Unabated
Human Rights violations in the Indian Occupied Kashmir (IoK) need immediate
attention of international organizations and institutions invested in upholding
universally accepted International Human Rights. President Masood Khan made
these remarks in a meeting with the leadership of the Tom Lantos Human Rights
Commission of the US Congress, says a press release received from Washington
here today.
While
visiting the Capitol Hill today President of Azad Jammu and Kahsmir Sardar
Masood Khan was received by Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA), Co-chair of the
Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission of the US Congress. Describing the current situation in the
Indian Occupied Kashmir to the Commission’s leadership, President Masood Khan
said that India had unleashed a reign of terror in the occupied Kashmir.
The
unspeakable atrocities perpetrated against innocent civilians should cause the
world community to view Indian Occupied Kashmir as a region of concern, the
President said. Pointing to various
independent reports on the state of Human Rights in IoK, President Masood Khan
said that the killings, torture, enforced disappearances, mass blinding and use
of public humiliation had been used as instrument of coercion against the
people. In addition, Indian forces were also culpable in killings civilians
across the Line of Control in Azad Kashmir in violation of the ceasefire. In
doing so, President Masood Khan said, India was not only using disproportionate
force but was also making no distinction between combatants and civilians.
President
Masood Khan also highlighted the dark prospect of systematic alteration of
demography of the Jammu region by threatening local Muslim communities through
criminal gangs. India was forcing illegal settlers in settlements in the
occupied territory by creating Pundit and ex-Army personnel colonies. Such transfers
of populations in an occupied territory are a violation of the Fourth Geneva
Convention and Additional Protocol I, as well as UN Security Council, General
Assembly and Human Rights Commission’s Resolutions. The President said that
India’s policy of repression in Occupied Kashmir was a violation of
International Humanitarian Law, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and
scored of Human Rights Conventions and Treaties.
“The
international human rights community must take cognizance of this outrage which
is visited on Kashmiris everyday in pursuance of dark, draconian laws devised
by India to bludgeon Kashmiris into submission”, he said adding that this gives
“immunity from prosecution” to occupation troops. President Masood Khan said
that India was using excessive force and flagrantly infringing the recognized
principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution in a conflict
situation. Indian occupation forces were targeting civilians (non-combatants)
and systematically persecuting unarmed population of the occupied Kashmir.
In viewing the Kashmir dispute, the President
said, self-respect and aspirations of the people of Kashmir must not be lost in
the fog of regional strategic interests.
He
reiterated that silence by international community on Human Rights violations
in Kashmir had emboldened India to unleash a region of terror with full fury
and absolute impunity. President Masood
Khan extended an invitation to the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission to visit
Azad Kashmir. Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission is a bipartisan organization
in the US Congress and is responsible for promoting, defending and advocating
Human Rights.
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