The third anniversary of the illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir was commemorated by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) through a statement urging the reenactment of Article 370—giving the region its special status—along with respecting and adhering to the human rights charter. As expected, such a show of support irked India which called this statement ‘misleading’ and ‘mischievous’ all the while claiming that it had nothing but respect for all religions–a hard-to-believe claim considering the ongoing genocide against Muslims in India.
Throughout the course of years, Kashmir has become the host of one of the longest and bloodiest military sieges in the world. More than 80,000 individuals have perished while countless others are routinely subjected to torturous circumstances that alienate them from the world entirely. The plight of their suffering and the public’s demand for the end of such barbaric rule has always been transparent and loud and still, only a few organisations like the OIC are brave enough to engage with the matter publicly. For India to condemn this support extended to over 4 million Kashmiris is just a reflection of the extent to which it will go to keep Kashmir suppressed, and Pakistan has and will continue to reject its fallacious claims of being ‘tolerant’, misunderstood power or a victim in this scenario.
The job of our government now is to reiterate the OIC’s statement calling for the international community to come together for a solution to the Kashmir problem. Keeping this at the forefront is essential, along with highlighting the calls for justice made by Kashmiris across the world. A rally at Times Square in New York City by Kashmiri-Americans denounced India’s actions and called for the end to its illegitimate interference in the region. World leaders—as supporters of liberal democratic values—must be brought to the same page. They have always been eager to assault illiberal regimes and safeguard democracy but their silence on Kashmir, a region that is desperate for genuine democracy, is rather astounding. We must do everything in our power to correct this and keep Kashmir’s fight for freedom in the limelight.
Throughout the course of years, Kashmir has become the host of one of the longest and bloodiest military sieges in the world. More than 80,000 individuals have perished while countless others are routinely subjected to torturous circumstances that alienate them from the world entirely. The plight of their suffering and the public’s demand for the end of such barbaric rule has always been transparent and loud and still, only a few organisations like the OIC are brave enough to engage with the matter publicly. For India to condemn this support extended to over 4 million Kashmiris is just a reflection of the extent to which it will go to keep Kashmir suppressed, and Pakistan has and will continue to reject its fallacious claims of being ‘tolerant’, misunderstood power or a victim in this scenario.
The job of our government now is to reiterate the OIC’s statement calling for the international community to come together for a solution to the Kashmir problem. Keeping this at the forefront is essential, along with highlighting the calls for justice made by Kashmiris across the world. A rally at Times Square in New York City by Kashmiri-Americans denounced India’s actions and called for the end to its illegitimate interference in the region. World leaders—as supporters of liberal democratic values—must be brought to the same page. They have always been eager to assault illiberal regimes and safeguard democracy but their silence on Kashmir, a region that is desperate for genuine democracy, is rather astounding. We must do everything in our power to correct this and keep Kashmir’s fight for freedom in the limelight.
