Dr Iqtidar Cheema highlights atrocity crimes in Kashmir at UNHRC
Dr Iqtidar Cheema voiced for voiceless at UN Palace of Nations
Dr. Iqtidar Cheema, Member Global Steering Committee of United Nations OSAPG has highlighted the plight of Muslims, Sikhs and Christians in India during his intervention at the UN Palace of Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.
Dr Cheema pointed out that India’s newly passed Citizenship Amendment Act violates articles 14 and 15 of the Indian constitution as article 14 guarantees equal protection for all, and Article 15 prevents discrimination based on religion. However, CAA’s legal bias based on religion would further marginalise India’s 200-million strong Muslim community. He also criticised India for constructing large-scale detention centres in the north-eastern state of Assam. He urged for a strong intervention by the OHCHR as the threat of large-scale detention and deportation could easily turn into a humanitarian crisis.
While reflecting about situation in Kashmir he said that BJP government has also unilaterally revoked the autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir. Indian government continues to block most internet in the region. India has now imposed the longest-ever internet shut down by a democracy, disrupting access to medical care, business, and education for seven million people. Thousands of Kashmiris remain in preventive detention, including key political figures.
He said that the state of India is signatory to the Geneva conventions and is thus bound by all the provisions of the International Humanitarian Law. The Article 2 of the Genève Convention strongly lays the responsibility on the armed forces not to destroy the public and private property during the conflict. Article 3 of the Geneva Convention stresses to secure the persons who are non-combatants, olds, women, children and particularly wounded. This article also stresses the protection of those also who are taken into custody by the armed forces. As far as the practice of Indian security forces in Kashmir valley is concerned, the Indian army is frequently committing torture and extra judicial killings. He said that Punjab has also seen such ethnic cleansing of Sikhs in 1980-90s. He referred that on 4 February 1986, in a similar pattern of extra judicial killings four Sikh youth were killed by Indian paramilitary forces in Nakodar, Punjab during a peaceful protest. 34 years have been passed but the families of the victims still to find justice.
He said that wounded and sick persons are also not spared by the Indian forces. The property of the innocent Kashmiris is also being destroyed. Many people are made hostages on daily basis. He also referred to Article 5 of the Geneva Convention which strongly prohibits the security forces to raid on the medical staff and hospitals. He said that in Kashmir many wounded are passed away due to the unnecessary delay in transit and due the hindrances made by the security forces. The patients of serious nature often died during the journey to the hospitals due the road blockages by the forces. Due to the unnecessary road crackdowns the doctors and other medical staff often reached late in the hospital which causes many casualties due the delay in medical treatments.
He said that recent anti-Muslim violence in India’s capital depicts the Sikh genocide of 1984. He stated that Hindutva forces are using Political terrorism which is use of violence to achieve political objectives. He stated that India’s state terrorism is most lethal and dangerous among all forms of terrorism. Current situation in Kashmir refers to a situation in which state employs force against the civilian population or political opponents to break their will to resist.
