Bipartisan US House resolution slams Indian oppression in occupied Kashmir

India must end communications blockade, mass detentions, and preserve religious freedom for all: US lawmakers

A resolution has been introduced in the United States House of Representatives urging New Delhi "to end the restrictions on communications and mass detentions in [Indian Occupied] Jammu and Kashmir as swiftly as possible and preserve religious freedom for all residents."

The bipartisan bill was moved by Democratic lawmaker Pramila Jayapal along with Republican Steve Watkins, reported Radio Pakistan.

It urges Narendra Modi's government to: "(A) lift the remaining restrictions on communication and to restore internet access across all of Jammu and Kashmir as swiftly as possible;

"(B) refrain from the use of threats and excessive force against detained people and peaceful protesters;

"(C) swiftly release arbitrarily detained people in Jammu and Kashmir;

"(D) refrain from conditioning the release of detained people on their willingness to sign bonds prohibiting any political activities and speeches;

How India finally grabbed Jammu and Kashmir

"(E) allow international human rights observers and journalists to access Jammu and Kashmir and operate freely throughout India without threats; and

"(F) condemn, at the highest levels, all religiously motivated violence, including that violence which targets against religious minorities."

Yesterday, I introduced a bipartisan House Resolution with @Rep_Watkins to urge the Indian government to end restrictions on communications and mass detentions in Jammu and Kashmir as swiftly as possible and preserve religious freedom for all residents. https://t.co/OcR5qwQeUy

— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) December 8, 2019

The resolution states that "international human rights observers have documented the police’s use of excessive force against detained people and excessive and indiscriminate use of pellet shotguns, tear gas, and rubber bullets against protesters."

It cites data from the Indian government that shows "more than 3,800 people in [occupied] Jammu and Kashmir were arrested between August 5 and September 6, 2019" and that "police have acknowledged that 144 children, as young as 9 years old, have been arrested."

 The resolution mentions that the "Committee to Protect Journalists, Reporters Without Borders, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, and independent reporters have documented detentions and harassment of journalists in [occupied] Jammu and Kashmir."

It also calls out Indian authorities for using "the Public Safety Act to preventatively detain people for a broad range of activities that are vaguely defined and without charge for up to 2 years in some cases, including human rights defenders, journalists, political leaders, and people involved in protests".

The resolution further states that "the House of Representatives ... rejects arbitrary detention, use of excessive force against civilians, and suppression of peaceful expression of dissent as proportional responses to security challenges; urges the Government of India to ensure that any actions taken in pursuit of legitimate security priorities respect the human rights of all people and adhere to international human rights law."