London: Two London based Kashmir groups, in a letter to the commonwealth embassies have urged them to ask Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the ongoing gross human rights abuse in Kashmir committed by India, in view of the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in April.
In a joint statement, World Kashmir Freedom Movement lead by Muzzammil Ayyub Thakur and Tehreek-e-Kashmir lead by Fahim Kayani, said, “War crimes have been perpetrated in Kashmir by Indian armed forces protected under illegal draconian laws that gives them impunity from prosecution. Weapons of war include rape, torture, fake encounters, extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances to name a few, while the use of pellet guns has injured, blinded and killed thousands of innocent civilians”.
Thakur and Kayani appealed to the conscience of the 52 Commonwealth states, describing India as a ‘terrorist’ nation due to their crimes against humanity and continued violation of international law and United Nations resolutions promising the people of Kashmir a plebiscite to decide their future.
“The right to self-determination is an inalienable right granted to every person, and the continued occupation of Kashmir infringes on those freedoms. The very ideals and principles your countries value are undermined by the Indian apparatus in Kashmir, trampling on civil liberties. These are not the qualities embodied by a civilised nation claiming to be the world’s largest “democracy” yet use cruel, barbaric, inhumane, brutal and illegal methods to suppress the aspirations of the people of Kashmir who demand only their basic human rights, fulfilment of promises made by India, and implementation of United Nations resolutions”.
They emphasised on the importance of resolving the Kashmir dispute according to the wishes of the people of Kashmir, thereby ensuring that the pillars and foundation of justice prevail.
“The crisis in Kashmir will escalate unless there is third party intervention to mediate between Kashmir, Pakistan and India, or risk a potential nuclear war, spilling beyond borders and engulfing neighbouring countries. India’s political, economic and military coercion must no longer be tolerated, or else one becomes complicit in the genocide and ethnic cleansing of Kashmir”.
Referring to ‘Indian imperialism’, WKFM and TeK UK remarked that India have attempted to censor the truth of crimes committed in Kashmir by Indian armed forces and crack down on those who dare to question or expose the rogue nation.
They further added that India demonises Kashmiris and attempt to delegitimise the struggle for freedom, justice and peace by building false narratives that are propagated through their diplomatic channels and use economic intimidation to stifle international bodies from any probe or enquiry into Kashmir.
“The era of ‘fake news’ has been led by India for decades to hide their crimes from the world community. Our request to you members of the Commonwealth, nations built on ethics, morals and value, is to question the Indian government on the human rights abuse in Kashmir committed by the armed forces, their sustained use of illegal laws formulated to terrorise the people of Kashmir, flagrant violations of international law and persistent defiance of United Nations resolutions,” the statement concluded.
