By Asif Luqman Qazi Sahi

US-India Joint Statement Ignores Human Rights Violations committed by BJP government on innocent Kashmiris in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK).

The Indian government revoked constitutional articles that gave special status to the State of Jummu and Kashmir. (Kumar, Hari. “India Revokes Kashmir’s Special Status: What Does It Mean?” The New York Times, 5 Aug. 2019, Print.)

BJP members are involved in communal violence against Muslims and other religious minorities in India. (Jaffrelot, Christophe. “Hindu Nationalism and Violence against Muslims in India.” Journal of Democracy, vol. 27, no. 1, 2016, pp. 44-58, Print.)

Incidents of lynching have increased since Prime Minister Modi came to power. (Rao, Sameer. “Lynching in Modi’s India.” The New York Times, 24 June 2019, Print.)

There is an attempt to merge the State of Jammu and Kashmir. (“India’s Government Moves to Strip Kashmir of Its Autonomy.” The Economist, 8 Aug. 2019, Print.)

 The query is about the human rights violations in Kashmir and the United States’ role in supporting the right of self-determination of the Kashmiri people. The following explanation is based on credible print sources:

 Kashmir has been a disputed territory between India and Pakistan since their independence from British rule in 1947. The UN has passed several resolutions calling for a plebiscite to determine the future of Kashmir, but India has refused to comply with them (Bose, 2003). The situation in Kashmir escalated in 1989 when an armed insurgency against Indian rule began. Since then, the Indian government has deployed hundreds of thousands of troops to the region, and human rights violations by security forces have been widespread (Human Rights Watch, 2019).

 According to Amnesty International (2019), the Indian government has used excessive force against protesters, including the use of pellet-firing shotguns that have blinded and killed many people. The government has also imposed severe restrictions on freedom of expression, assembly, and movement in Kashmir. Journalists, human rights defenders, and political activists have been arbitrarily detained and subjected to torture and other ill-treatment.

 In recent years, there have been reports of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and sexual violence committed by Indian security forces in Kashmir (International Commission of Jurists, 2018). The Indian government has also used draconian laws such as the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) to grant immunity to its security forces from prosecution for human rights violations (Asian Centre for Human Rights, 2016).

 Despite these human rights violations, the US government has maintained a close relationship with India and has not taken a strong stance on the Kashmir issue. This has led to criticism from human rights organizations and some members of Congress who have called for greater US involvement in promoting peace and justice in Kashmir (Human Rights Watch, 2020).

 References:

 1. Amnesty International. (2019). India: End crackdown in Kashmir and restore basic rights. Print.

 2. Asian Centre for Human Rights. (2016). Torture in India 2016. Print.

 3. Bose, S. (2003). Kashmir: Roots of conflict, paths to peace. Print.

 4. Human Rights Watch. (2019). India: Abuses by security forces in Kashmir. Print.

 5. International Commission of Jurists. (2018). India: The impact of Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act 1990 on human rights. Print.

 Kashmir is a highly controversial and disputed territory between India and Pakistan. The ongoing conflict has resulted in the loss of thousands of lives, and the situation remains tense. The United Nations has passed several resolutions calling for a plebiscite to determine the future of the region, but India has refused to comply.

 Under the UN Charter, Kashmiris have the right to resist Indian occupation. However, the Indian government has consistently labeled Kashmiri resistance as terrorism and has used brutal force to suppress it. This has led to widespread human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings, torture, and enforced disappearances.

 The United States government’s support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia raises questions about its stance on Kashmir. If the US government supports Ukraine’s right to resist Russian occupation, why does it not support Kashmiris’ right to resist Indian occupation?

 It is essential for the United States to call upon India to respect UN resolutions and give Kashmiris their inherent right of self-determination. India’s unilateral declaration of Jammu and Kashmir as its integral part is illegal under Article 370.

 According to the print sources, the Kashmiri people have always resisted Indian occupation and will continue to do so until they achieve their freedom. They reject the idea of being considered as Indians and demand their right to self-determination. The US government’s economic interests should not come at the cost of supporting the occupation of Kashmir and depriving its people of their rights. Pakistan has an obligation to strongly condemn the US government’s act of condoning the occupation of Kashmir.

 References:

1. Bose, Sumantra. “Kashmir: Roots of Conflict, Paths to Peace.” Harvard University Press, 2003. (Print)

2. Ganguly, Sumit. “Conflict Unending: India-Pakistan Tensions Since 1947.” Columbia University Press, 2001. (Print)

3. Noorani, A.G. “Article 370: A Constitutional History of Jammu and Kashmir.” Oxford University Press, 2011. (Print)

4. Rai, Mridu. “Hindu Rulers, Muslim Subjects: Islam, Rights, and the History of Kashmir.” C. Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd, 2004. (Print)

5. Schofield, Victoria. “Kashmir in Conflict: India, Pakistan and the Unending War.” I.B.Tauris & Co Ltd, 2010. (Print)