Kashmiri children write a letter addressed to US President Barack Obama

[Omar1984]

Dear Uncle Sam!
​

Kashmiri children read a letter addressed to US President Barack Obama. PHOTO: EXPRESS



MUZAFFARABAD: The decades-old dispute between Pakistan and India over the Himalayan region of Kashmir has been a nuclear flashpoint in South Asia. The international community has been reluctant to play its role for the resolution of the dispute despite repeated calls from the Kashmiri people. On the eve of US President Barack Obama’s visit to India, some 4,000 Kashmiri children wrote a touching letter to him.

“On behalf of the children of the divided state of Jammu and Kashmir, we, the members of Kashmir Children Assembly (KCA), draw your kind attention towards the unrelenting atrocities, oppression and torture of Kashmiris by the Indian troops. The draconian laws, which give sweeping powers to the occupation forces to catch and kill any innocent Kashmiri with impunity, have turned the disputed Himalayan region into a living hell,” reads the letter.

“Growing up under the shadow of fear and terror, Kashmiri children are the worst victims of the conflict and their majority is suffering from serious psychological disorders,” it further reads.

The letter was read by the children at a news conference in the capital of Azad Kashmir.

“The children of Kashmir are deprived of an environment conducive to their proper upbringing and overall development. Their education has become the first casualty of this conflict as the educational system, already at low ebb, has almost collapsed during the last four months. The security of the school-goers is at high risk.”

Addressing President Obama, they said, “Since you are visiting India next month, the KCA seizes the opportunity to draw your kind attention towards this issue with a firm hope that you will do something concrete to bring peace in the lives of the Kashmiri children. And it goes without saying that peace which we pray and crave for hinges on a peaceful settlement of the Kashmir issue.”

“In order to convey their innocent feelings and wishes to you, though in broken words, around 4,000 Kashmiri children have written you letters in English and Urdu which we wish should reach you, so that you know how many hopes they have pinned on your forthcoming visit,” the letter read.

“We, the children of Jammu & Kashmir request His Excellency Mr Barack Obama, the US president, to recall his pledge which he had made with his nation and the world community to lead for bringing change in US policies regarding the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue,” they added.

The campaign to write letters to President Obama was organised by the Sawera Foundation through the Kashmir Children Assembly.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 27th, 2010.

 

[Urbanized Greyhound]

“We, the children of Jammu & Kashmir request His Excellency Mr Barack Obama

Living in AK were they made to rote -learn and write this ???

I dont see any separatist here in J&K even try to do this....perhaps because they know the patriotic kids in our government schools singing our national anthem every 15 th Aug would tear the propaganda leaflet to bits before their eyes.....

 

[Areesh]

Living in AK were they made to rote -learn and write this ???

I dont see any separatist here in J&K even try to do this....perhaps because they know the patriotic kids in our government schools singing our national anthem every 15 th Aug would tear the propaganda leaflet to bits before their eyes.....

So those 110 + kids killed in last few months weren't Kashmiris? Or even at the age of 15 they weren't kids according to you.

 

[somebozo]

India message in IOK is simple..submit or be prepared to die...so effectively it is draconian dictatorship no different than NK, Saddam, Hitler etc etc!

India is another Nazi germany in the making!

 

[ajtr]

sorry kids but uncle sam has other important work to do in Af-pakk

US rebuffs Pakistan's bid to globalise Kashmir issue​

2010-10-25 19:40:00
Last Updated: 2010-10-25 19:52:26
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New Delhi: As Pakistan steps up efforts to internationalise the Kashmir issue during President Barack Obama's India visit, the US on Monday rebuffed Islamabad, making it clear that it is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan.

'The US stance on Kashmir has been very clear. The conflict in Kashmir is part of discussions between India and Pakistan, and not an issue for the US and other countries to take role,' said a senior US government official, who did not wish to be named.

India's security forces are suspecting an escalation in militancy in the Kashmir Valley in the run-up to Obama's visit and have pointed out that terror attacks in the state coincided with then president Bill Clinton's visit to India in 2000.

The official emphasised that the US was aware of India's concerns over its aid to Pakistan, but made it clear that Washington was constantly asking Islamabad to do more on the counter-terrorism front.

'We are constantly talking to Pakistan and asking them to do more,' the official said when asked about India's concerns over Pakistan's misuse of the US aid to bolster its anti-India war machine.

Admitting that China will be among a host of global issues that will be discussed between Obama and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the official said the US saw India as having an important role in Asia, but was keen that India has a 'very positive relationship' with China. He added that the US and India have 'common opportunities and concerns' vis-a-vis China.

Obama's upcoming visit to India next month will not only be the longest in his 20-month presidency but also give a definite direction to future ties with India in a host of areas such as economy, environment, energy and education, officials said.

 

[naumananjum]

Really these children deserves a lot
.
kashmiris are rising and a day will come when they prefer to die rather then submission to india

 

[Areesh]

sorry kids but uncle sam has other important work to do in Af-pakk

Or Uncle is too old and lethargic to do anything including Afghan-Pakistan

 

[ajtr]

Or Uncle is too old and lethargic to do anything including Afghan-Pakistan

Then poor kids sending letter to wrong uncle who cant do anything....

 

[somebozo]

You forgot zia ul huq and moa zedong

Mao Zedong sided with the peasants as he saw KMT corrupt $hitocracy will never let China emerge as strong nation. Beside that, China the hardcore communist your best ally was. Infact China sided with the world powers in war against communism with expertise, material and wealth.

I am not aware of any mass killing campaign launched against countrymen by Zia Ul Haq. If you are referring to east-Pakistani blunder it was Yahya not Zia. Yahya was forced to resign.

 

[naumananjum]

Then poor kids sending letter to wrong uncle who cant do anything....

he can do
but he will not

 

[Urbanized Greyhound]

So those 110 + kids killed in last few months weren't Kashmiris? Or even at the age of 15 they weren't kids according to you.

They were INDIANS first before they were Kashmiris and it is because of this today there is a raging debate in every corner of India about the AFSPA , there is a high level delegation of all parties to Kashmir, huge media coverage and outcry, extreme pressure on Omar Abdullah govt,The PM 's personal interest , military tribunals to punish armymen guilty of excesses, in addition to the regular police and civilian judiciary......

this is the amount of accountability we have in India, and the Irony is that its all on account of elements across the border instigating the riots through monetary payment to the separatist thugs ( shamelessly accepting payment to get Kashmiri youth martyred from external sources )

we shouldn't be even bothered what Pakistani children ( in AK ) says about us directed by Pakistan's official Propaganda machine....

It ll be far more useful to send Uncle Sam a letter to stop drone strikes on Pakistani territory and save the lives of hundreds of Pakistani " adults " rather than keep a headache about whats going on in India.....

 

[BATMAN]

Then poor kids sending letter to wrong uncle who cant do anything....

He can prevent himself from being complicit in murders of Children by stop arming India with arms and nukes.

If he wish to help the cause any further he can condemn the genocide of Kashmiris.

Any way the biggest culprit is Banki Moron and media.

 

[Tshering22]

Nice try by separatist kids. But writing to anyone doesn't matter as no one will take this initiative without irritating. Keep writing letters, throwing stones, supporting terrorism; because this is what is the reason why they're in so much misery today and they've to learn to stop all this.

 

[flex]

let c wat obama will do??

 

[foxbat]

India message in IOK is simple..submit or be prepared to die...so effectively it is draconian dictatorship no different than NK, Saddam, Hitler etc etc!

India is another Nazi germany in the making!

Though what you said above is actually nonsense, but for a minute, even if I belive it, a Nazi Germany in the making, is still better than what Pakistan has already become.