Rana Basharat Ali Khan youth Ambassador for UK International Human Rights Commission
When the Indian Army tied a man to the bonnet of a moving army jeep and used him as a human shield in April 207, it epitomized the Kashmiri struggle under Indian administered Kashmir. The action was defended by the Indian Army Chief, and for large numbers of Indians’ not to condemn or acknowledge this violation of human rights, it forms a dark cloud of conscious over the largest “democracy ” in the world. The Armed Forces Special Power Act, gives the Indian army the power to stop, interrogate and imprison at will and without any recourse, who ever they wish. This power granted to the troops has given rise to many cases of raping of young Kashmiri women, beating and even deaths whilst in custody. Young Kashmiri men and women now form the largest civil and political movement in the world . They Fight with stones in defiance against the might of Indian Army. The army in turn has turned its attention to firing “pellet guns” into the faces of young people. Wither their motive is to blind , deface or to demoralize the young Kashmiris is unknown but it indicates that India is running out of ideas how to bring about civil calm. There are now Indian army camps at every village school and at least one arm camp within 1km of every city school. Kashmir is the highest militarized zone in the world. If it is the duty of the Government to cater for the safety and welfare of its people, then clearly with its current strategies, India’s moral claim on Kashmir must be crumbling. Throughout history use of tyranny, wither it was the Jewish people under pharaoh or the modern day civil rights movement following the horrific slave trades , the people always overcame their suffering. Would it not benefit India to take a softer more inclusive approach towards the Kashmiri people. To help them grow economically, create jobs and develop the intellect of youth through schooling, education and training that allow them reach their potentials and flourish. Turmoil and strife is ever bringing unity amongst the people. Unity is strength and India is playing right into their hands. The outcome of “right to self rule ” is inevitable and the new Pak-China corridor could be the game changer in favor of this outcome. Recently out of the 70 states reporting on India to the UN, only one mentions Kashmir and that was not surprisingly Pakistan. The failure of Kashmiri sympathizer’s to convey the extent of the violations of human rights on the people in Kashmir to the world has put it on the back burner as a priority for the world. No wonder Kashmir has been referred to as the “Frozen Conflict”-The oldest modern day conflict with no way of sharing its suffering . What is the reason for the world to remain silent on Kashmir? For 70 years both India and Pakistan have been in an arms building race . Both now posses the power to destroy the whole region in the event of an all out war. Could the arms business be behind keeping the Kashmiri conflict alive? iIs it possible the dominant piece of the puzzle? Until the arms business is stopped, the Kashmiri people will continue to pay the price with their blood and lives. Busharat Ali &Tanveer Karamat