New York: Hundreds of Kashmiri-Americans, as well as those sympathetic to the Kashmiri cause, recently staged a peaceful protest in front of the Indian Mission to the United Nations to express their anguish over the killing of 47 innocent civilians in Kashmir and injuries to more than 3500.
Dr Ghulam Nabi Mir from Ohio said, “once again, Indian occupation forces are exacting a heavy price from Kashmiri people for demanding their right to Azadi, freedom, justice and self-determination.” He believed that like before, the United Nations and its exclusive club, the Security Council was busy watching the massacre of Kashmiris in several villages,towns and cities at the hands of Indian soldiers. It was also noted that even though they possessed no means to either put an end to the Indian atrocities or to implement their will, the valiant Kashmiris were still doing all that was possible— taking to the streets in defiance of the barbaric laws of the centre and its handpicked puppets. “We ask our people to remain steadfast, but peaceful, shun means of violent retaliation even as the state terrorises the population. We ask the United Nations Security Council to fulfil its obligations by implementing its binding resolutions to persuade India to hold a free and unfettered plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir.” Dr Mir added.
Nabi said the situation in Kashmir was continuously deteriorating since July 8, 2016, when 22-year-old Burhan Wani was killed by the Indian army. More than 300,000 people including youth and women attended his funeral. However, since then, as many as 47 persons, including teenagers and women, were killed by the Indian army. He noted that apart from the significant magnitude of the violence by the occupation forces, the most poignant aspect of the situation was the acute suffering of the whole population, caused by the curfew.
“This is a situation without precedent in South Asian subcontinent and few parallels in the whole world. The people of Kashmir urge the UN that they would be allowed to decide their future through an unrigged and uncoerced vote under impartial auspices,” he added. Sareer Fazili said that they stood in solidarity with the occupied Kashmiris and whatever they are facing. She lamented,“we stand with the Kashmiris and condemn in the strongest terms the use of pellet guns against the Kashmiri children. This barbaric treatment is a violation of the most basic of human rights. The attacks on hospitals, medical and assistant staff, ambulance personnel and patients themselves are further evidence of India’s depravity in Kashmir.” It was also noted that Indian press had estimated over 300,000 mourners at the funeral of Burhan Wani, the dynamic face of the new Kashmiri generation fighting Indian occupation. It was an evidence of the sentiment for freedom on the streets of Kashmir, Fazili noted.
Dr Imtiaz Khan from Maryland said, “we strongly condemn the human right abuses unleashed by Indian occupation forced on the peace loving people of Kashmir. I appeal to the international community to take notice of the fact that Indian security has destroyed at least 50 ambulances and damaged several hospitals and thrashed the patients treated for bullet wounds. These cases need to be reported to the international court of justice and members of Indian government tried for crimes against humanity. We demand that doctors without borders and International Red Cross be allowed a free access to occupied Kashmir so that they can mitigate the miseries faced by the people.
Also, free access for the independent journalist is demanded so that they can record the abuses inflicted on the civilian population.” Sardar Sawar Khan from New York said that Kashmir continued to bleed, however, the UN and the US have not broken their silence. He believed that a systematic campaign of terror has been launched against the people of Kashmir. “A deliberate targeting of youth with the intent to crush the movement should be the grave concern of the leadership of the civilised nations including UN,” he added.
