MIRPUR (AJK)-India must stop its human right violations and crimes against humanity in Indian Occupied Kashmir, declared said AJK President Sardar Masood Khan.
Speaking at a seminar titled “International Human Rights Day” on Sunday hosted by the Jammu & Kashmir Liberation Cell, the AJK president said that implantation of non-Kashmiri settlers in settlements in IOK is a violation of Articles 27 and 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention and a grave breach of Additional Protocol I. He said that India’s construction of illegal settlements for Kashmiri pundits and former army personnel to change demography of Jammu and Kashmir is in clear violation of international laws and conventions.
He said that the tale of Kashmir is a tragedy and is the gravest human rights issue facing the world today. The planned massacre of Kashmiris at the hands of the Indian forces is tantamount to genocide and war crimes, he pointed out, adding that Kashmiris have been made homeless in their native land. “The word ‘violations’ is a euphemism considering the horrendous war crimes being carried out in Kashmir”, said President Masood.
The AJK president said that India has been using chemical weapons in IOK and evidence in this regard has come forward of its use on the populations of Anantnag and Pulwama. The suffering of the Kashmiris is not an event of yesteryears but the barbarity continues to this day.
The president commended the efforts of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Cell and the Kashmir Media Services for helping document the atrocities and violations committed in IOK. He added that we need to regularly update the data and ultimately use it in enlightening the international organizations of the horrendous war crimes taking place in IOK at the hands of the Indian Occupation Forces. The President said that in the near future effective steps will be taken to include the Kashmir issue in the syllabi of schools and universities to enable the younger generations to better understand the conflict.
The AJK president said that India has taken up a three pronged war against Pakistan; firstly, by killing our Kashmiri brothers and sisters in IOK; secondly, cross border shelling on civilian population in AJK; and thirdly, engaging in a proxy war by carrying out acts of terrorism in various territories of Pakistan. This year alone, he said, India has committed over 1550 cross border violations killing over 60 civilians and injuring hundreds of others in Azad Kashmir.
Masood Khan said that through 5,000 village committees comprising 30,000 armed RSS sponsored goons, India is terrorising the local population of IOK and forcing them to evacuate their homes and properties. The President added that the Muslims, especially the Gujjar population in Jammu-numbering around one million-are the main victims of the genocide, forced disappearances and evacuations carried out by Indian forces.