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Former Aussie Senator Raises Issue of Human Rights Violations in Indian Administered Kashmir.
Exclusive: By C. Andrew
On invitation of Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ms Lee Rhiannon, leader of the Australian Green Party and ex – Senator has visited Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) from 21 August to 1 September 2018. During the visit she developed the understanding that Indian Armed Forces are involved in serious human rights violations in Indian Held Kashmir (IHK). It is to mention that Ms Rhiannon was a senator from New South Wales between July 2011 and August 2018. Prior to her election to the Federal Parliament, she was a Greens New South Wales member of the New South Wales Legislative Council between 1999 and 2010.
She was frequently criticized by Indian media in the past for advocating protection of the human rights of the Kashmiri people. During her visit to Pakistan and AJK, she had held meetings with Foreign Minister of Pakistan, President and Speaker of AJK, APHC leader, besides visiting Line of Control Skill Development Center / Refugee Camp.
She also gave interview in which she condemned Indian human rights violation in IHK. She also repeatedly used the term Indian Occupied Kashmir implying and acknowledging illegal occupation of Kashmir by India.
It is to mention that she, on 20 October 2016 in Australian Parliament, had strongly raised the question regarding severe violation of human rights by Indian Armed Forces in IHK. She also asked whether Australian government had made any arrangements of an annual dialogue meeting with India on human rights issue a practice in vogue for major trading partners in the region.
She delivered a lecture at the Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad in which she told that during her present visit, she went to Azad Kashmir and had the opportunity to meet officials, refugees and people. She said the information gained from the visit to Azad Kashmir and Pakistan would equip her to build awareness and share information about the Kashmir issue with the communities and parliamentarians in Australia.
“We have to raise global voice for justice for people of Kashmir,” she added while acknowledging that most people and government in Australia knew little about the Kashmir issue and for her that was not an acceptable situation.
Referring to the United Nations Human Rights Commission first special report on Kashmir, she said Pakistan endorsed the report while India rejected the recommendations made by the UN body. She said on her return to Australia after few days, she would make efforts to increase broader understanding about the Kashmir issue among the political parties and progressive groups to bring a change in their policy positions. She said Australia gave importance to its Indian Ocean neighbors and had a strong movement for peaceful relations among countries, adding India and Pakistan were both nuclear powers. During a question answer session, the Australian ex - Senator underlined the need to change the world opinion on Kashmir, adding opinion of the world could change opinion of India.
She said she could not go to the Indian administered Kashmir and had to find out a way to visit that place. The issue of demographic change in Kashmir by India was important and the same was happening in Palestine as settlements were being built there, she added. Director General Institute of Strategic Studies Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said there was an uprising and revolt of Kashmiris against India. People of Pakistan and Kashmir were connected in terms of history, culture, ethnicity and cuisine. He said: “When people of Kashmir are in pain, people in Pakistan speak up about their plight.”
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, while meeting with former Australian Senator Lee Rhiannon, raised the issue of human rights violations in IHK, especially in the context of the OHCHR Report on the human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir, which recommends the formation of a Commission of Inquiry (COI).
While highlighting the Indian atrocities in IHK, the foreign minister stated that since 1989, Indian occupation forces have killed nearly 100,000 Kashmiris; more than 100,000 children have been orphaned, 22,000 women have been widowed and nearly 11, 000 women have been raped by Indian occupation forces. Since 2016 alone, Indian occupation forces have resorted to indiscriminate use of pellet guns and have mass blinded scores of Kashmiri civilians, including youth, women and children.
The foreign minister stated that it is high time that the international community moves beyond rhetoric and takes meaningful steps in putting an immediate end to the gross and systematic human rights abuses in IHK. He reiterated that the only solution of Jammu and Kashmir dispute was to grant Kashmiris the legitimate right to self-determination in accordance with the United Nations Security Council Resolutions.
He thanked Rhiannon for showing solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir and urged her to highlight the atrocities inflicted upon the people of IHK before the international community.
While expressing support for the Kashmiri people, Rhiannon regretted that Jammu and Kashmir remains one of the longest unresolved disputes on the agenda of United Nations Security Council, which has taken its toll on the innocent people of IHK. She stated that the international community must take into account the findings of the OHCHR Report on Jammu and Kashmir. She iterated that peace and justice is indispensible for the region which can only be achieved with the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, in accordance with the aspirations of the people.
She reaffirmed her commitment to raise her voice against the blatant violations of human rights of the Kashmiri people. Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Masood Khan during meeting with Lee Rhiannon called upon the Australian parliament, government and civil society to raise their voice against flagrant human rights violations in IHK.
Appreciating her concern and support for the rights of Kashmiris, including their inalienable right to self-determination, the AJK president pointed out those Indian atrocities had intensified since July 2016 when Burhan Wani, a young pro-freedom leader in IHK, was gunned down by Indian forces in a fake encounter. The popular reaction over the martyrdom of Mr Wani was crushed by the occupation forces by the use of brute force, he said.
He also sought support of the former senator for two key recommendations by the OHCHR report namely constitution of a Commission of Inquiry (COI) by the UN Human Rights Council to investigate human rights violations in held Kashmir and repeal of draconian laws in the territory. Speaking on the occasion, Ms Rhiannon expressed gratitude to President Khan for inviting her to AJK and said she had undertaken the visit to fully understand the dynamics of the Jammu and Kashmir issue.
In response to a question by Ms Rhiannon, the AJK president said that the UN-mandated plebiscite could be organized at a short notice as soon as India withdrew its opposition to the move. Modalities for the plebiscite did not pose any difficulty, he maintained. The president informed the senator that AJK was bearing a caseload of 40,000 refugees without any international assistance. The AJK president also apprised Ms Rhiannon about the moves made by India to change demography in held Kashmir through illicit transfer of population, proposed illegal settlements, granting of residential rights to the so-called West Pakistan refugees and giving Kashmiri property to the non-Kashmiris.
He informed her that the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan, to which Australia has also contributed peacekeepers from time to time, was dispatching its reports regularly to the UN Secretariat but the same were neither being submitted to the UN Secretary General nor circulated to the Security Council members. Mr Khan maintained that though for Pakistan and the Kashmiris the preferred mode for settlement of Kashmir issue was implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions, yet they had always been open to any process under Chapter VI of the UN Charter, including negotiations, third party mediation and other peaceful means for pacific settlement of the dispute.
The raising of issues related to severe violation of human rights in IHK by Indian Forces, in Australian Parliament by former Senator could be considered as a big achievement of Kashmiris and Pakistanis residing in Australia. The visit of former Australian Senator has helped in highlighting Kashmir uprising as a legitimate freedom struggle instead of terrorism as propagated by Indian media.
It is to mention that Ms Rhiannon has widely been criticized by Indians on her FaceBook account in which she highlights Indian atrocities on innocent Kashmiri people.
Exclusive: By C. Andrew
On invitation of Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ms Lee Rhiannon, leader of the Australian Green Party and ex – Senator has visited Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) from 21 August to 1 September 2018. During the visit she developed the understanding that Indian Armed Forces are involved in serious human rights violations in Indian Held Kashmir (IHK). It is to mention that Ms Rhiannon was a senator from New South Wales between July 2011 and August 2018. Prior to her election to the Federal Parliament, she was a Greens New South Wales member of the New South Wales Legislative Council between 1999 and 2010.
She was frequently criticized by Indian media in the past for advocating protection of the human rights of the Kashmiri people. During her visit to Pakistan and AJK, she had held meetings with Foreign Minister of Pakistan, President and Speaker of AJK, APHC leader, besides visiting Line of Control Skill Development Center / Refugee Camp.
She also gave interview in which she condemned Indian human rights violation in IHK. She also repeatedly used the term Indian Occupied Kashmir implying and acknowledging illegal occupation of Kashmir by India.
It is to mention that she, on 20 October 2016 in Australian Parliament, had strongly raised the question regarding severe violation of human rights by Indian Armed Forces in IHK. She also asked whether Australian government had made any arrangements of an annual dialogue meeting with India on human rights issue a practice in vogue for major trading partners in the region.
She delivered a lecture at the Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad in which she told that during her present visit, she went to Azad Kashmir and had the opportunity to meet officials, refugees and people. She said the information gained from the visit to Azad Kashmir and Pakistan would equip her to build awareness and share information about the Kashmir issue with the communities and parliamentarians in Australia.
“We have to raise global voice for justice for people of Kashmir,” she added while acknowledging that most people and government in Australia knew little about the Kashmir issue and for her that was not an acceptable situation.
Referring to the United Nations Human Rights Commission first special report on Kashmir, she said Pakistan endorsed the report while India rejected the recommendations made by the UN body. She said on her return to Australia after few days, she would make efforts to increase broader understanding about the Kashmir issue among the political parties and progressive groups to bring a change in their policy positions. She said Australia gave importance to its Indian Ocean neighbors and had a strong movement for peaceful relations among countries, adding India and Pakistan were both nuclear powers. During a question answer session, the Australian ex - Senator underlined the need to change the world opinion on Kashmir, adding opinion of the world could change opinion of India.
She said she could not go to the Indian administered Kashmir and had to find out a way to visit that place. The issue of demographic change in Kashmir by India was important and the same was happening in Palestine as settlements were being built there, she added. Director General Institute of Strategic Studies Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said there was an uprising and revolt of Kashmiris against India. People of Pakistan and Kashmir were connected in terms of history, culture, ethnicity and cuisine. He said: “When people of Kashmir are in pain, people in Pakistan speak up about their plight.”
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, while meeting with former Australian Senator Lee Rhiannon, raised the issue of human rights violations in IHK, especially in the context of the OHCHR Report on the human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir, which recommends the formation of a Commission of Inquiry (COI).
While highlighting the Indian atrocities in IHK, the foreign minister stated that since 1989, Indian occupation forces have killed nearly 100,000 Kashmiris; more than 100,000 children have been orphaned, 22,000 women have been widowed and nearly 11, 000 women have been raped by Indian occupation forces. Since 2016 alone, Indian occupation forces have resorted to indiscriminate use of pellet guns and have mass blinded scores of Kashmiri civilians, including youth, women and children.
The foreign minister stated that it is high time that the international community moves beyond rhetoric and takes meaningful steps in putting an immediate end to the gross and systematic human rights abuses in IHK. He reiterated that the only solution of Jammu and Kashmir dispute was to grant Kashmiris the legitimate right to self-determination in accordance with the United Nations Security Council Resolutions.
He thanked Rhiannon for showing solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir and urged her to highlight the atrocities inflicted upon the people of IHK before the international community.
While expressing support for the Kashmiri people, Rhiannon regretted that Jammu and Kashmir remains one of the longest unresolved disputes on the agenda of United Nations Security Council, which has taken its toll on the innocent people of IHK. She stated that the international community must take into account the findings of the OHCHR Report on Jammu and Kashmir. She iterated that peace and justice is indispensible for the region which can only be achieved with the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, in accordance with the aspirations of the people.
She reaffirmed her commitment to raise her voice against the blatant violations of human rights of the Kashmiri people. Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Masood Khan during meeting with Lee Rhiannon called upon the Australian parliament, government and civil society to raise their voice against flagrant human rights violations in IHK.
Appreciating her concern and support for the rights of Kashmiris, including their inalienable right to self-determination, the AJK president pointed out those Indian atrocities had intensified since July 2016 when Burhan Wani, a young pro-freedom leader in IHK, was gunned down by Indian forces in a fake encounter. The popular reaction over the martyrdom of Mr Wani was crushed by the occupation forces by the use of brute force, he said.
He also sought support of the former senator for two key recommendations by the OHCHR report namely constitution of a Commission of Inquiry (COI) by the UN Human Rights Council to investigate human rights violations in held Kashmir and repeal of draconian laws in the territory. Speaking on the occasion, Ms Rhiannon expressed gratitude to President Khan for inviting her to AJK and said she had undertaken the visit to fully understand the dynamics of the Jammu and Kashmir issue.
In response to a question by Ms Rhiannon, the AJK president said that the UN-mandated plebiscite could be organized at a short notice as soon as India withdrew its opposition to the move. Modalities for the plebiscite did not pose any difficulty, he maintained. The president informed the senator that AJK was bearing a caseload of 40,000 refugees without any international assistance. The AJK president also apprised Ms Rhiannon about the moves made by India to change demography in held Kashmir through illicit transfer of population, proposed illegal settlements, granting of residential rights to the so-called West Pakistan refugees and giving Kashmiri property to the non-Kashmiris.
He informed her that the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan, to which Australia has also contributed peacekeepers from time to time, was dispatching its reports regularly to the UN Secretariat but the same were neither being submitted to the UN Secretary General nor circulated to the Security Council members. Mr Khan maintained that though for Pakistan and the Kashmiris the preferred mode for settlement of Kashmir issue was implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions, yet they had always been open to any process under Chapter VI of the UN Charter, including negotiations, third party mediation and other peaceful means for pacific settlement of the dispute.
The raising of issues related to severe violation of human rights in IHK by Indian Forces, in Australian Parliament by former Senator could be considered as a big achievement of Kashmiris and Pakistanis residing in Australia. The visit of former Australian Senator has helped in highlighting Kashmir uprising as a legitimate freedom struggle instead of terrorism as propagated by Indian media.
It is to mention that Ms Rhiannon has widely been criticized by Indians on her FaceBook account in which she highlights Indian atrocities on innocent Kashmiri people.
Guys your budget sucks at least rope in a Congressman from US.
