35 Congress members ask US to facilitate Pak-India talks

WASHINGTON: As many as 35 members of the US Congress have raised their voice for the rights of Kashmiris in Indian-held Kashmir while urging peace talks between India and Pakistan.

In a joint letter written to the US ambassador to the United Nations, the Congress members highlighted their concern that in the last two months, India moved 45,000 troops into the Kashmir region. Upon removing the special status on August 5, 2019, the residents’ freedom of movement and communication was suspended in the area.

The letter originally initiated by Congressman Jim Banks and Congresswoman Susan Wild gathered support from 33 other members of the Congress, who then signed the letter and said they were encouraged by recent reports that the restrictions have begun to be lifted but also underlined increasing tensions between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir issue. The members asked the ambassador to use the full weight of the United States Mission to the United Nations to encourage India and Pakistan to bilaterally alleviate tensions. "Any assistance that the United States can offer to defuse tensions in the region and encourage bilateral discussions between the two countries is of the utmost importance to assuring the safety of Americans and preserving global order."

The letter asked what actions the United Nations Mission and the administration will take to prevent further escalation of the conflict between India and Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been asked by the US Senate to "stop stifling Kashmiris' basic rights. In a separate letter written directly to the Indian prime minister, Senator Sherrod Brown highlighted his concerns about reports of physical violence and arbitrary mass arrests. "The Indian government's heavy-handed tactics in Kashmir could have implications for other disputed territories in the region," the senator warned, saying: "Working towards collective peace and stability is paramount to ending the crisis in the current situation in Kashmir." He urged the Indian PM to respect the rights of religious and ethnic minorities living in Kashmir. "Peace and stability remains a cornerstone of strong democracies, and I encourage you to work with all stakeholders in Kashmir to ensure a peaceful resolution," he said.