Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has denounced the stepped up human rights violations committed by Indian troops in the UN recognized disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The IPHRC in a statement issued in Jeddah said, “At least 20 people, mostly youth, lost their lives in the last week of inhuman and arbitrary crackdown by the Indian occupation forces in the Shopian district of occupied Kashmir. Dozens of others suffered serious injuries caused by the indiscriminate use of live ammunition, pellets and teargas by Indian forces. A civilian was even crushed under the wheels of an armored vehicle, video of which went viral on the social media, despite curbs on internet services”.
Voicing its serious concerns over the fresh wave of violence and use of excessive force against innocent and unarmed civilians the IPHCR noted that, “the violence goes against India’s human rights obligations and well-established international human rights norms”.
It appealed to the international community in particular the OIC Member States to take cognizance of the ongoing bloodshed and impress upon India to put an immediate end to the continued human rights violations in occupied Kashmir and bring to book all those who are responsible.
It goes without saying that Kashmiris demanding their legitimate right to self-determination are being subjected to worst kind of oppression and suppression by Indian occupation forces. Peaceful protesters are being killed, maimed and blinded by use of excessive and disproportionate force. India has usurped all the fundamental rights of the people in the region. The occupation authorities have clamped down all the fundamental human rights of the people including the right to life, right to freedom of expression, right to peaceful protest and assembly and entire valley is virtually under a state of siege. And disproportionate force exercised by the occupying authorities has turned this land into hell for its residents. New Delhi has chosen violence as a preferred course to kill the voice of dissent in Kashmir. On one hand India has been using its military muscle to crush the Kashmiris’ legitimate struggle for right to self-determination while on the other it has been denying access to international human rights watch-dogs to Kashmir. Given the volatile situation in the region it is high time that the OIC should move beyond rhetoric and member countries of the second largest organization should pool in their efforts to mount pressure on government of India to allow the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission of the OIC to visit Kashmir to assess on ground situation in region.