AUGUST 5th 2019- THE START OF SETTLER COLONIALISM IN KASHMIR

AUGUST 5th 2019- THE START OF SETTLER COLONIALISM IN KASHMIR

By ANEEQA AAMIR



It marks the day when India removed Articles 370 and 35A from its Constitution ,laws that gave special rights and a level of autonomy to the Muslim-majority region of Jammu and Kashmir. While the Indian government claimed this move would bring peace, development and unity, the reality on the ground is quite opposite. Since that day, Kashmiris have experienced more fear than freedom. Instead of development, they’ve faced lockdowns, media blackouts, arrests and ongoing military presence.


Over 8,000 Kashmiris have gone missing. Above that 23,000 women have become widows and 2,000 are known as “half-widows. Otheer than this nearly 18,000 children have been orphaned. Shocking reports also state that about 2,600 women have been killed and over 12,000 have been assaulted by Indian soldiers.


What happened on 5th August was not just a legal change , it was actually the beginning of Indian settler colonialism in Kashmir. New Delhi has pushed policies that aim to change the region’s demographics by bringing in non-Kashmiris and altering land laws. It was part of a larger plan to turn the Muslim majority into a minority in their own homeland.


Kashmiris have lost control over their land, jobs, resources, culture and above all “their identity”. Kashmiris never accepted India's forced and illegal occupation. Their resistance continues despite the heavy cost. Even though India can change its own laws and constitution but it cannot change international laws or erase the United Nations resolutions that clearly recognize Kashmir as a disputed territory. These resolutions give the people of Kashmir the right to decide their own future , a right they’ve been waiting to exercise for over seven decades.


Pakistan ,on its part has consistently raised the Kashmir issue on international platforms. From the UN General Assembly to the Human Rights Council and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Pakistan has spoken out for the rights of Kashmiris. Every year, it observes 5th August as Youm-e-Istehsal to show solidarity with the oppressed people of Kashmir.


Our foreign office regularly shares reports about human rights violations in Indian-occupied Kashmir and calls for independent investigations. Civil society, students, activists and media in Pakistan also play their part by organizing seminars, awareness walks and online campaigns.


Unfortunately, international attention has faded. The world’s focus has shifted to newer crises ,wars and economic problems. But this silence is dangerous. When human rights violations go unnoticed in one place, it sends a signal that such actions are acceptable elsewhere too. Kashmir is not just an internal issue for India. It is a human rights issue. It is a moral issue.


And it is the responsibility of the global community to take a stand. Pakistan continues to believe in a peaceful and just solution. It urges the international community to implement the UN Security Council resolutions and allow the people of Jammu and Kashmir to decide their future through a fair and free plebiscite.

 

Aneeqa Aamir is pursuing a Bachelor of IR from the International Islamic University, Islamabad and currently, she is intern at Kashmir Institute of International Relations.

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