New York, :In a statement issued on the eve of India`s Republic day by the spokesperson of Kashmir Global Council Dr. Professor Humaira Gowher after the meeting of Board of Directors under chair of Farooq Siddiqi president of KGC, has said that on August 5, 2019, the Government of India has been belligerent in its ambition to brutally colonize the territories of Jammu and Kashmir. On that date, its actions were completely un warranted and based on biased political thought of satisfying the Hindutva manifesto.
Quoting out going Secretary General Altaf Qadri, Dr. Professor Gowher said that the events of August 5, 2019 are consistent with the manner of the occupation. People of Kashmir have suffered under the Indian governance, which has led to more than110,000 civilian deaths, more than 7800 disappeared, and thousands of Kashmiri women molested and many raped, tens of thousands tortured, maimed, and permanently injured men, women and children all by the Indian security forces during their 72-year reign of their occupation.
The vice president of KGC Mufti Showkat Farooqi Esq said that despite this persistent and wicked tyranny, the people of Kashmir never have nor ever will give up their right to be free. It is based on this internationally recognized, and principled stand. The Kashmiri diaspora and its allies worldwide stand in solidarity with J&K’s people.
We stand in support of the struggle to resist occupation and achieve the right to freedom and independence. We stand with them in their struggle to stop the Indian government from dehumanizing them by their settler-colonial plans.
KGC Board member Salim Nannaji said that Since, August 5, 2019, the Indian government, in order to crush any resistance to their illegal occupation, has instituted new draconian measures. Unilaterally removed any ruins of initial recognition of their occupation by abrogating Articles 370 and 35A of the Indian Constitution, imposed a total military lockdown and complete communication blockade. In a ruthless campaign they imprisoned politicians, journalists, and civil society members, to intimidate and suppress any form of dissent.
Since then, they have unleashed a well-designed imperialist plan that seeks to forever change the political nature of the Kashmir dispute through demographic changes, political maneuverings, and administrate machinations.
Raja Muzaffar in his remarks said that These alterations to J&K’s status and imposing new domicile laws that would entitle people from outside of J&K to obtain domicile certificates as a first step toward granting them the right to buy land and compete for local jobs. The Indian rulers have sought to blatantly disregard that these unilateral changes made to the UN-recognized international status are a clear violation of International Law.
Muen Hakak while speaking said that the consequences of these actions essentially forced the people be locked in their homes, terrorized by the Indian military without recourse to any justice against oppression. He quoted reports of J&K Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), and the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP), the army action has resulted in more than 225 killings, including underage children and) women, during the brutal Cordon and Destroy Operations (CADOs), in addition to hundreds of civilian dwellings, rendering their occupants homeless. Amnesty International has reported that disappearances, torture, and rape against Kashmiri are frequent. Genocide Watch has identified the actions of the Government of India as precursor to a likely genocide of the Kashmiri people.
Based on the facts on ground KGC appealed to all peoples of conscience and the newly elected President Joe Biden to take cognizance of the brutal oppression the people of Jammu and Kashmiri are facing under the occupying forces of India. We urge that India;
- Immediately release all political prisoners including underage children, journalists, and civil society members.
- Allow unfettered access to monitor and report on human rights violations by credible international bodies including United Nation Human Rights Council , UNHRC ,Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, International Federation for Human Rights, World Organization Against Torture (WOAT), Doctors without Borders, Physicians for Human Rights, and, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and other UN thematic rapporteurs.
- Halt and rescind all laws, such as the Domicile Laws, that have been instituted to speed the demographic changes and promote the ethnic, cultural, and political cleansing of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Immediate revocation of draconian law pf Public Safety Act (PSA), Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA)
- Disarm and withdraw all Indian and Pakistani military and paramilitary personnel from the occupied territories so that all the people in Jammu & Kashmir can be free and an independent sovereign State by exercising their right of self-determination as per UN Charter
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