
Burhan Wani
After
the death of Burhan Wani, Pakistan has been trying to win the case it lost long
ago; Kashmir’s annexation with Pakistan. One example of these double standards
is Maqbool Butt. A Kashmiri separatist and co-founder of Jammu Kashmir
Liberation Front who was hanged on February 11, 1984 by the Indian
government on the charges of killing an Indian intelligence officer. He posed
serious threats to Indian administration and apparently confirmed with
Pakistan’s official anti-India rhetoric.
But
why we never glorified him? We don’t even hear about him. The reason is that he
did not uphold the Pakistani official narrative on Kashmir. Maqbool was against
the ‘Occupation’ of both the states. He claimed to have represented the
majority of Kashmiri population and he also succeeded in gaining
significant popularity and support. Maqbool butt was also an ambigious
personality, not deemed as useful tool, both Pakistan and India declared him
agent and spy of their rivalries. In India he was declared a Pakistani agent
and in Pakistan he was arrested. His words in court Pakistani court
were:“Freedom and independence is the fate and destination of Jammu Kashmir.
Indian rulers or Pakistani generals and bureaucrats cannot enslave Jammu
Kashmir for a long time.”
Pakistani
Direct Support
Pakistan
funded and trained militants in Kashmir, it gave an almost parallel power to
its non-state Islamist actors. Former president and retired General, Pervez
Musharaf had admitted this to German magazine Der Spiegel. “They (underground
militant groups to fight against India in Kashmir) were indeed formed,” he
said.
Arif
Jamal in his book Shadow
War::The Untold Story of Jihad in Kashmir has revealed this in
extensive details. He outlines the military adventure of President Musharraf,
the infamous Kargil war, as a logical corollary to Pakistan’s policy of using
jihadis as a strategic tool in the war against India. As Musharraf claimed it
in his biography, it was waged to internationalise the Kashmir issue but it
ended up isolating Pakistan internationally instead and for which Pakistan bore
an enormous human cost. The financial cost of the war, met through Pakistani
taxpayer’s money, excluding the compensation rose to $700 million. Jamal
analyses how the role of jihadis was overstated by the military and the
sacrifices of Northern Light Infantry (NLI) drawn from Gilgit Baltistan/Norther
Areas were ignored by the media.
Arif
Jamal outlined the formative phase of the Kashmir conflict and the evolution of
the policy of using cross border Islamic militancy as an instrument of foreign
policy, by focusing on Pakistan’s first jihad under direct military command. It
led to partition of Kashmir into Pakistani and Indian occupied Kashmirs within
a year of independence in 1947.
He
discusses how CIA money, destined for the Afghan mujahideen in the 80s, was passed
to Kashmiri jihadis under Zia, creating a vital nexus of power and patronage of
Islamic militants by the Pakistani military. Jamat-i-Islami (JI), provided
ideological strength and human resource, in addition to coordinating jihadi
network with various brands of Islamic militants across the world, fuelling a
more than twenty-five year insurgency.
Demystifying
the notion of jihad as a selfless struggle for the glory of Islam, the author,
exposed the vicious competitions among various militant organisations fighting
for share in the spoils of holy war. With the ascent of secular mission of
JKLF, the Kashmiri nationalist militants in the 80s, JI fought back to take a
lead role in the Kashmir Jihad with the help of ISI in post-Zia period.
The
book describes the factional struggle within the jihadi network and the
hegemony of Hizbul Mujahideen and its allied organisations on the reign of
terror that they unleashed in Indian-held Kashmir. They looted shops, bombed
cinemas, targeted unveiled Muslim women and kidnapped, tortured and murdered
Hindu businessmen and officials. In the process of conflict, Kashmiri society,
which largely avoided communal riots at the time of partition, was convulsed
into brutal violence, rising fundamentalism and communalism, and the flight of
nearly the entire Hindu population from the Valley.
Trade Relations
with India
Trade relations with
India should be broken up. All Muslim countries should be tempted for this
boycott under the OIC resolution of April 1993. Indian goods that are exported
to Middle East are 50% of its total exports. If a successful campaign is
launched against it then this economic pressure can also force India to accept
the rights of Kashmiris. Then economic sanctions can also be demanded on
international level. Resolutions should be approved in Security Council,
General Assembly and on other platforms. The world is boycotting the goods of
Israel because of the Palestinian issue. Firstly it seemed impossible but after
some years it will be successful. Now Israel is furious at this.
Indian policy
India’s policy of using brute force to quell any small or large
insurgencies in the region, political mismanagement, and repression of
Kashmiris has undoubtedly deeply alienated the people in the valley, which puts
serious doubt on the sustainability of any solution that ignores their
aspirations. A large proportion of the people in the territory do not want
it to be governed by India. They prefer instead either independence or union
with Pakistan.
It is a complicated matter, given the population of the Indian-administered
state of Jammu and Kashmir is more than 60 per cent Muslim. This makes it the
only state within India where Muslims are in the majority. The Muslim majority provinces
had prompted the division of Punjab, Bengal and eventually the division of India.
Steps Pakistan Government needs to take
Many
are exasperated at Pakistan's lack of actual action in the Kashmir issue.
Kashmir is in an “Emergency state" and Pakistan continues to behave as
though it's just another day of human rights violations The high number of civilian casualties. India
seems to get away with it all.
The closest Pakistan has got is to finally put
forward a conflict resolution model. Here it is. We read it in the paper but
where is the actual document?
Was this presented to the Secretary General of
the UN? How exactly will this model be implemented? Has Pakistan addressed the
fact that “dialogue" is never going to be successful with a fascist
government like India. If so what is the alternative for Kashmir? There is no
point screaming dialogue if India's left the building.
Imran Khan has made a fantastic speech https://timesofislamabad.com/27-Oct-2018/pm-imran-khan-s-strong-message-on-kashmir-black-day
but speeches aren't enough anymore. The following needs to be done.
1. Where is the emergencyfollowing needs ti UNSC
meeting for Kashmir? Palestine seems to have them but Kashmir does not .See https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2018/05/15/561836/Israel-Gaza-UN
2. Where is the resolution for the full
Inquiry for Kashmir at the UNHRC? Countries can't vote without a resolution.
The international community can't take action without a resolution at the Human
Rights Council. Yemen got it's resolution and vote despite it being a
relatively new conflict. Kashmir is a 70+ year conflict.
3. Where is the ICJ application for self
determination? If Pakistan is dithering on this application, have Kashmiris
sought legal advice from an international lawyer
4. Critics of the Indian fascist state have
been taken down directly and indirectly. The latest casualty is Kashmir
supporter and campaigner Bea. India clearly finds her Twitter account a threat
and has banned it. India is exerting its pressure on governments to get many
critics and campaigners shut down. Where is Pakistan's support for us all? It's
nowhere to be seen. India's powerhouse propaganda is allowed uncontrollably to
destroy Kashmir. It's also destroying Pakistan and its reputation.
5. India has slithered its way into the Human
Rights Council? Where was the rabid objection from Pakistan? Nowhere again!
6. It is commonly known that mass complaints
to the UNHRC triggers inquiries and investigation. It's well known that
campaigning to the UNHRC achieved results. Certainly the African countries
manage it. Even though India has banned a UNHRC visit, there are still calls by
various people in Pakistan for the UNHRC to arrange a fact finding mission.
Well, one can't do that if one is blocked from entering. The information must
therefore reach the UNHRC. Is Pakistan doing this? Is anyone in Kashmir doing
this?
Is there an ambush of complaints from Kashmir?
Well, no there isn't. Why isn't there?
We have an Emergency situation in Kashmir with
no Emergency Response. While the Pakistani Military does it's best to raise
Kashmir,
Conclusions
Pakistan
needs to understand that it has already lost the war on both moral and
political grounds. Pakistan keeps lambasting Indian atrocity and crackdown over
Kashmiri rebels, but at the same time stands on the opposite extreme. This
fails to validate Pakistan’s claims of being an advocate of Human rights and a right
to self-determination and ultimately fails to gain the wider popularity from
Kashmiris and international community alike.
This
policy undermines the Kashmir’s real political struggle and is the real reason
why Kashmiris don’t see Pakistan as their saviour. Pakistan needs to construct
a moral ground on which it can justify its claims, which unfortunately seems
very unlikely in the current context of Pakistan’s foreign policy based on
anti-India rhetoric.
But beyond the Indian polemic about Pakistan’s overinflated role in
Kashmir, there is a distraught relationship Kashmiris do in fact have with
Pakistan. For Kashmiris, Pakistan’s support is both welcome and a cause for
anxiety, especially when it shifts gears: at one moment offering unconditional
support to the Kashmiri right to self-determination, at another, backing only
those formations that support “merger with Pakistan” over the overwhelming view
that favors Kashmir’s independence. Kashmiri Tehreek
is not about the plebiscite with its two choices, but a historical struggle for
dignity of Kashmiris as a people. The source of humiliation which Kashmiris
experience is not from having been denied the choice between India and
Pakistan, but precisely because of the imperial claims that the two
postcolonial states have made on Kashmir’s land. I don’t want to suggest India
and Pakistan have been equally culpable, nor is it accurate to suggest their
relationship to Kashmiris can be deemed as equivalent. For Indian nationalists,
Kashmiris are akin to squatters on a sacred land that belongs to India. For
Pakistani nationalists, on the other hand, Kashmiris are like “brothers and
sisters.” Yet, this kinship claim has not driven many Pakistani nationalists to
lift themselves out of a cultivated ignorance about Kashmir’s history and
Kashmiri aspirations. Pakistani society, from university teachers and students
to progressive movements and activists, must rebuild Pakistan’s view of
Kashmiris, not as a people who need patronage or who are knocking on the gates
to become part of Pakistan, but as friendly neighbors under assault from a
violent occupier state and who want to live in a free country of their own.
This can happen through a free, open and respectful mutual engagement between
Pakistanis and Kashmiris, through serious scholarly collaboration, cultural and
political exchanges, and through linking of progressive struggles in Pakistan
with the struggle for freedom in Kashmir.
The Indian government promises attention to Kashmiri concerns, but
there’s no sign of genuine political initiative. Delhi seems to have decided it
can simply contain the insurgency and ride out any political turbulence. The
Kashmir issue does not sway many votes in Indian elections, and the level of
international concern is low – meaning there’s no great pressure on India to
resolve a problem which has festered ever since independence seven decades ago.
UPDATE
21 DEC 2018 —
In the last 24 hours, Twitter has been asked by the Indian government to suspend the accounts of a number of human rights defenders for Kashmir. This includes Jasmine DM. Apparently, circulating the evidence on human rights violations isn't acceptable to India.
This is not the first time Jasmine has been trolled and attacked by cybercell India. Clearly RAW has nothing much to do these days.
1. These are the documents given to me by the UN on Kashmir. As the publicity has been shut off by India, please circulate these
16 Aug 2017:
https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=23283
9 May 2017: https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=23116
28 July 2016: https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=3282
9 May 2017: https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=23116
28 July 2016: https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=3282
2. Imran Khan has spoken to the Secretary General and outlined the importance of the concerns raised in Kashmir https://www.dawn.com/news/1452602
There is a rumour of further development at the UN. I will post updates here
Regards
Dr Rita Pal
1. Dr. Rita Pal: Jan., 21, 2019: We
have noted the report by the UNHRC following our complaint detailed here www.kashmirhumanrights.com It
was a good report but with no further action. You will agree that the idea of
reports is to solve the Kashmir problem. In this case, the emergency remains
unsolved and left to escalate with more civilian casualties. There has
been no resolution so the HRC is able to vote for a full inquiry ( as was done
in the case of Yemen). There has been
no UNSC review despite the high death rate of civilians. There has been no
consideration of a referral to the ICC or a decision by the ICJ. These options
have been concealed by yourselves and not publicised. The people of
Kashmir have not been informed of the fact that the UN can do more. No help or
advice has been given to the people of Kashmir on how to raise concerns of
complain to the UN safely. The UN/UNHRC has left Kashmir to slowly die. It's a
conflict zone with a high rate of PTSD, disability, injuries, high numbers of
arrests, mass graves, bereavement, torture centres you've turned a blind eye
to, sexual exploitation by the military, hybrid warfare inflicted on its people
by India and the destructive consequences of India's ineffectual ill
thought-out counter terrorism policies.
The place is becoming more dysfunctional and dangerous with each vague,
ineffective impractical UN statement made by you. It is possible to allocate a individual similar to Owen Dixon in the
past. They could mediate an agreement between India and Pakistan.
Kashmir is entitled to its own rights of self determination and accountability
yet you insist on neglecting their civil rights. You give no reason why this
cannot be done for Kashmir The UN has accepted donations from India and given
it accolades despite the UNHRC Report on Kashmir, it's potential war crimes and
it's neglect of the civil rights of Kashmiri individuals.The UN has failed to
hold India accountable in any way or form. It's inaction resulting in lack of
hope has increased militancy and made Kashmir volatile and vulnerable to
exploitation. You once said you did not tolerate fascism yet you allow the
Indian government to execute innocent civilians, use human shields, create mass
graves and walk away without any accountability. Kashmiris have been censored
and so have foreign activists like us. Prof Kaye has simply written letters and
there doesn't seem to be any accountability for India's lack of concern for the
UN's view. The net result is a complete silencing of civilians in Kashmir. In
conclusion, the UN is seen as a toothless organisation since it's been unable
to protect civilians in Kashmir for the last 71 years. Is this what you wish its
reputation to be? We therefore conclude that the UN/UNHRC has not done their
job yet. There is a lack of confidence in its ability to hold fascist countries
to account. We are the complainants to the UNHRC and we are disappointed in the
total lack of immediate action for Kashmiris. They deserve better. They deserve
an organisation that works for their civil rights. Instead, the UN appears to
us to be working to protect its donations from India. This is an insult to the
Kashmiris who have suffered terribly at the hands of the cruel inhumane Indian
forces
1.
Government
in Exile: Feb., 6, 2019: Mr Baloch(of JI) urged the world
community to shun its silence on the Kashmir issue and play its role in
motivating the UN for the grant of right to self-determination to the Kashmiris.
He also stressed upon the Pakistan government to present a roadmap for the
liberation of Kashmir, saying that there could be no talks with India till it
stopped considering Kashmir its integral part. Mr Azeem called upon the government to set up a `government
in exile` of the Kashmiris under the leadership of veteran leader Syed Ali
Geelani. Islamabad should not only recognize such a government, but also
establish Kashmir desks at every embassy so that Kashmiri leaders could
present their case to the world.
Kashmir is in turmoil. The government has imposed curfew, banned all public meetings, arrested more than 20,000 youth and placed the Kashmiri leadership under house arrest. Internet services have been snapped and all university examinations postponed. Barricades have been erected everywhere in the Srinagar (Capitol city) and other towns. More than 8.5 million people of Kashmir Valley are under siege since August 5, 2019.
Update: Feb., 10, 2109: To
begin with, Pakistan needs to comprehend duly that religious diplomacy has a
great potential to catch India off guard and bring about a qualitative change
in the enduring struggle of Kashmiris for their right to self-determination.
Building on the Sikhs-specific Kartarpur initiative, it should now open up Shardah Valley in Azad Kashmir and
allow all Hindus, especially those living in Kashmir, to visit the area,
freely. Home to Shardah Devi and a centuries-old civilisation, the area is
among the holiest places for Hindus who desperately long for visiting it in
their lifetime.
As the Sikh community strongly reacted to
the lukewarm response by Delhi to Pakistan’s Kartarpur initiative, lack of
enthusiasm on Shardah Valley would again pit India against its own people —
this time around the fundamentalist Hindus. Apart from dispelling cross-border
terrorism charges against Pakistan, the decision would eventually compel India
to open Chirar Sharif shrine on its side in Srinagar for pilgrims of Azad
Kashmir. Needless mentioning that it would be a gigantic leap towards turning
the barriers between two parts of Kashmir irrelevant, a prerequisite in the
eyes of many for a peaceful settlement of the conflict.
Furthermore, barring Azad Kashmir to
international visitors and rights organizations has historically served
Pakistan no purpose at all. Of late, in fact it provided an excuse to the UN
Human Rights Office to censure Pakistan in its special report for violation of
human rights in Azad Kashmir. Notwithstanding ubiquitous militarization and
imposition of draconian laws, India on the contrary has always projected
Kashmir under its control as the ultimate destination of tourists and a symbol
of its federalism. Removal of iron clad
on Azad Kashmir is, therefore, essentially important to let the world make a
fair and square comparison between the degree of human rights and civil
liberties enjoyed by the Kashmiris living across the divide, respectively.
Similarly, violation of child rights by India in Kashmir also needs to be
specifically highlighted at different forums attaching great significance to
this issue. According to a report by Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society
(JKCCS), children in the occupied valley are the direct target of Indian forces
who, with complete impunity, have exterminated 318 of them in the last 15
years.
One could hardly disagree that ghastly
incidents such as abduction, rape and murder of eight-year-old Asifa Bano and
blinding of 18-month-old Hiba Nisar through pellet guns by Indian troops could
not have gone almost unnoticed, were they highlighted effectively under various
international child rights conventions and protocols. Pakistan should not allow
India to go unscathed on such issues.
Legal experts in Pakistan should also look
into the question of filing law suits in the International Criminal Court against Indian officials and men in
uniform for crimes against humanity in Kashmir. Discovery of 2,080 unmarked
mass graves in Kashmir by civil society organisations, for instance, makes it a
perfect case to approach the court to try India on that count. Irrespective of
the outcome of such moves, the very decision would bring the world’s attention
back to the Kashmir situation and mount pressure on India to pay heed to the
clamours of Kashmiris for an amicable settlement of the issue.
Last but not the least, Pakistan should now
shun ill-advised procrastination on inclusion of Azad Kashmir cricket team in the PSL list. Besides transmitting a
softer image of Kashmiris and their struggle for right to self-determination
across the globe, the decision would make Kashmir a household name in the
cricketing world and open up new vistas of opportunities for its inhabitants to
seek moral and diplomatic support on the issue.
Can the United Nations do anything to stop the Carnage in Kashmir?
Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai
Kashmir is in turmoil. The government has imposed curfew, banned all public meetings, arrested more than 20,000 youth and placed the Kashmiri leadership under house arrest. Internet services have been snapped and all university examinations postponed. Barricades have been erected everywhere in the Srinagar (Capitol city) and other towns. More than 8.5 million people of Kashmir Valley are under siege since August 5, 2019.
Therefore, on behalf of the people of Jammu and Kashmir –and a territory whose status is yet to be determined under the resolutions of the United Nations – we approach the United Nations Secretary General with the appeal that he exerts his personal influence to help arrest immediately the campaign of mass slaughter and indiscriminate destruction in which the Indian occupation forces have been remorselessly engaged in Kashmir since January 1990 in general and August 5, 2019 in particular. In this context, we would like the Secretary General to bear the following points in mind:
The acts of indiscriminate killing of unarmed civilians and assaults on innocent women and children have not been fully reported in the world press because the Indian occupation authorities barred the entry of the world media into the territory and the restriction have been imposed even on the local media on reporting any incident that takes place in the Valley of Kashmir.
Nevertheless, even the occasional reports that have appeared do afford a glimpse into the reign of terror, established by India inside the occupied territory.
Amnesty International on September 5, 2019 initiated a campaign, which says, “Nearly 8 million people in Kashmir have been living through a communication shut down since August 5. The world needs to know what’s happening. Take action and demand that the government let Kashmir speak.”
Arundhati Roy, Booker Prize winner wrote in The New York Times on August 15, 2019, “Today Kashmir is one of the most or perhaps the most densely militarized zone in the world. More than a half-million soldiers have been deployed to counter what the army itself admits is now just a handful of ‘terrorists.’ If there were any doubt earlier it should be abundantly clear by now that their real enemy is the Kashmiri people. What India has done in Kashmir over the last 30 years is unforgivable.”
The New York Times headlines on August 10, 2019 reads: “Inside Kashmir, Cut Off From the World: ‘A Living Hell of Anger and Fear.”
HUFFINGON POST wrote on August 5, 2019 that “As Kashmir Is Erased, Indian Democracy Dies In Silence.”
Michael De Dora & Aliya Iftikhar described the situation in Kashmir in CNN – Opinion on August 15, 2019: “Kashmiris have displayed admirable courage in the face of this crisis, and their voices should be heard.”
Ramachandra Guha, an Indian writer wrote in The Washington post on August 14, 2019, “India was a miracle democracy. But it’s time to downgrade its credentials.”
We must mention here that even in today’s violent world, the behavior of the Indian occupation regime in Kashmir is singular in as much as it has enjoyed total impunity. Nor a word of condemnation has been uttered by world powers; not even a call on India to cease and desist from its near-genocidal campaign. This is not merely a case of passivity and inaction; in practical effect, it amounts to an abetment and encouragement of murderous tyranny. The matter becomes even more baffling in view of the fact that Kashmir, being the subject of an international dispute, cannot even remotely be regarded as falling within India’s domestic jurisdiction. If tyranny is not condoned inside the territory of a Member State of the United Nations, is there not greater reason for the United Nations to intervene when the territory is one whose disposition is to be determined through a fair vote under the impartial auspices of the world organization?
We are mindful of the fact that the established procedures of the United Nations will not facilitate the speedy intervention that both the humanitarian and the political aspects of the situation in Kashmir call for urgently. However, the minimum that can be done to help bring relief and redress to the people of Kashmir is to dispatch a fact-finding mission headed by a statesman or diplomatist of high international standing to report expeditiously on the situation in Kashmir. Such a mission could visit all parts of Jammu & Kashmir as well as the capitols of both India and Pakistan and verify the truth of allegations from either side. The matter is much too urgent to be relegated to the routine mechanism of the Human Rights Council and the various bodies established to monitor various conventions.
An authoritative pronouncement of Mr. Antonio Guterres, the Secretary General of the United Nations (contained in the press briefing on August 8, 2019) is pertinent in this context: “The position of the United Nations on this region (Jammu & Kashmir) is governed by the Charter of the United Nations and applicable Security Council resolutions.”
Additionally, we should beg to stress the following:
Many nations have been very firm and leading supporters of peacekeeping by the United Nations. The proposition is now generally accepted that mere peace keeping – which in the case of Kashmir has meant only the stationing of a military observer Group – doesn’t serve a long-term goal unless it is accompanied by a tangible peace process. No effort to negotiate a solution of a dispute which could take into account the rights of the people of Kashmir itself is being undertaken or has been undertaken for the last three decades.
The people of Kashmir are dismayed by this total apathy on the part of the United Nations when Governments, otherwise sympathetic to human rights situations make statements to the effect that India and Pakistan must resolve the issue on the basis of the Simla Agreement, they disregard the rights and aspirations of the people of Kashmir itself. We recognize that such disregard is not deliberate. Nevertheless, it tells and encourages India to sideline the United Nations and perpetuate its occupation of Kashmir by force.
We trust that the United Nations Secretary General brings his influence to bear on both India and Pakistan to initiate a peace process with which the United Nations and as well as the leadership of the people of Jammu & Kashmir will be associated so as to ensure that the settlement arrived at will be based on the principles of justice.
Dr. Fai is the Secretary General of World Kashmir Awareness Forum and can be reached at: 1-202-607-6435 or gnfai2003@yahoo.com www.kashmirawareness.org
