MALAYSIAN PEOPLE’S DECLARATION SOLIDARITY WITH KASHMIR In Commemoration
One Year Lockdown (Siege) of Kashmir (5th August 2019 – 5th August 2020)
MALAYSIAN PEOPLE’S DECLARATION
SOLIDARITY WITH KASHMIR
In Commemoration
One Year Lockdown ( Siege ) of Kashmir (5th August 2019 – 5th August 2020)
Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia
8th August 2020
The people of Malaysia including all Members of Parliament, Scholars and Civil Societies today in commemorating the 1-year illegal lockdown of Jammu Kashmir imposed by the Indian Government, henceforth declare that we :
ARE aware of the abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian constitution on the 5th August 2019 and its subsequent revocation of the autonomous status Jammu and Kashmir ;
UNDERSTAND the total lockdown imposed on the Jammu and Kashmir citizens is cruel and literally against the International law, in contradiction with United Nation Security Council Nation
DEEPLY CONCERN on the inhuman measures taken by India for the past one year, in addition to the more than 70 years of Indian occupation since 1947 , blocking access to food and medicines, disruption of daily livelihood, closing educational and public institutions . This also includes the shutdown of internet and land telephone services, enforced curfew, and the prohibition of public assemblies for Kashmiris to express their rights. Kashmiris who have resisted , have been put under detention, tortured and murdered with impunity;
COGNISANT of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act passed in Indian Parliament which divided the state into two Union Territories, of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh;
CONSCIOUS of the disastrous impact on the socio-economic livelihood of the people of Jammu and Kashmir as a direct consequence of the 1-year lockdown,
TAKING NOTE that since majority of political leaders of Jammu and Kashmir are put in detention, Kashmiris have lost their political voice to advocate for their rights. Even statutory bodies to which citizens could go to seek redress has virtually ceased to exist,
PARTICULARLY concern that human rights of Kashmir women and child are brutally violated including arbitrary arrest, forced separation and sexually abused,
WORRIED that the rights to accessing information for Kashmiris are denied, leading to a near-total alienation of Kashmiri people living within the valley ;
ENRAGED by the cold-blooded assault of the Indian troops and paramilitary squads using extreme force to crush dissent by extrajudicial killings, injuring and blinding civilians, sexual abuses, torturing detainees, destroying of homes, detention of journalists and political opponents ;
NOTING that a documented report has been released by the Kashmir Human Rights Forum, exposing serious devastating impact on the ground, including:
• Violation of human rights, including illegal detention and strict restrictions on arrest and detention of children through the misuse of Draconian legislations, such as the Public Safety Act (PSA) and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), to stifle dissent;
• Frequent closures, harassment at barricades and checkpoints, and restrictions on mobile phones and internet connectivity has enormously affected public health, and violate the rights to health and medical care;
• The impact on education has been severe. Indian Government’s action of violating Kashmiris’ rights to education is a major concern on the future of the young Kashmiris;
• Local economy suffered large losses in every sector such as tourism and cottage industries, of which many have been forced out of business;
• Local media is targeted. Journalists are harassed by Draconian charges slapped on them to curtail their exposure of the Indian atrocities against the Kashmiris;
• The Indian expansion of the military presence in the hinterland and border areas is a clear annexation of the disputed Kashmir territory;
HENCE WE DEMAND
1. The immediate dismantling of the lockdown in Jammu and Kashmir . The Indian action is which is an illegal siege on the internationally recognised disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The lockdown is a unilateral action by India which violates the UNSC resolution .
2. Normalcy must be resumed by India’s immediate action of lifting the siege. We demand for all Indian military forces be withdrawn from Kashmir;
3. Remaining Kashmir political detainees must be released immediately. All restrictions on freedom of representation and expression must be revoked;
4. Criminal and civil actions against personnel of police, armed forces and paramilitary forces found guilty of abuses and violence against Kashmir civilians must be enforced;
5. The welfare and basic necessities of the people of Jammu Kashmir must be secured. All aspects of their daily livelihood must be restored and compensation for losses and destructions must be extended ;
6. We call for the Cordon and Search Operations (CASO), which has resulted in civilian deaths, injuries, damage, and loss of homes must ceased. The demolition of houses under the pretext of searching for terrorists is strongly condemned;
7. Guarantee full access to medical care including the movement of people to get medical treatment in hospitals. Police and paramilitary personnel at checkpoints must stop their harassment of civilians trying to get medical aid and other basic needs;
8. Restore the internet and mobile services connection. Access to communication within and outside of Kashmir must be re-established;
9. Reinstate all independent institutions that monitor human rights abuses in Kashmir by Indian forces, such as the Jammu and Kashmir Human Rights Commission, to assess the level of compliance with the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
10. Revoke the Reorganization Order and the Domicile Law to reinstate the rights of the indigenous Kashmiris over land ownership, government jobs, and economic opportunities. Stop the demographic change which intends to alter the population profile of Jammu and Kashmir. This specifically involves the depopulation agenda by India against Muslim Kashmiris in Jammu and Kashmir;
11. Restore the normal function of the media (local and international) and allow media access to information on the ground reality in Kashmir . Media must be allowed to report the truth of violations and crimes committed by the Indian troops against Kashmiris;
12. Re-invigorate the right to self-determination for the Kashmiris and implement the related plebiscites following the UNSC Resolution 47.
13. Call on the member states OIC to take concrete actions to voice for a strong demand for India to comply with the international law and to seriously mobilize the Muslim leaders to unite and urge India to stop the oppressive policies against the Muslim population especially on the demographic change of Kashmir by the Hindutva agenda pursued by India.
Endorsers:
HE YB Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad , Former Prime Minister of Malaysia
Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid
President Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organizations (MAPIM)
Datuk Seri Ahmad Awang
Chairman Alliance of World Mosques in Defence of Al Aqsa
(MANAR)
Datuk Wira Abdul Ghani Samsudin
Chairman Secretariat for the Ulama Assembly of Asia (SHURA)
Muhammad Fadhil Yusni
Deputy Chair, Malaysian Kashmir Youth Movement (MKYF)
