Islamic Nations Ask India to Stop Human Rights Abuses in Kashmir
By RMN News Service
The Contact Group of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) held a virtual meeting Monday against the backdrop of the troubled situation in J&K.
The Contact Group of OIC – which is the 2nd largest inter-governmental organization after the UN with 57 member states – has called on India to halt security operations against the J&K people immediately.
In an official statement, the Group has also advised India to respect basic human rights, refrain from changing the demographic structure of the disputed territory, and settle the conflict under the relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.
Their Highnesses and Excellencies, Foreign Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Niger, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the Republic of Turkey attended the meeting.
In April, the OIC had condemned the anti-Muslim sentiment and Islamophobia in India. The General Secretariat of the OIC said that it expresses deep concern following recent media accounts of rising anti-Muslim sentiments and Islamophobia in Indian media where the Indian Muslim minority is being blamed of spreading the coronavirus in the country. The statement added that OIC General Secretariat expresses its rejection of the targeting of Muslims anywhere.
To discuss the Kashmir issue, the OIC Secretary General Dr. Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen, inaugurated the meeting and stressed the OIC’s commitment to finding a peaceful settlement for J&K issue as per the relevant resolutions of the Islamic Summit, the Council of Foreign Ministers, and the international legitimacy.
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“At the same time, I call on the international community to strengthen its efforts to assist the people of Kashmir to decisively practice their legitimate rights denied for decades,” said Al-Othaimeen.
The Contact Group reaffirmed the continued support for the people of J&K and called on the United Nations Secretary-General to use his good offices to make India abide by the UNSC resolutions and engage in dialogue to calm the situation in the region.
Moreover, the Contact Group appreciated the efforts made by the OIC General Secretariat through its Special Envoy to J&K who visited the region in March 2020.
#OIC Secretary General, Dr. Yousef Al-Othaimeen addresses the emergency virtual meeting of the OIC Contact Group on #Jammu and #Kashmir to review the latest developments in #JammuAndKashmir. pic.twitter.com/8ROs3SWYGO
— OIC (@OIC_OCI) June 22, 2020
After the meeting, the OIC Contact Group issued a statement on the recent developments in the J&K region in which it welcomed the efforts made by some Member States to calm the situation between India and Pakistan.
