Sri Lankans urge immediate resolution of Kashmir issue

Saturday, 23 July 2016 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Kashmir Study Forum Sri Lanka, along with the Pakistani and Sri Lankan community, organised a peaceful demonstration in front of the United Nations office at Bauddhaloka Mawatha in Sri Lanka to highlight the recent upsurge in extrajudicial killings and human rights violations in Indian-occupied Kashmir by Indian forces.

The participants of the assembly expressed their grave concern about the ongoing killings of civilians by Indian security forces in the towns and villages of Kashmir.

Since 8 July 2016, Indian forces have killed more than 50 innocent Kashmiris, injured over 3,500 and imposed a ban on print and electronic media, all forms of communication as well as a food embargo and curfew following the assassination of youth leader Burhan Wani. Most of the injured have lost their eyesight due to the pellet guns used by Indian army and police officials.

Kashmir is still reeling from violence as skirmishes between angry protesters and large regiments of Indian soldiers continue.

Burhan Wani is the second young leader of the Kashmiris after Ashfaq Majeed, whose assassination triggered one of the worst uprisings in Indian-occupied Kashmir in the early 90s.

The peaceful assembly was attended by people from all walks of life. The participants urged the Secretary General of the United Nations to encourage, facilitate and support efforts leading to a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolutions to ensure resolution of this longstanding issue.

The Kashmir dispute has emerged as one of the deadliest and oldest human crises in history which is marked by extrajudicial killings, rape, detention and the kidnapping of Kashmiris.

Since 1989, more than 94,000 Kashmiris have been killed, of which over 7,000 were custodial killings at the hands of Indian occupation forces. More than 106,000 structures have been destroyed, more than 22,000 women have been widowed, over 107,000 children have been orphaned and more than 10,000 women have been raped and molested by Indian military and paramilitary troops in Indian-occupied Kashmir.

The demonstrators also urged the United Nations to force an immediate end to Indian laws such as the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (TADA), Jammu & Kashmir Public Safety Act 1978, The Armed Forces (Jammu & Kashmir) Special Power Act 1990, Jammu & Kashmir Disturbed Area Act 1990, Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) 2002 and Article 370.

A memorandum with thousands of signatures, urging the UN to play its role to resolve the oldest unresolved dispute on the UN agenda since 1947, was also handed over to the UN office.

A signature campaign was also launched to raise awareness, encourage advocacy and to emphasise the centrality of the resolution of the Kashmir Issue to the lasting peace and prosperity of South Asia.