Kashmiris firm to resist Indian occupation

Modi led BJP came into power in 2014 after considerable majority in the general election rooting out the United Progressive Alliance.

For the subsequent elections in 2019 BJP’s manifesto explicitly called for the revocation of semi-autonomous status of IOJK. On 5th august 2019, BJP implementing their well thought and pre meditated strategies to ensure the annexation of the occupied territory into Indian Union. The implementation of controversial policies intended to subjugate the people of Jammu and Kashmir through fear, denial of their basic human rights and excessive use of force.

The Modi led central government believes that the implementation of such type of policies will lead to an end of the long standing international dispute, and to perpetrate demographic transformation of Muslim majority state into minority. Moreover, one of the brazen actions in IOJK that has been termed as violation of fundamental rights is property attachment. Indian authorities are attaching properties of pro-resistance leadership, human rights defenders, journalist, academics, and the members of civil society. Indian authorities label them that their property is being used for the purpose of anti-national activities and has falsely framed them in money laundering and terror financing charges. This policy has spread fear and tension among the masses of Jammu and Kashmir and has affected Kashmiri diaspora too, those people who are struggling for the right of self-determination and were either forced to leave or left due to the fear of being killed or jailed. The central Government backed by Hindu extremist lobby is clearly following Israel’s model of occupation that has been implemented in the Palestine, they have initiated the process to establish settler colonies in the IOJK to ensure exclusive Hindu settlements in the region.

India, despite being a party to the ICCPR and signatory to multiple international treaties and conventions related to human rights are flagrantly violating the international standards and principles on daily basis. All these actions have threatened the peace and stability in the region and sabotages the implementation of UN resolutions of dispute. The process of attachment of properties is being done as per section 2(g) & 25 of ULP Act [Unlawful Activities Prevention Act]. So far several hundreds of properties have been attached through this section and the process is going on mostly in all districts of IOJK. Moreover, the seizure of property is being done through the orders of the union ministry of home affairs (MHA) of India. The Indian authorities have also listed number of houses that will be attached or seized very soon. All these actions are being carried out by the national Investigation Agency (NIA) of India. They put up the boards on property announcing the attachment of property through the orders passed by the NIA courts. In addition Police and paramilitary forces have been given free hand to demolish the houses where the armed freedom fighters are taking refuge after taking up arms in self-defense against India’s 900000 occupying forces personnel.

Moreover the police have also started to book the owners of such houses under anti-terrorism laws on the grounds of giving shelter to armed freedom fighters.

The police, paramilitary forces, and state agencies including NIA and SIA have widened the unlawful framework of counterinsurgency against the pro-freedom and pro-resistance people of IOJK. They are clearly operating under a host of repressive laws, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) is one among those repressive laws which is frequently used after the revocation of semi-autonomous status of IOJK to suppress and silence the dissent. New tools and techniques are being used by Indian occupying forces to suppress and oppress the resistance movement of Kashmir. The Modi led central government has been trying to establish its legitimacy in the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir and are trying very hard to portray to the international community a false image of normalcy in the occupied region. But in reality implementing brutal policies and strategy, and hosting international events in disputed region under the shadow of occupying forces will not restore peace and security or real normalcy in the region. The ground realities of Kashmir are not hidden to the international community while the government backed by Hindu extremist lobby is altering the demography of Muslim majority state.

Kashmiris despite having always demanded peaceful settlement of dispute are least supported by international community. However, the Kashmiris continue to persevere and are hopeful for the resolution of Kashmir issue as per their aspirations under the auspices of UNSC. Kashmiris stand firmly in the face of oppressor and continue persistence in resistance struggle despite facing worst kind of brutalities at the hands of occupier and oppressor India.

– Views expressed by APHC- AJK General Secretary