A Call to Action for Kashmir
The majority of reports emanating from last month’s General Assembly would make one think that all that was discussed at this international forum was climate change. In the Indian media, there is more discussion of how a ban on plastic bags might affect the Indian economy than there is of the crisis in Kashmir.
I do not wish to downplay the dire situation we face with climate change and plastic pollution, but there are other pressing issues in the world.
Eight million people have been locked inside Kashmir now for more than 60 days and the world does not seem to be paying attention, let alone acting.
In Hong Kong, one protestor is shot and it makes world headlines. In Kashmir, there are reports of Indian authorities arresting and taking 13,000 children away from their families.
As Prime Minister Imran Khan said, many countries do not wish to upset India because of its size. That is one perspective and, if true, then the inaction on both the environment and Kashmir appears to be driven by the same selfish attitude of humanity, if we can call it that: a focus on material wealth over human lives.
Mr Modi did not mention Kashmir in his speech at the recent UN General Assembly. No doubt because he does not want the world’s attention focussed on it, any more than the world seems to want to accept that a humanitarian crisis is occurring there.
Mr Modi says his actions in Kashmir are driven by his desire to fight Muslim terrorism. Has he really placed 900,000 Indian troops in Kashmir for this reason? More accurately, this rationale suits his agenda and allows him to harness the rising tide of Islamophobia around the world for his benefit. There seems to be a general international sentiment that Muslims caused much of the mess we find in the world today, so let them die. The fear of Islam seems so great now that no one cares what atrocities befall them.
Placing Islamophobia aside for a moment, it might be more accurate simply to attribute Mr Modi’s actions to his belief in Hindu superiority. Under Mr Modi, the political and religious elite play games while the democratic idea – and ideal – of India is at risk of being lost in a tide of rising fascism.
We might also focus on the fact that the two key players in this tussle are nuclear powers, so there is a real risk of a nuclear weapon being used over this stand-off.
I have so many questions for world leaders and those in positions of power about why the world is not stepping forward to take a stand:
Where is the world’s compassion?
Where is the world’s willingness to act for the people that have no power to protect themselves?
Why is the world doing nothing?
India’s move into Kashmir is one of pure aggression. India has not merely placed restrictions on Kashmiri life, it is carrying out atrocities against the people.
I implore anyone who is able to sway international sentiment on Kashmir to stand up: Nobel Laureates, heads of state, religious heads. You have the experience and the position to make a stand.
It is currently unclear whether Kashmir is legally part of India or Pakistan, however, there are parallels between East Timor and Kashmir that provide a precedent for creating a new State for people of uncertain status.
It was in 1948 that the UN Security Council instructed that a plebiscite be held for the Kashmiri people to decide their fate. They are currently being denied that option and are suffering enormous human rights violations – just as the Timorese people were. At this critical point, the Kashmiri people should be given protection by the international community to hold their plebiscite, just as the Timorese people were. A decision that resulted in a peaceful and successful new State.
In all good conscience, the world cannot simply look on while the people of Kashmir are imprisoned like this.
We now need you, our leaders, to speak for peace and to protect innocent lives.