Icewolf
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The month of October arrived with so many ominous incidents that made us forget October 27, the Black Day for Kashmir. But how can we forget October 27, 1947 the day India landed its army in Jammu and Kashmir, in total disregard to the Indian Independence Act and Partition Plan in 1947. In order to change the demographic of the territory, Indian troops, the forces of Dogra Maharaja Hari Singh, and Hindu extremists massacred hundreds of thousand Kashmiri Muslims within a period of two months and the same path of terror continues today even after six decades.
Back in 1947, India violated the guidelines set for deciding the future of Hyderabad, Junagarh and Kashmir, three of the independent Princely States at that time, which were given the choice to either accede to Pakistan or India, considering the geographical situation and communal demography. It forcibly occupied Hyderabad and Junagarh, which had Hindus in majority, but their rulers were Muslims. Kashmir was a Muslim majority state and had a natural tendency to accede to Pakistan, but its Hindu ruler destroyed the future of Kashmiri people by announcing its accession to India under a controversial accession document.
The UN Security Council through its successive resolutions nullified Indian invasion and occupation of Kashmir. It also approved a ceasefire, demarcation of the ceasefire line, demilitarization of the state and a free and impartial plebiscite to be conducted under the supervision of the World Body. Although the ceasefire and demarcation of the ceasefire line was implemented while demilitarization of the occupied territory and a free and impartial plebiscite under UN supervision remain unimplemented till date.
The time may have changed but the Indian style has not; their atrocities keep coming to light by researchers who find a chance to cross into the Indian side of Kashmir, despite their strict media blackout. The journalists Adrian Levy and Catherine Scott-Clark, an award-winning investigative journalist team in their book published in May 2012 The Meadow: Kashmir 1995 where the Terror Began investigated the kidnapping and murder of some westerners. They claim that the westerners were murdered by a group of Kashmiri militants who worked for the Indian Army. The writers say that adventurers and nature lovers across the globe regard Kashmir as a paradise on earth. But for this group, a trip to the meadow became a nightmare.
These men - two Americans, two Britons, a German and a Norwegian - journeyed to Kashmir in search of nature and humanity, but became entangled in a hostage situation that lasted for six months, before they vanished leaving their loved ones and family in agony. The conclusions in the book are drawn through investigations based on the interviews with police officials then investigating the case and the wives of the missing men. Indian government, Indian intelligence agencies and Indian military prolonged their capture and sabotaged negotiations with the kidnappers which resulted in their deaths. This was later discovered to be an Indian conspiracy to put the blame on Pakistan and its intelligence agencies.
The annual UNHRC Report of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances was published on February 6, 2012. The Working Group was the first UN Human Rights mechanism to be established with a universal mandate. The report says that between1989 and 2009 the actions of military and paramilitary forces in Kashmir have resulted in more than 8,000 enforced and involuntary disappearances.
But despite these clear and authentic reports, by credible organizations and writers India succeeds in keeping a lid over its atrocities by a strict media control. The world media and its ethics demand that true picture of sufferings in Kashmir and other parts of India must be exposed. October 27 must be observed as a day of solidarity with the oppressed people. The Indian government must be pressurized to provide basic rights to its minorities and fulfill its commitments made to the world community.
WAHEED HAMID,
Lahore, October 15.
October 27: a Black Day | The Nation
[video]www.youtube.com/watch?v=IX1hAQt-DWI [/video]
Back in 1947, India violated the guidelines set for deciding the future of Hyderabad, Junagarh and Kashmir, three of the independent Princely States at that time, which were given the choice to either accede to Pakistan or India, considering the geographical situation and communal demography. It forcibly occupied Hyderabad and Junagarh, which had Hindus in majority, but their rulers were Muslims. Kashmir was a Muslim majority state and had a natural tendency to accede to Pakistan, but its Hindu ruler destroyed the future of Kashmiri people by announcing its accession to India under a controversial accession document.
The UN Security Council through its successive resolutions nullified Indian invasion and occupation of Kashmir. It also approved a ceasefire, demarcation of the ceasefire line, demilitarization of the state and a free and impartial plebiscite to be conducted under the supervision of the World Body. Although the ceasefire and demarcation of the ceasefire line was implemented while demilitarization of the occupied territory and a free and impartial plebiscite under UN supervision remain unimplemented till date.
The time may have changed but the Indian style has not; their atrocities keep coming to light by researchers who find a chance to cross into the Indian side of Kashmir, despite their strict media blackout. The journalists Adrian Levy and Catherine Scott-Clark, an award-winning investigative journalist team in their book published in May 2012 The Meadow: Kashmir 1995 where the Terror Began investigated the kidnapping and murder of some westerners. They claim that the westerners were murdered by a group of Kashmiri militants who worked for the Indian Army. The writers say that adventurers and nature lovers across the globe regard Kashmir as a paradise on earth. But for this group, a trip to the meadow became a nightmare.
These men - two Americans, two Britons, a German and a Norwegian - journeyed to Kashmir in search of nature and humanity, but became entangled in a hostage situation that lasted for six months, before they vanished leaving their loved ones and family in agony. The conclusions in the book are drawn through investigations based on the interviews with police officials then investigating the case and the wives of the missing men. Indian government, Indian intelligence agencies and Indian military prolonged their capture and sabotaged negotiations with the kidnappers which resulted in their deaths. This was later discovered to be an Indian conspiracy to put the blame on Pakistan and its intelligence agencies.
The annual UNHRC Report of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances was published on February 6, 2012. The Working Group was the first UN Human Rights mechanism to be established with a universal mandate. The report says that between1989 and 2009 the actions of military and paramilitary forces in Kashmir have resulted in more than 8,000 enforced and involuntary disappearances.
But despite these clear and authentic reports, by credible organizations and writers India succeeds in keeping a lid over its atrocities by a strict media control. The world media and its ethics demand that true picture of sufferings in Kashmir and other parts of India must be exposed. October 27 must be observed as a day of solidarity with the oppressed people. The Indian government must be pressurized to provide basic rights to its minorities and fulfill its commitments made to the world community.
WAHEED HAMID,
Lahore, October 15.
October 27: a Black Day | The Nation
[video]www.youtube.com/watch?v=IX1hAQt-DWI [/video]
