The British Labour Party leadership needs to review the reaction to its Kashmir policy
Will Angela Rayner, Labour’s new deputy leader keep her promises?
London: Keir Stramer, the new opposition leader of the British Labour Party. On the issue of Kashmir, has accepted the contrary policy directly undermining the long-standing policy of the Labour Party. He has declared that the Kashmir issue as India’s internal constitutional dispute. Strong reactions have come from labour MPs, members of All Parties Kashmir Parliamentary Group, JKSDMI and the British and Kashmiri community affiliated to the Labour Party. Labour leader Keir Stramer met with a group of Labour Friends of India a few days ago. Later, in his policy statement, he refuted the old position of the Labour Party on the Kashmir issue۔ He termed the Kashmir issue as a constitutional and land dispute and renounced his long standing position and declared that he would not interfere in the matter. The new Labour leader’s statement on the Kashmir issue has provoked strong reactions not only from the British Kashmiri community but also from within the wider labour party. Councillor Yasmin Dar, an elected member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Labour Party and Chairperson of the JKSDMI (UK), wrote a detailed letter to Labour leader Keir Stramer stating that the Kashmir issue was not only a conflict between India and Pakistan but a matter which affects the future of more than 20 million human lives۔ According to UN resolutions, India and Pakistan are duty bound to give Kashmiris the right to self-determination and empower them to decide their own future. The labour leader must address factual evidence when making a policy statement, it is also imperative that after he has ascertained all the facts regarding the Kashmir issue and after studying the resolutions and reports of the Human Rights Council, including the United Nations only then to consider the impact of his position on Kashmir. We have been supporting the Kashmiris’ universal recognition to right if self-determination from day one and will continue to do so in the future۔ In this detailed letter, Councillor Yasmin Dar announced that she will raise this issue at the Labour Party meeting in protest of the Labour leader’s controversial statement. On the other hand, members of parliament affiliated with the Labour Party have also reacted to this statement of the Labour leader۔ Debbie Abrahams, chairperson of the All Parties Kashmir Parliamentary Group (APPG) in the British Parliament and Labour MP, said the Labour leader’s statement will be discussed in a meeting with the Labour leader this week along with other members of parliament and the support for Kashmiris’ right to self-determination. She has declared her position in principle۔ Kashmiri organisations including JKSDMI Chairman Raja Najabat Hussain on the statement of Labour leader reacted immediately to the advice of other officials. More than 50 members of the labour party wrote a letter to parliament urging them to protest at the labour leader’s statement and reiterate the Labour Party’s long-standing position to support Kashmir as an international matter.
Fahim Kayani President TEK UK outraged at Kier Starmers repositioning on Kashmir conflict.
Fahim Kayani : Dear Sir Keir Starmer MP, I would like to address your recent comments regarding Kashmir. The issue of Kashmir is not a constitutional matter for India, nor Kashmir resolution can be made hostage to bilateralism.Sir Keir Starmer MP, human rights do not recognise borders and human right abusers like India should be called for their violations in occupied Kashmir.Sir Keir Starmer, you have forgotten that the United Kingdom is a founding member of the United Nations and one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council. The UN has passed more than 18 resolutions on Kashmir which clearly state that the Kashmir dispute must be resolved according to the aspirations of the people of Kashmir. We want the world leaders and decision makers to pressure India to give the right to self determination which will not only lead to peace in the whole of South Asia but remove one possibility of Nuclear War in the world. Sir Keir Starmer, Kashmir is not a dispute between Muslims and Hindus but a dispute between humanity and inhumanity.
"I'm absolutely worried about the community tensions boiling over in the UK."
MP Khalid Mahmood: Prior to becoming an MP almost 20 years ago the message and my position regarding Kashmir and the Kashmiri people has been the same. As a proud Kashmiri my stance remains consistent throughout the years, the only way forward is to stand together and not be divided. #StrongerTogether.
Below are some of my views which have been publicised:
MP Liam Byrne: I think people know my views on this, but just to re-share…..https://medium.com/@liambyrnemp_5227/time-for-the-british-government-to-press-for-a-multi-lateral-path-to-justice-for-the-people-of-13bec5dc407b
Nadia Whittome MP: I wrote this last year. It’s equally true today.
Rachel Hopkins: Rest assured that I will be joining that video-call. Thank you @Debbie_abrahams for discussing with me and for your part in ensuring that meeting with Keir takes place.
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Debbie Abrahams MP: I am pleased to say that I will be meeting with Keir and Labour MPs next week via video conference to discuss Kashmir. I will report back following this meeting.
Masood Khan: @Keir_Starmer :#Kashmir is a cross-party issue. Conservative MP Paul Bristow @paulbristow79 hosted a conference in House of Commons last October. It was attended by 50 MPs and Peers, majority Conservatives, followed by Labour, Lib-Dems and S&P. I also spoke on the occasion.
Syed Nazir Gilani: This is an age of engagement and argument. Kashmiris have a better case to argue. All available evidence of Indian non-compliance, aggression against the people and re-occupying the habitat from 5 August need to be placed before the Labour Leader. @farooq_pm @Keir_Starmer.
Cllr Gulfraz Nawaz: I became a Labour Party member to campaign for equality, fairness and social justice here in the UK and across the world.The human rights of a child in the UK are the human rights of a child in Kashmir.We need to campaign for a peaceful resolution where human rights abuses are called out and challenged and the right of self determination granted to the people of Kashmir, as promised by the international community many many years ago.
Labour Leader Keir Starmer needs to understand the fact that the UN has made a commitment to the people of occupied Kashmir to resolve the conflict through a free and fair referendum, so it is by no means a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan or an issue for the Indian Parliament. It is particularly disrespectful to say anything like this just for few thousand votes.
At Labour’s 2019 conference, Labour delegates passed a motion criticising the actions of India in the Kashmiri conflict, and said Kashmiris should have self-determination.The policy motion approved by the conference also called for international monitors to be admitted to the region.
So again I repeat here that, this is not a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan. The international community needs to take responsibility as well.
Bashir Ratvi member labour party salford: letter to member’s of parliament The issue of Kashmir is not simply a bilateral issue to be resolved between India and Pakistan. More so it is a complete violation of human rights and a matter of utmost importance for the entire international community. The newly elected leader of the UK Labour Party needs to familiarise himself and his party with the extent of atrocities committed against the people of Kashmir. Trivialising the murder, rape and burning to death of young innocent children in exchange for maintaining comfortable relations with the perpetrators of these heinous crimes is not becoming of a party that claims to fight for human rights around the world. Keir must rethink his stance towards the Kashmir issue. Is the Leader of the Labour party going to contradict his parties values regarding human rights violations by openly pledging to support a fascist regime?
Shamim Shawl: Organisation of Kashmir coalition (OKC) rejects the British Labour Party’s anti Kashmir stance recently expressed by the newly elected leader Keir Starmer. Shawl and tramboo regret the u turn and abandoning the principled position announced in 1995 Brighton resolution and 2019 motion adopted in annual conference.
Labour Friends of Kashmir: A group of like-minded Labour activists have come together to launch a new group called Labour Friends of Kashmir.We will be looking to engage constructively with the new Labour leadership and will be meeting with the party leadership in the coming days.We aim to work within the Labour Party campaigning across the country for the election of Labour Councillors, Mayors, MPs and ultimately a Labour Government and help develop a strong Labour policy position that supports a peaceful resolution in Kashmir, supports the right of self determination for the Kashmiri’s and calls out and challenges human rights violations wherever they take place.This is an inclusive organisation and we want everyone within our Labour movement to get involved including party members, trade unionists, activists, councillors, MPs and Lords.
Please feel free to email to get involved: info@labourfriendsofkashmir.org.uk
Twitter: @labourkashmir
Salma Yaqoob: It’s important to present concerns collectively to the Labour leadership, Party structures and the wider movement. I hope we shall see a distancing from ,not closer movement to, Modi-led government which is seeking to cause division in UK as well as in India!
Omar Sharif: Naz Shah MP you have been a true champion in representing our issues over the past few weeks. However we are still waiting to hear from you with regards to Kier Starmers statement and letter on Kashmir. Please also lobby other Pakistani/Kashmiri MP’s and other colleagues who are sympathetic towards the cause. Thanks
Omar Sharif: Hi Zarah Sultana MP As one of your fans and well wishers. Also as a fellow Kashmiri. I humbly request you to contact the new leader regarding the statement/letter on Kashmir.
I know you will not let us down.Thanks
Broxtowe CLP: It is very sad to say, we had a brilliant leader in Jeremy Corbyn. He was pro human rights and pro Kashmir and Palestine.But some cllrs and leaders did not support him or people who were his followers in labour.We need to ask those people in Oldham who helped kier starmer to win what they are doing about his statement about Kashmir.
Dear Keir, In response to the Labour List article “Keir Starmer reposition Labour on Kashmiri conflict” dated 30th April 2020. We the undersigned Broxtowe CLP representatives at the Labour Party conference 2019 would like to raise our dismay at your unilateral decision to change party policy after meeting with an unaffiliated group (Labour Friends of India). At party conference delegates from CLPs, unions and affiliates unanimously passed a motion that stated the Labour Party: “Accept that Kashmir is a disputed territory and the people of Kashmir should be given the right of self-determination in accordance with UN resolutions”
Shortly after conference the then party chair Ian Lavery attempted to water down party policy (again unilateral) we are disappointed that you are following suit and would like to remind you that Conference sets party policy it is not a decision any member, be they a party chair or leader, can make as an individual.
Article 370 of the Indian constitution gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Neither India nor the State can unilaterally amend or abrogate the Article except in accordance with the terms of the Article. Article 370 embodied six special provisions for Jammu and Kashmir. As such this not a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan — the international community and so the Labour Party needs to take responsibility.
To reiterate party policy as passed by conference: “To stand with the Kashmiri people fighting against occupation, this is vital as we stand for social justice and ethical foreign policy.”
In solidarity with the Kashmiri, Pakistani, Muslim and Indian communities. Jane Marshall, Shaun Dannheimer, Dr Joseph Baxter,
Broxtowe CLP conference delegates 2019.
Raja Sajawal Hussain: The new Labour Leader, Sir Keir Starmer QC, has enacted a major shift in the Labour Party’s policy on Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK). The new Labour Party policy refuses to take any responsibility on the issue of human rights atrocities in Indian-Occupied Kashmir.He concludes that the issue of Kashmir is merely a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan This is a complete U-turn to the policy put forward by Jeremy Corbyn on the disputed territory of Jammu & Kashmir.
Kashif Hussain: It is very sad to say, we had a brilliant leader in Jeremy Corbyn. He was pro human rights and pro Kashmir and Palestine.But some cllrs and leaders did not support him or people who were his followers in labour.We need to ask those people in Oldham who helped kier starmer to win what they are doing about his statement about Kashmir.
Habib Hussain: I’m sure ( or hopeful at least) politicians are working behind the scenes to try and work out a strategy collectively to confront Keir Starmer on this but it the lack of public engagement, except a few, since this news broke that’s concerning people. This forum is a +ve sign.
Imran Yousaf: I strongly urge that the Labour Party should be explicit and vocal in its support for the Kashmiri people’s right to self determination.
At the Labour Conference 2019, Labour delegates passed a motion criticising the actions of Indian Government in the Kashmiri conflict, and said the people of Kashmir should have self-determination rights.
The policy motion approved by conference also called for international monitors to be admitted to the region.
Labour Hub: “Don’t Pander to Fascists and their allies in Britain” – Indians for Labour and the South Asia Solidarity Group have a message for @Keir_Starmer – @SAsiaSolidarity@Indians4Corbyn#India#Modi >https://labourhub.org.uk/2020/05/04/keir-starmer-dont-pander-to-fascists-and-their-allies-in-britain/
Labour Friends of India : Today LFIN Executive Committee had a very productive meeting with @Keir_Starmer & @AngelaRayner
discussing rebuilding trust with the British Indian community, shared values & promoting UK-India ties.
