OIC demands India rescind its illegal actions in occupied Kashmir

The Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir, on Monday, called upon member states to raise the issue of occupied Kashmir in their bilateral engagements with India. This decision was taken to safeguard the fundamental human rights of the Kashmiri people in the occupied territory.

The Group also affirmed that Indian actions of August 5, 2019, and new domicile rules are in complete violation of the UNSC resolutions, international laws including the 4th Geneva Conventions, and India's solemn commitments to implement UNSC resolutions.

The wording of the communiqué has been the strongest seen so far from the OIC, many of the countries which have awarded highest awards to Prime Minister Modi, while others have kept trade ties with India supreme.

“It requested the OIC Secretary-General to highlight the worsening situation in IOJ&K at various international fora including the United Nations and call for immediate steps for amelioration of the human rights and humanitarian situation and peaceful resolution of the Jammu & Kashmir dispute,” stated the communiqué

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, in a statement, said, “The OIC must urge India to rescind its unilateral and illegal actions since August 5, 2019, implement the relevant UNSC resolutions to hold an UN-supervised plebiscite, halt its blatant human rights violations and provide unhindered access to human rights organisations and international media to investigate and report on the situation in the occupied territory”.

He also held a telephonic conversation with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Al Saud. Matters of mutual interest, including COVID-19 pandemic, enhanced bilateral cooperation and situation in occupied Kashmir were discussed, said the Foreign Office.

The Emergency Virtual Meeting was held on Pakistan’s call, to take up the worsening situation in occupied Kashmir. The meeting was chaired by OIC Secretary-General, Dr Yousaf Al-Othaimeen, and Qureshi apprised the participants of the prevailing situation in the valley and briefed them on various aspects of the issue.

Kashmir issue of utmost importance to Muslim Ummah, says OIC

The communiqué rejected the newly-notified “Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Order 2020” and “Jammu & Kashmir Grant of Domicile Certificate Rules 2020” aimed at changing the demographic structure of the valley.

It affirmed that any so-called political process held under foreign occupation cannot substitute the exercise of the right to self-determination by the people of occupied Kashmir as provided for in relevant UNSC resolutions.

The OIC emphasised that the question of Kashmir is of utmost importance for Muslim Ummah and requested the General Secretariat and OIC affiliated and specialised institutions and subsidiary organs, to take necessary measures to ensure implementation of UN resolutions on occupied Kashmir.

The ministerial meeting also took note of the recent developments and expressed deep concern over the worsening human rights and humanitarian situation in the valley since India's illegal and unilateral actions of August 5, 2019.

It welcomed the statement issued by the UN Secretary-General on August 8, 2019, affirming that the position of the United Nations on Kashmir region is governed by the UN Charter and applicable UN Security Council Resolutions, and the statement issued by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on October 29, 2019, expressing extreme concern over the worsening human rights situation in IOJ&K.

It also welcomed the UN Security Council meetings of August 16, 2019, and January 15, 2020, considering the situation arising from India's actions as well. Open discussion of the OIC-IPHRC under its "Standing Mechanism to Monitor Human Rights Situation in Indian Occupied Kashmir” during its 16th Regular Session on November 25, 2019, that, inter alia, strongly condemned the continued human rights violations in occupied Kashmir.

The Group also welcomed the two reports issued by the UN OHCHR in June 2018 and July 2019 comprehensively documenting the gross and systematic violations of human rights in occupied Kashmir.

It further welcomed the role played by world leaders, parliamentarians, human rights organisations and international media, in raising their voices against Indian occupation and atrocities in IOJ&K.

OIC expresses concern over India's aggressive actions

The OIC deplored the extended, months-long, lockdown of the Kashmiri people and communications blackout since August 5, 2019, and suppression of Kashmiris through arbitrary detentions, fake “encounters," so-called "cordon-and-search" operations designed to inflict collective punishment on entire neighbourhoods, and indiscriminate use of force, including use of pellet guns, against unarmed Kashmiri protestors.

It expressed concern over India's intensified ceasefire violations on the Line of Control (LoC), resulting in deaths and injuries to civilian population particularly women and children.

It deplored that India has callously exploited the current COVID-19 crisis to intensify its military crackdown and further advance its unlawful occupation in occupied Kashmir, which may have an impact on the spread of the pandemic.

Regretted that India has not allowed the OIC, IPHRC and UN Fact-Finding Missions to Visit occupied Kashmir.

Reaffirmed the unanimously adopted Communiqué on Jammu & Kashmir by the OIC Contact Group Ministerial meeting on the sidelines of the 74th UNGA session in September 2019.

The ministerial meeting reaffirmed the OIC position and resolutions on the occupied Kashmir dispute.

Further reaffirmed its support for the legitimate struggle of the Kashmiri people for the realisation of their inalienable right to self-determination and freedom from Indian occupation.

Demanded that India:

• Rescind its unilateral and illegal actions, and allow the Kashmiri people to freely exercise their right to self-determination through UN-supervised plebiscite; halt its human rights violations, stop indiscriminate use of force including the use of pellet guns, lift the unabated military siege and inhuman lockdown, repeal its draconian emergency laws, allow exercise of fundamental freedoms, and release all illegal detainees;

• Stop any moves towards changing the demographic structure of IOJ&K, as they are illegal and in violation of international law, particularly the 4th Geneva Convention;

• Provide unhindered access to the OIC, IPHRC and UN Fact-Finding Missions, OIC Secretary General's Special Envoy for Jammu and Kashmir, and international media to investigate into human rights violations in IOJ&K;

• Agree to the call made in the OHCHR's report to establish a Commission of Inquiry to conduct comprehensive, independent, international investigations into human rights violations in IoJK.

Requested the office of UN OHCHR to continue to monitor the situation of human rights in occupied Kashmir to continue reporting on the matter.

Requested the OIC Secretary-General to direct the Humanitarian Department at the General Secretariat to examine and analyse the egregious violations of international human rights and humanitarian standards in the deepening crisis in occupied Kashmir — with particular reference to the COVID-19 pandemic — to evolve ways and means to address its gravity and adverse impact on the lives and livelihoods of Kashmiri people in occupied Kashmir.

Originally published in The News