UNITED NATIONS – Expressing serious concern over the deterioratingsituation in Indian Occupied Kashmir, the United Nations said Tuesday thatpeople in the disputed state continue to be deprived of a wide range ofhuman rights, and called on India to fully restore their rights.
Since India’s annexation on August 5, occupied Kashmir remains under amilitary lockdown as people continue to suffer with markets and schoolsclosed and transport off the roads manned by gun-totting Indian soldiers.Also, there are reports of shortages of food and medial supplies.
“We are extremely concerned that the population in Kashmir continues to bedeprived of a wide range of human rights and we urge the Indian authoritiesto unlock the situation and fully restore the rights that are currentlybeing denied,” Rupert Colville, Spokesperson for the UN High Commissionerfor Human Rights, said at a new briefing in Geneva.
Colville noted that curfew was reportedly still in place “in large parts ofthe Kashmir Valley, preventing the free movement of people, as well ashampering their ability to exercise their right to peaceful assembly andrestricting their rights to health, education and freedom of religion andbelief.”
Highlighting several allegations of excessive use of force againstprotesters that involved the use of “pellet-firing shotguns, tear gas andrubber bullets”, Colville said that there had also been unconfirmed reportsof “at least six civilian killings and scores of serious injuries”, inseparate incidents since the Indian Government declaration on August 5, toend the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Office of the High Commissioner had also received reports that armedgroups in Indian-administered Kashmir have threatened some residents tryingto work or go to school, the OHCHR spokesperson said.
In addition, “at least another six people have been killed and over a dozeninjured in alleged attacks by armed group members, since 5 August”.
And although restrictions on landline telephones were eventually lifted,and a state-run telecom company allowed to resume partial mobile phoneservices, all internet services remain blocked in the Kashmir valley,Colville said.
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In line with the Indian government’s decision to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’spartial self-rule, two separate federally-administered Union Territoriesare to be created this Thursday, the OHCHR spokesperson explained, addingthat “hundreds of political and civil society leaders” had been detained“on a preventative basis”.
While some political workers have reportedly been released, most seniorleaders – especially those from the Kashmir Valley – remain in detention,he said.
“The Supreme Court of India has been slow to deal with petitions concerninghabeas corpus, freedom of movement and media restrictions,” Colville said.
“The Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission, the State InformationCommission (which implements the right-to-information laws) and the StateCommission for Protection of Women and Child Rights are among keyinstitutions being wound up, with the new bodies to replace them yet to beestablished.
“Meanwhile, major political decisions about the future status of Jammu andKashmir have been taken without the consent, deliberation or active andinformed participation of the affected population. Their leaders aredetained, their capacity to be informed has been badly restricted, andtheir right to freedom of expression”.
