European MPs push EU to act on IIOJK

European parliamentarians on Friday wrote a letter to the European Commission on the “alarming human rights situation" in Indian illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

"As a champion of universal human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule-based international order, the EU [European Union] must raise its voice against the violations of human rights affecting the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” 16 lawmakers wrote in their letter addressed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Vice President Josep Borrell.

"We believe that the EU should use all its leverage and tools to cooperate with our Indian and Pakistani partners to honour the pledge made to the Kashmiris by the international community and create an environment conducive to the implementation of the United Nations resolutions," the letter further read.

They noted that the miseries of the people of Jammu and Kashmir had been amply documented in the International Human Rights Watch World Report 2021 and reports by the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in 2018 and 2019.

The European parliamentarians expressed their resolve to continue their engagements with Pakistani and Indian lawmakers as well as Kashmiri leaders to impress upon them the urgent need to foster a climate of peace and dialogue in the region.

They added that that it was extremely important for Kashmiris to be heard and granted the opportunity to decide their own future.

They called for the EU to convey grave concern over the violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms in IIOJK to the Indian government and take urgent action to address the alarming human rights situation in the region.

They also sought the EU’s contribution to peace and stability in the region by enhancing dialogue between India, Pakistan and Kashmiri representatives through making use of "our special relationships with both India and Pakistan".

The European parliamentarians noted that the region was already under a lockdown since India revoked its special status on August 5, 2019, and there were restrictions on the rights to movement, information, healthcare, education and free speech.

They further pointed out that journalists and human rights defenders were being increasingly targeted for raising their voice in support of the Kashmiri people and their situation.

They added that arbitrary detentions continued and public assembly was still prohibited.

“Hundreds, including minors and several elected legislators of Jammu and Kashmir, remain under preventive detention.”

They further noted that a number of laws introduced by the Indian government over the years to prevent terrorism and separatism had instead often been misused against Kashmiris.

They highlighted that apart from being a humanitarian crisis, the Kashmir dispute also posed a major threat to peace, stability, and security in the region, being a flashpoint between two nuclear-armed countries and we are worried that any miscalculation can lead to unwarranted consequences.

The lawmakers noted that the region's security situation was delicate and deteriorating due to the continuous Kashmiri protests against the revocation of IIOJK’s special autonomy and the Indian Citizenship Amendment Bill. They added that the frequency of the protests was creating unrest and strife in the region that in turn were adding to volatility and tension between the Pakistani and Indian militaries.