India must restore normalcy in Kashmir: MEPs

Kashmir-EU week: The 12th Edition of Kashmir-EU week in the European Parliament (EP) concluded with the demand from India to restore normalcy in IOJ&K by restoring 370 and 35(A) an ending more than three-month old curfew.

By Khalid Hameed Farooqi
November 11, 2019

BRUSSELS: The 12th edition of Kashmir-EU week in the European Parliament (EP) has been concluded with the demand from India to restore normalcy in Indian occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IOJ&K)

The MEPs urged India to restore 370 and 35A, ending more than three-month old curfew, restriction on the free movement of people, immediate release of 13000 political youth and enforced unlawful imprisonment of political prisoners away from state of Jammu and Kashmir in different states of India.

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Moreover, MEPs Noshina Mubarak, Chair of South Asia Delegation of the European Parliament said, "this situation in IOK is unacceptable to democratic and civilised world."

Zainab Drobi, Sadia mir, Khaoula Sidiqui and Surya Siddiqi at the 12th edition of Kashmir-EU Week in the European Parliament.

Philp Banion , Member of Human right Sub Committee of EP, stressed that India’s action was a gross violation of human rights. He urged India to grant People of Kashmir right plebiscite .

Dr Sajjad Karim former MEP, expressed: "This is a duty of India to provide a conducive environment where people of Kashmir use their legal right to decide about the future according to the UN resolution."

Week long activities included conference with the sessions on Human Rights , Civil liberties, exchange of views with MEPs, experts Workshop "Where do we go from here ?" Photo exhibition , Beauty of Kashmir, the Richness of its culture and unfolding tragedy.

First session of the conference devoted to Human rights where Member of the European Parliament and Human Rights sub Committee Shafaq Mohmmad opened the Debate with remarks "India has an obligation to comply with international human rights law and india has to revoke Armed Forces Special Power Act."

Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir Raja Mohmmad Farooqi Haider Khan shared with Member of European Parliament first hand information about ongoing situation on the LoC and in J&K . Farooqi Haider talked about the Indian shelling on villages along the line of control, which claimed innocent lives of women, children and men .

The organiser of the Kashmir-EU week and Chairman of Kashmir Council EU, Ali Raza Syed, told participants of the Conference that India trying to distort facts by making alliances with far right political parties in Europe and brought 27 MEPs - 24 of them belong to Far rights to Indian occupied Kashmir - to deceive the world . These all MEPs who recently visited New Delhi and Srinagar gave speeches during Kashmir urgency debate in the European Parliament in September Strasbourg in favour of India, even before going there, he added.

Four Kashmiri women from Srinager , Sadia Mir an Academic , Khaoula Sidiqui , Daughter of famous freedom fighter Farooqi Sidiqui, Zainab Broabi Kashmiri Activist , Surya Sidiqui, World Kashmiri Diaspora Alliance now based in London, New York, Manchester and Toronto gave their account of events unfolding in IO J&K

What is happening in Kashmir is dangerous to show what can happen to ethnic minorities within India: it’s unconstitutional, against human rights, unsustainable and dangerous...

Torture and restriction on civil liberties broke youth down mentally, and there were no avenues for the freedom of speech - India purposely created a climate that gives young people no choice but to protest/dissent.

India right wing say this is a separatist rhetoric, but thousands of cases of human right abuses have been documented well before this... it’s not narrative, it’s fact.

It said that nobody can speak for the Kashmiri people’s right of self determination, adding: "Other nations should advocate for us, if they believe in the legal framework, in world order, holding nations acceptable for their actions, but you must give Kashmiri’s the right to choose as was promised to be upheld by the UN.

"World cannot sit back and accept this because it sends a dangerous signal, supports rise of populism, we’ve seen this historically in Europe and mustn’t let it happen again."

Prime Minister Azad Jammu and Kashmir , Raja Muhammad Farooq Haider Khan held separate meetings with Members of European Parliament Mr. Davies Chris MEP , Mr. Bernard Guetta France MEP and Mr. Javeir Nart MEP from Spain.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister briefed the members of parliament about the Indian state terrorism in IOJ&K and ceasefire line areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. He said that Indian govt has been trying every barbaric act to suppress peaceful struggle of people but failed for the last seventy two years. From last three month Kashmir is under siege.

He said in last three months in IO J&K Indian occupational forces had killed about 42 civilians and 42 women were raped. Indian forces are using pellets to disperse peaceful protestors. In last three years’ due to pellets 10298 civilians injured, 147 persons had lost their complete eyesight and 215 had lost their one eye sight.

The AJK premier told the members that all political leadership of Kashmir is in jails. Almost 14,000 civilians including children of 11-12 years had been arrested in the last three months. People of IO J&K are living in a cage, they have no access to hospitals and there is a shortage of food and medicines. People living outside from IO J&K do not know about their families there because of complete communication blockade from last three months. The AJK Premier said that Indian forces are killing people of Kashmir on both sides of the ceasefire line. Indian forces are violating ceasefire line and targeting civilian population, hospitals and schools.

“In last ten months of this year due to Indian shelling 53 people were killed, 246 injured, 496 houses , 52 shops were damaged and 83 cattle head perished”, he added.

Raja Farooq Haider Khan said that Indian government is interested in the land and resources of Kashmir; she had no interest with the people of Jammu and Kashmir. India is occupier and aggressor in Kashmir and international community should understand this. Our struggle is against occupier and for right to self determination.

Kashmir-EU week the Photo Exhibition was organised by the Famous Belgian Photographer Cedric Gerbehaye . He displayed his photography about Indian held kashmir , moreover Book on kashmir, handicraft , shawls and other manifestation of culture can be seen as well . Large number of Meps , Diplomats and intellectuals showed great interest in the Exhibition which was on display for whole week on major venue in the European Parliament .

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