OIC Mission expresses concerns over HR violations in Occupied Kashmir
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ISLAMABAD: Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) of Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) fact finding mission has expressed its concerns over violations of basic human rights and brutal killing of civilians in Indian Held Kashmir.
The Commission was headed by Chairperson, Med Kaggwa and members including Dr. Rashid Al Balushi, Dr. Raihanah Binti Abdullah, Amb. Abdul Wahab, Dr. Ergin Ergul, Prof. Saleh Al Khathlan and Dr. Oumar Abbour Abba visited Azad Jammu and Kashmir on initiative of Pakistan.
The mission fact finding report urged to safeguard right to life, right to freedom, of opinion and expression, freedom of religion, freedom of peaceful assembly, and association as well as other fundamental human rights of Kashmiri people guaranteed by international human rights law.
In a report published by Kashmir Institute of International Relations, it is pointed out that reports of widespread use of torture including molestation of women at hands of security forces are particularly condemnable.
There are reports of widespread curfews and curbs on religious congregations for fear of protests and people have legitimate security concerns regarding protection of their right to life and dignity, finding of the mission said.
The Commission concluded that use of restrictive and discriminatory laws by Indian Security forces such as AFSPA Act was contrary to international human rights standards. These laws grant sweeping powers to Indian security forces to detain, torture, and even kill suspects without any fear of investigation, hence, has led to a culture of impunity which violates fundamental human rights.
Through discriminatory laws, Indian security forces have created an atmosphere of impunity and fear which has led to grave human rights abuses against unarmed demonstrations and protestors with little regard for principles of proportionality and necessity.
The Commission noted, if India continues to refuse these reports, it should allow all international, United Nations, Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC), and other organizations to verify the situation on ground through independent fact finding missions.
The Commission, accordingly, hopes that the government of India will respond positively to the IPHRC request to grant access to IoK to independently and objectively assess and report upon the human rights situation.
The Commission contends that the Kashmir dispute is not merely a question over terrorist jurisdiction between India and Pakistan but it concerns about the future of millions of people who wish to exercise their inherent and inalienable right to self-determination.
It has also noted that the people of Kashmir has high hopes and expectations from the United Nations, OIC and IPHRC and international community to undertake substantive measures towards realization of their right to self-determination and protection of their basic rights.
The Institute report further pointed out that Indian forces are indiscriminately using Pellet-Gun against Kashmiri civilians and in last one year over 12,000 persons were injured, around 1,500 of them in eyes.
At least 75 have been injured in both the eyes which rendered them completely visionary for the rest of their lives.
The spectrum of death and state violence haunts Kashmiri civil society each day. Violence is anticipated, experienced and intimate of lives. There are those that are its direct targets and others that are those that are its direct targets and others that are concomitantly affected, it said.
