Making Kashmiri voices heard

Beside meetings, Kashmiri delegation will host seminars and symposiums on the sidelines of the UNHRC session

Sessions of different World Human Rights Forums provide the best opportunity to Kashmiris to present the real picture of the Indian government’s violations of human rights and International law in IIO&K. These forums aim to persuade the global community to hold India accountable for its ongoing transgressions. India, however, has very cleverly crafted a false narrative, presenting Kashmiris struggle for their right of self determination as terrorism, to deflect the world community’s attention from its crimes.

To counter Indian fabricated and baseless narrative of peace and prosperity in IIOJ&K, an eight-member Kashmiri delegation, representing voices from both sides of the Line of Control arrived in Geneva to participate in the 57th Session of the UN Human Rights Council which started on 9th Sep and will continue till 11 Oct, 2024. The Human Rights Council is the primary body within the UN and is responsible for the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe. The primary objective of their visit is to highlight the ongoing human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir. The delegation aims to apprise the international community about the Indian government’s efforts to change the demographics of the territory and the Indian government’s propaganda of restoring normalcy and peace in the valley, following the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A. The delegation will also present the evidence of ongoing human rights abuses, growing militarization and human rights abuses. Moreover, they plan to uncover the Indian government’s endeavors to conduct fake elections, which are no substitute for a plebiscite as envisaged in the UN Security Council resolutions.

Beside their official meetings, the Kashmiri delegation will host seminars and symposiums on the sidelines of the UNHRC session. These measures aim to raise awareness about the urgent need for a resolution to the lingering Kashmir dispute and to expose what they describe as India’s harmful actions in the occupied territory.

Active participation in these kinds of sessions helps in collaborating with various NGOs and civil society organizations to amplify the Kashmiri concerns and ensure that their voices are represented in discussions. These forums are also crucial in raising awareness about the human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir, emphasizing the ongoing violations and the need for international attention. The outcomes of this session could have lasting implications for the Kashmir issue, influencing international perceptions and potential actions regarding human rights in the IIOJ&K.  

The writer is a freelance columnist