To commemorate the Black Day, thousands of people attended a Million March in London in support of Kashmir’s right of self-determination and to show solidarity with the people of the Indian occupied state in their struggle against Indian occupation. Some reports indicated that India had asked the United Kingdom not to allow this march but the government did not oblige. The participants chanted slogans like ‘Kashmir bane ga Pakistan’, ‘We want Freedom’ and ‘Go India Go’. This march was also a protest against violations of International Humanitarian Law by the Indian occupation forces. Towards the end of the March, the protesters submitted a memorandum to the British government seeking an early resolution to the Kashmir dispute. In a statement, Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani declared the London Million March a much needed step. He said it is to give the world a message that terrorism has no direct or indirect link to the Kashmir Liberation Movement and the people of Kashmir were struggling for their genuine rights.
On October 27, 1947, India fraudulently inducted its military in the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. It was a blatant violation of the parameters set for the partition of British India. Concurrently, India announced the accession of Jammu and Kashmir under a controversial Instrument of Accession. Ever since, the people of Kashmir have not accepted India’s illegal occupation and are struggling to undo it. When popular revolt made the occupation untenable, India on January 1, 1948, approached the UN Security Council to intervene and resolve the crisis. The UN Security Council through its successive resolutions nullified the Indian occupation of Kashmir and declared it as a disputed territory. It approved a ceasefire, demarcation of the ceasefire line, demilitarization of the state and a free and impartial plebiscite to be conducted under its supervision.
India only partially implemented the UNSC resolutions and as a result it continues to default on demilitarization of Indian occupied territory and conduct of a free and fair plebiscite under the UN supervision remains unimplemented. Kashmiris observe 27 October as Black Day to appeal to the international conscience for exerting its pressure for implementation of UN resolutions—twenty in number. The event also sends a blunt message to India that Kashmiris reject its illegal occupation, and that they are determined to undo it.
Indian shops and businesses were closed in the IHK on last Thursday as a mark of protest to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit. Police and paramilitary soldiers patrolled Srinagar to prevent demonstrations. Steel barricades were erected on main roads and APHC leaders were held under house arrest to stop them from leading any protests. Modi also visited Indian soldiers stationed on the Siachen Glacier to greet them on Diwali. Syed Ali Shah Geelani said that Modi visiting a Muslim-majority state on Diwali was “nothing but cultural aggression. His stay in Kashmir on Diwali is nothing but an election stunt. India wants to show the world that they are with the flood-hit Kashmiris. It is ridiculous.” He accused Modi of rubbing “salt on our wounds” by visiting Kashmir on Diwali but not extending Eid greetings to Muslims. Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) leader Yasin Malik said Modi was “politicizing a human tragedy.” Jammu and Kashmir is due to go for state polls by early next year and the BJP is hoping to move from the political margins in the Valley to emerge as an alternative to established parties. The BJP, which did well in Jammu in the Lok Sabha election, is working overtime to gain a foothold in the Valley.
Angry Kashmir residents say the government’s response to last month’s flooding has been inadequate. Modi’s visit was aimed at soothing frayed nerves in the Valley following the failure of the state administration to provide immediate relief to people after the state’s worst floods in a century.
Indian highhandedness toward the inhabitants of IHK continues even during humanitarian crisis. This year’s monsoon induced flash floods were catastrophic for the people of Kashmir, especially the Indian occupied portion of Jammu and Kashmir. India imposed conditions and restrictions over the international aid for the flood hit Kashmir; this was indeed an inhuman act. Many Muslim countries, the OIC and prominent personalities offered large scale relief for the flood affected people of Jammu & Kashmir but India obstructed the flow of urgently needed aid, thus prolonging the agony of the sufferers.
APHC Chairman said that if this relief would have reached the people, the rehabilitation of the flood affected people could have been completed in few months but India wants to make Kashmiris dependent on its own aid as much as possible so that their self-esteem and self-respect get subdued and their freedom sentiment dampens. He expressed his satisfaction and happiness that many Muslim countries and international organizations including Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey had taken serious notice of the devastation caused by the floods and had promptly offered help but, he expressed sorrow that India was politicizing this human issue because it does not want that sufficient aid should reach the people of Jammu & Kashmir. “It is the set plan of the policy makers of India that Kashmir should remain economically instable for years together and the people should remain totally dependent even for the granule on the Indian government”, he added. Stopping or restricting the international aid is equal to enforcing the economic blockade against the oppressed Kashmiris which doesn’t have any moral and constructional justification and it is the worst kind of human rights violation.
During the first 6 days of flood people were on their own rescuing, saving and supplying food materials and water to the stranded or to those who refused to move out from their houses. Most people were accusing the army of rescuing only Indian tourists, VIPs and their officers. Many youth were protesting and rightly demanding that people stranded in decrepit houses must be first rescued. Youth converging from many parts of Kashmir risked their lives in saving the stranded people in posh areas and other submerged parts. In other Indian states the army is at the forefront of saving, rescuing and distributing relief. In Kashmir they were doing catwalk in areas that feted them maximum footage on Indian channels.
To date India continues to play games with Kashmiri people. Two frequently used tools are: manipulated elections and violations of the Line of Control. Pakistan has brought the issue of ongoing LoC violations by India to the notice of the International Community and to the United Nations. Pakistan has addressed a letter to the UNSG which has been circulated as a UN Security Council document. Pakistani Missions abroad have also briefed the host governments about Indian aggression and escalation. India has not allowed UNMOGIP to visit LoC and to file its report. It is one of the subjects being pondered weather Pakistan should formally request the UN to make UNMOGIP functional as per its mandate. Presence of Indian security forces in Kashmir is estimated to be seven hundred thousand. They are equipped with sophisticated weapons and support infrastructure to torture and kill innocent non-combatant. Their criminal acts are given complete immunity under nearly half a dozen draconian laws, which are frequently and regularly objected to by international Human Rights’ bodies.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s remarks in the UNGA session this year were quite pertinent, he stressed that “we [Pakistan & India] cannot build, much less sustain peace, without resolving the underlined problems and disputes, including the issue of Jammu and Kashmir.”
