January 28, 2002	Monday	Ziqa’ad 13, 1422

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window).

LONDON, Jan 27: British Kashmiris staged a peaceful demonstration in front of Indian High Commission here to observe black day and demand their right to self-determination under the UN resolutions.

The protest was organised by All Parties Kashmir International Coordination Committee on the occasion of Indian Republic day celebrated on Saturday.

“Once again the UN resolutions 1948-49 relating to the issue of Kashmir and the right of Kashmiris to self-determination have been blatantly ignored by India. India continues to sponsor state terrorism. India has no right to call itself a Republic when it refuses the same right to the others,” said the memorandum presented to the Indian High Commission by a delegation.

The delegation, led by President of the Coordination Committee Raja Muhammad Ayub, comprises an Overseas member of Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly from UK Chaudhry Muhammad Khan, Secretary General Muhammad Ghalib and representatives of British Kashmiri Women Council.

“Recent events have brought into sharp focus the injustices being suffered by the Kashmiri people. Already, over 80,000 Kashmiris have been killed. How many more must die? How much longer must they suffer?,” queried the memorandum.

The protesters chanted slogans against India and urged New Delhi to end its illegal occupation of their land by allowing Kashmiris determine their destiny.

Indian injustices and continuation of “state terrorism”, it said, “is a disgrace to the civilized world”.

Late Indian Prime Minister Nehru had promised to the Kashmiris that they would be allowed to determine their political future through a plebiscite.

The memorandum reminded British Prime Minister Tony Blair of his statement after Sept 11 that it was time all the outstanding UN resolutions were implemented.

“We agree. The world cannot afford to ignore the rights of dis-enfranchised people as this leads to greater bitterness,” said the memorandum.

It said people of Jammu and Kashmir were freedom fighters who were struggling for their basic human rights being denied to them by New Delhi.

“The people of Kashmir have the moral high ground and the world looks at India as a repugnant so-called democracy. If the Indian government has any integrity or honour, it must agree to a free vote for the Kashmiris to decide their future,” said the memorandum.

The world and particularly the US should help resolve this issue to save the region from dangers of a nuclear conflict, Raja Ayub told APP after the protest.

He said the world should listen to repeated calls by the Amnesty International to allow its representatives access to held Kashmir and well-documented human rights abuses carried out there by India.

Despite continuing repression by Indian troops and security forces, New Delhi had failed to subjugate the will of the common Kashmiris, he said.

The UNSC resolutions, accepted both by Pakistan and India, have unfortunately remained unimplemented because of the constant refusal by India.

Unless Kashmir dispute is settled through peaceful means and in line with the aspirations of Kashmiris, South Asia would continue to pose a threat to the world peace. Kashmir is the only source of tension in the region and others are peripheral issues, said the committee’s Secretary General Muhammad Ghalib.

—APP