HRC urged to influence on India to reverse its illegal occupation in Kashmir

Geneva: Veteran political and human rights activist Altaf Hussain Wani has appealed the UN Human Rights Council to influence upon India to reverse its illegal occupation in Kashmir and protect the human rights and property of the people of Kashmir.

Speaking on behalf of the World Muslim Congress (WMC) in a general debate held under agenda item 4 on the sidelines of 43rd session of United Nations Human Rights Council on Wednesday Wani told the world audience that India by resorting to constitutional warfare has deprived Kashmiris of their decades’ long autonomy and the ability to protect the land from massive land-grabbing by the Government of India, investors, and settler-colonialists

“After seven decades of military oppression, On 5 August 2019, the Government of India laid down the foundation for depriving the people of Kashmir of their land”, he said adding the steps taken by the Government of India to annex the occupied state has all the hallmarks of a neo-colonialist plan to overpower Kashmir with religious supporters of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The forcible annexation of Kashmir he said was against the spirit of UN Security Council resolutions that allowed the ultimate right for Self-Determination to Kashmiris. Referring to post 5 August move and its impact on the local economy in the held territory he said, “The resources and large swathes of land of Kashmir, owned by the State and its people, are now being taken over by the authoritarian, rightwing nationalist Government of India, for building military bases and settler colonies”.

Wani said that on one hand India was pitching Muslims and Hindus against each other in the Indian mainland while on the other hand it was dangerously pushing for changing the demographics of Kashmir on religious. Terming it as a recipe for a complete disaster in Kashmir Mr. Wani said, “This raises alarm about impending ethnic cleansing”. He said that the Human Rights Council was legally and morally responsible to stop India from this dangerous game plan besides holding it (India) accountable for the war crimes its forces have committed in Kashmir.