rki.news
Altaf Hamid Rao
MIRPUR (AJK), Sept 18: Kashmiri delegates and Kashmiri diaspora members in Europe staged a protest outside the United Nations Office in Geneva, calling for an end to human rights violations in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir and urging the UN to implement its resolutions on the Kashmir dispute.
They described the right to self-determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir as an “inalienable and non-negotiable” right and urged the UN Security Council to take steps towards implementation of its resolutions.
The demonstrators expressed concern over what they termed India’s “imperialist designs” and alleged that policies relating to land, religious affairs and demography were aimed at altering the demographic composition of the territory.
They condemned continued use of laws including the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) and Public Safety Act (PSA), alleging that such laws were being used against political activists, civil society members and human rights defenders.
The protesters also voiced concern over restrictions on political activity and freedom of expression, alleging that political leaders, activists and rights defenders faced harassment, intimidation and prolonged detention.
Referring to Kashmiri leader Yasin Malik and other prisoners, they alleged that judicial and legal mechanisms were being used to suppress political dissent and called on the international community to monitor trials, detention conditions and treatment of political prisoners.
The demonstrators criticized development and infrastructure initiatives, linking them to what they described as a settler-colonial policy. They further expressed concern over militarization and its impact on the environment.
The protest concluded with calls for international accountability, an end to alleged human rights violations and UN action towards realization of the Kashmiri people’s right to determine their political future.
The protest was addressed by former AJK minister Chaudhary Parveez Ashraf, Chairman Kashmir Institute of International Relations (KIIR) Altaf Hussain Wani, KIIR Executive Director Sardar Amjad Yousaf, APHC leader Advocate Parvez Ahmed Shah, Dr Raja Sajjad Lateef, Shamim Shawl, Dr Shugafta Ashraf and Kashmiri representatives.
