Altaf Hamid Rao
MIRPUR ( AJK), (Parliament Times) : In a letter addressed to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Raja Muzaffar, the US-based Acting Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front ( JKLF- Yasin Malik group) ) and Director of the South Asia Democracy Watch USA, has expressed grave concerns over the recent decision by the Government of India extending 5-year ban of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) in Indian Illegally occupied Jammu Kashmir state.
“Muzaffar has underlined that the ban is a violation of international law and the UN Human Rights Charter, as it infringes on the fundamental rights of the people of the internationally-acknowledged disputed Himalayan state of Jammu and Kashmir”, says a message reaching from Dallas, USA, and released to the media here late Sunday.
The JKLF-YM Acting Chairman continued that the occupied Jammu Kashmir, a region plagued by political unrest and human rights abuses, has long been a contentious issue on the international stage. The banning of the JKLF, a political organization advocating for the rights and aspirations of the Kashmiri people, is seen as a direct attack on freedom of expression and association in the region, he maintained, the message said.
Muzaffar called on the international community, including the United Nations, to condemn the actions of the Indian government and hold it accountable for its violations of international law. He has urged the UN Secretary-General to take immediate action to address the situation in Kashmir and ensure that the rights of the Kashmiri people are respected.
The letter serves as a reminder of the unfinished business of the United Nations in resolving the Kashmir conflict and emphasizes the importance of allowing indigenous political organizations to operate freely in advocating for the rights of the Kashmiri people. Muzaffar’s plea for justice and human rights in Kashmir highlights the urgency of addressing the situation in the region and upholding the UN’s commitment to human rights.
Following is the text of the letter Muzaffar wrote to the UN Secretary general seeking immediate due action by the world body to get stopped the reigh of state terrorism and increased human rights abuses in the disputed territory of Indian Illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir state :-
“March 17th 2024
António Guterres
Secretary-General
United Nations
New York, NY 10017
United States.
Dear Secretary-General Guterres,
I am writing to draw your attention to a grave violation of international law and the UN Human Rights Charter by the Government of India. The recent decision to ban the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), a political organization in the region of Kashmir, is a clear infringement on the fundamental rights of the people of Kashmir and a threat to peace and stability in the region.
Kashmir remains an unresolved issue and an unfinished business of the United Nations. The people of Kashmir have long suffered from political unrest and human rights abuses, and indigenous political organizations like the JKLF play a crucial role in advocating for the rights and aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
The banning of the JKLF by the Government of India is a direct attack on the freedom of expression and association of the people of Kashmir. It is imperative that the international community, including the United Nations, condemns such actions and holds the Indian government accountable for its violations of international law.
I urge you to take immediate action to address this issue and to ensure that the rights of the people of Kashmir are respected under the temporary administrations of both India and Pakistan. Indigenous political organizations should not be banned, and the voices of the Kashmiri people must be heard in any resolution of the Kashmir conflict.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. I trust that the United Nations will uphold its commitment to human rights and justice in addressing the situation in Kashmir. Sincerely, Raja Muzaffar”
