OIC denounces India’s wicked delimitation exercise in IIOJK

 The Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has strongly condemned the Indian Government’s recently concluded illegal exercise to redraw and delimit the electoral constituencies in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

The IPHRC in a statement termed India’s move as violative of numerous OIC and UN Security Council resolutions as well as international human rights and humanitarian laws.

“IPHRC accordingly supports the unanimous rejection of the Kashmiri political leadership of these illegal measures, which are continuum of the host of other ‘Hindutva’ inspired illegal steps taken by the Indian occupation regime in IIOJK in the aftermath of the 5th August 2019,” it said.

The Commission said this is a nefarious attempt by India to alter the electoral demographics and dynamics in a manner that could influence the sham electoral results to install puppet regimes of its choice in the occupied territory. These wicked measures are aimed at converting the indigenous Muslim population into minority within their homeland and obstruct the exercise of their inalienable right to self-determination.

The IPHRC further stated that these measures manifest violations of the human rights of the Kashmiri people, guaranteed under well codified international human rights treaties including Fourth Geneva Convention, which clearly prohibits any change in the demographics of the occupied areas and resultant disenfranchisement.

The Commission, while rejecting these measures as illegal, reiterated its oft repeated call to the UN and the international community to play their due role to pressurize India to abide by the relevant UNSC and OIC resolutions and refrain from any administrative and legislative actions, which tantamount to altering the geographic and demographic status of IIOJK. It stressed for restoration of all fundamental freedoms of Kashmiris and repeal of all discriminatory laws.

The Commission demanded that the Kashmiri people be allowed to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination through a free and fair plebiscite, as provided in the relevant UN Security Council and OIC resolutions.