Muslim World Asks India to Stop Human Rights Violations in Kashmir
Muslim leaders declare that the final settlement of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions is indispensable for durable peace in South Asia.
By Rakesh Raman
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) – which is the 2nd largest intergovernmental organization after the UN with 57 member states – has asked the Indian government to stop human rights violations in the Kashmir region which is under the control of the Indian security forces.
The Ministers of Foreign Affairs and heads of Delegation of the Member States of the OIC were participating in the 48th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers, held in Islamabad, Pakistan, on 22-23 March 2022.
The OIC leaders from Muslim countries raised their concern for the people of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) who are facing severe oppression. Nearly 80% of people in Kashmir are Muslims.
The Muslim leaders also extended support for people’s right to self-determination in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council and the OIC, and also the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
Meanwhile, the annual Freedom in the World 2022 report released in February by Freedom House states that the Indian government led by prime minister (PM) Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has presided over discriminatory policies and a rise in persecution affecting the Muslim population.
As there are extreme human rights violations in the Kashmir region – which is under the occupation of Indian security forces – the Freedom House report states that Kashmir – with a Global Freedom Score of just 27 – is “Not Free”.
“We condemn massive violations of their human rights in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK),” the OIC leaders stated.
They also reiterated rejection of India’s illegal and unilateral actions since August 5, 2019 aimed at altering the demographic composition of the occupied territory, suppressing the realization of the inalienable right of self-determination of the Kashmiris, in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, and international law including the 4th Geneva Convention.
“We declare that the final settlement of the J&K dispute in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions is indispensable for durable peace in South Asia,” the OIC leaders said.
They called on India to reverse its unilateral and illegal measures instituted since 5th August 2019 and cease its oppression and human rights violations against the Kashmiris in IIOJK.
The Muslim leaders also asked India to halt and reverse attempts to alter the demographic structure and to redraw electoral constituencies in IIOJK and take steps for full implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions on J&K.
In fact, China has also supported the OIC stance on Kashmir. The Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his speech at the OIC conference said that China supports OIC’s demands to protect the rights of J&K people.
Although as usual the Indian government rejected China’s assertion, the Indian regime could never address global concerns about the Muslim persecution in Kashmir.
It is reported that India has deployed nearly 900,000 security people to control unarmed Kashmiris (nearly 80% are Muslims), and nearly 80,000 civilians have been killed in the conflicts during the past 7 decades.
The Modi government’s annexation of Kashmir is a unilateral, authoritarian move, which is expected to make Kashmir a veritable inferno because most people of Kashmir do not want to live under the Indian rule where Modi is the ruler.
Today, nearly 2 billion Muslims of the world expect the global community – including the U.S. and the UN – to save the Muslims of Kashmir who are being treated as slaves by the Modi government.
By Rakesh Raman, who is a national award-winning journalist and social activist. He is the founder of a humanitarian organization RMN Foundation which is working in diverse areas to help the disadvantaged and distressed people in the society.
