UN urged to help Kashmiris ‘who are humans without human rights’

LONDON: Leading human rights campaigners have said that the United Nations can succeed only if it protects and promotes human rights of all--including the suppressed people of Indian Held Kashmir--and not just a few.

At the roundtable conference held here under the auspices of International Commission for Human Rights (ICHR) and South Asia Centre for Peace and Human Rights (SACFPHR) in the William Sangster Room, Central Hall Westminster, speakers called on the UN to act robustly against states involved in violation of human rights, such as Indian occupation authorities.

The conference titled “Making Peaceful Resolution of Conflicts around the Globe Possible. including Kashmir” was organised to commemorate the upcoming Human Rights Day on 10th December 2017 and to highlight the continuing media neglect of such conflicts around the world.

The Roundtable was chaired by Victoria Schofield and Barrister A Majid Tramboo (Chairman, ICHR). Tramboo stated that without advocacy for human rights, there is no prosperity for successs, and the UN can only succeed if it promotes and protects human rights as human rights abuses are being perpetrated around the globe.

He referred to the government of India’s denial of the right to self-determination to the people of Jammu and Kashmir where anyone seeking such a right is termed as a terrorist. Barrister Tramboo remarked that the mass graves discovered and rapes of young and old women, in Konan Poshpora, is yet to be investigated despite a European Parliament resolution passed asking the government of India to do so.

He appealed to human rights activists everywhere and the UN to stand up for Kashmiris and stand up for their human rights.

Professor Nazir A Shawl (SACFPHR chairman) commented that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights stated loud and clear that every individual is deserving of the most fundamental and basic human rights. He went to reflect that despite the appropriate legislation in place which places human rights on a pedestal that ongoing abuses of those rights continue to date. With reference to Kashmir, Professor Shawl pronounced that Kashmiris are humans without human rights.

Former MEP and co-founder of the German Greens, Frank Schwalba-Hoth, said that Brussels no longer had an effective Kashmir impact. He referred to the fact that ever since work in Brussels has ceased, there had been a lack of efficiency and impact in Brussels particularly in the European Parliament.

Soraya Boyd (CEO, Facilitate Global) stated that non-violence should be promoted as it is a potent and powerful idea. She stressed that the resilient people of Kashmir continue to express their right to self-determination peacefully.

Mohammed Altaf Khan (Lib Dem Spokesperson for Culture and Communities) stated that there has to be interaction and dialogue between both sides of Kashmir.

Alaa Bayoumi (from Al Jazeera) commented that the media must remain neutral but must convey truth and facts and as such it is necessary to convey the Kashmir issue in the media to illustrate the ongoing conflict so as to facilitate people in understanding the issue.

Tahir Aziz (South Asia Programme Director, Conciliation Resources) remarked that people now prefer peaceful resolution over aggression as a means of solving conflicts.

Kashmiri activist Mir Adnan Rahman remarked that peace, justice and prosperity are the bedrocks to solving conflicts peacefully around the globe. He stated that all rights are connected to the right to self-determination and that this right guarantees other rights around the globe.

Hanif Qadir (CEO, Active Change Foundation) stressed that the Indian narrative allows killings and abuse of human rights. He further stated that calling war on terror as war on Islam instigates people to react negatively and emotionally which causes them to fall into a trap of violence and extremism.