NEW YORK – Hundreds of American-Muslims came together in New York on Fridayin an extraordinary demonstration of support and solidarity with theKashmiri people who are under siege since India’s annexation of occupiedKashmir that has sparked of a crisis in the disputed region.
Apart from Pakistanis and Kashmiris, those demonstrating in front of IndianConsulate included Turks, Arabs, Bangladeshis, Bosnians, black and whiteAmericans. Among the protestors were students from Columbia University, anelite American education institution.
The rally, held under tight police security, was sponsored by “Stand withKashmiris”, an umbrella body established, among others, by the IslamicCircle of North America (ICNA) and the Council of American IslamicRelations (ICNA).
Emotionally charged protesters raised vociferous slogans and waved placardsdenouncing India’s action in Kashmir and demanding the withdrawal of Indiantroops from Kashmir.
Speakers at the rally called for the Indian government to immediatelyreinstate the protected status of the disputed state, lift the siege, andenter into peaceful negotiations to determine the future Occupied Kashmirin accordance with the UN resolutions.
Earlier, Kashmiris and Pakistanis, joined by Sikhs, staged a protestdemonstration in front of the Indian Mission to the United Nations, whichis located several blocks away from the Indian Consulate.
The demonstrators, who were carrying flags of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir,shouted slogans against Indian Prime Minister Modi and carried banners like“Kashmiris in Pain; India in Shame”, “Kashmir: Nuclear Flashpoint” “Modi:Face of Indian Terrorism”, “Indian forces out of Kashmir”,“Self-determination for Kashmiris”, “Kashmir banega Pakistan.
Among the Kashmiri leaders who addressed the demonstrators were Ghulam NabiFai, Sardar Sawar Khan and Capt. (retd) Khalid Shaheen Butt who called forunity at this critical hour to counter India’s move to change thedemographic character of occupied Kashmir.
Sikh leader Amarjit Singh, who also spoke, said that the Sikh nation willstandby the Kashmiris in their struggle to get rid of the Indian yoke.
Fai, who is secretary-general of the Washington-based World KashmirAwareness Forum, expressed satisfaction over UN Secretary-General AntonioGuterres a statement that reaffirmed UN resolutions on Kashmir and that thedispute should be resolved through dialogue in accordance with the UNCharter.
He said the SG’s statement debunks India’s claim that the Kashmir wasIndia’s integral part.
The resolution also calls for refraining from taking steps that couldaffect the status of Jammu and Kashmir.