By : Jmil
FOR the last seven decades, the terrible massacre of Kashmiris in Indian Occupied Kashmir continues unabatedly. The catastrophe is big enough to move any conscious human being; but unfortunately the apathy and insensitivity of international community has encouraged India to perpetrate atrocities on the people of Kashmir in violations of universally accepted human rights. Not that international community is unaware of repression and heinous crimes in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK); it is rather the vested interest of western Governments to remain mute just to please India. Before Eid, Indian authorities had placed all Hurriyet leaders including Syed Ali Gilani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Mohammad Yasin Malik, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Zafar Akbar Butt, Mukhtar Ahmad Waza and Showket Ahmad Bakshi under house arrest and in police stations. They were not even allowed to attend the Eid-ul-Fitr prayers.
Indian forces once again fired bullets, shotgun pellets and tear gas at protesters, killing a man and injuring about 65 others. Last year, the planned killing of freedom fighter Burhan Wani had triggered protest throughout the valley and all parts of Kashmir, and his martyrdom infused a new spirit into the Kashmir freedom movement. The recent martyrdom of his successor, Sabzar Bhat once again sparked fierce protest and agitation against the occupying Indian forces across the IOK. Instead of accepting the reality that freedom struggle is waged by Kashmiris, India accuses Pakistan of stirring Kashmiri uprising, which is a ploy to hoodwink the international community on Kashmir issue and to hide state-sponsored atrocities on innocent people of IOK. International community must realize the plight of IOK’s people. Kashmir has been under unlawful Indian occupation since October 1947.
The people of Jammu and Kashmir were granted the right of self-determination under several UN Security Council resolutions. For over six decades, Kashmiris have been denied their right to self-determination bestowed by the United Nations Security Council resolutions including UNSC resolution of January 05, 1949. No other nation perhaps has gone through such a long ordeal and suffering in the history, and Kashmiris’ unending nightmare continues. Indian hatred and animosity against the Kashmiri Muslims is deep-seated, and its reflections can clearly be seen through Indian repressive tactics including torture, extra-judicial killings, rape and fake encounters by Indian Security Forces in IOK. The aim is to deter Kashmiri populace from demanding their right of self-determination. The repression, oppression and atrocities by Indian forces have turned Kashmir into a hell that would stretch Dante’s imagination reflected in his famous poem “Divine Comedy”.
However, these heinous and barbaric acts could not break the will of Kashmiris. The fact remains, that the heroic struggle waged by the people of Kashmir is unparalleled in the history; and they are committed to continue their struggle till their objective is achieved. Kashmir is boiling again since Burhan Muzaffar Wani’s martyrdom in an encounter in Kokernag in South Kashmir on July 08, 2016, just five days before Kashmiris were to observe Kashmir Martyrs’ Day. The valley had remained under curfew for about two months; there were demonstrations against his extrajudicial killing throughout Kashmir, and 100 Kashmiris had been martyred by the police and military to quell the unrest. But Kashmiris are determined to get the right of self-determination given to them through UN resolutions, as no political movement or struggle can be suppressed through military means.
In the absence of any significant outlet for the boiling sent iments of subjugated and exploited Kashmiris, their long-suppressed emotions would take a violent expression beyond the capacity and control of occupying Indian forces. In fact, it is the US and the West who instead of implementing the UNSC resolutions support India despite latter’s violations of human rights in Indian Occupied Kashmir. The US State Department, in a notification just before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first meeting with President Donald Trump, announced the decision to designate Salahuddin as a global terrorist, saying “he committs, or poses a significant risk of committing acts of terrorism.” In a direct reference to the alleged Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism, the joint Indo-US statement said the leaders “called on Pakistan to ensure that its territory is not used to launch terrorist attacks on other countries”.
In a face to face appearance with Narendra Modi, President Donald Trump said: “We will destroy Islamic radicalism”. The Pakistan government has termed it an unjustified act of the Trump administration to please Modi, adding that designation of individuals supporting the Kashmiri right to self-determination as terrorists is completely unjustified. “Pakistan shall continue to extend political, diplomatic and moral support for the just struggle of the Kashmiri people for the realisation of the right to self-determination and the peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with UN Security Council Resolutions. The gross and systematic violations of human rights of the Kashmiri people that have been recorded and reported by independent human rights bodies is a reality,” he said. After a long time, the Foreign Office has given its timely reaction, which is indeed appreciable.
 However, our political leadership should understand the situation on the eastern and western borders, and take diplomatic initiative of sending delegations to western countries to highlight Indian violations on the LoC and working boundary and also acts of barbarism in Indian Occupied Kashmir by Indian forces. At the same time, it should also be borne in mind that beggars can’t be the choosers; therefore the government must take steps to strengthen economy, as strong defence depends on strong economy.
Email:mjamil1938@hotmail.com