Kashmir: The
Lynchpin of Peace – The Role of
Labour Party in
addressing the Crisis
Dr. Mozammel Haque
The
Organisation of Kashmir Coalition (OKC) and the Chairman of UK Pakistani and
Kashmiri Councillors Forum organised on 23 September 2019 an Interactive
Dialogue at the Annual Labour Party Conference in Brighton UK. The event was
chaired by Councillor Liaquat Ali, MBE.
Professor
Nazir Ahmed Shawl, Executive Member OKC and Chair of South Asia Centre For
Peace and Human Rights (SACFPHR) introduced the event on the grave situation in
Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) titled "Kashmir: The Lynchpin of Peace -
Role of Labour in Addressing the Crisis”.
The
keynote address was given by the Shadow Labour Minister Naaz Shah MP. The event
was attended by Members of the Labour Party, Members of Parliament
and Councillors from all over UK,
Opening Speech by
Professor Nazir Ahmad Shawl
In
his opening remarks Professor Nazir Ahmed Shawl contextualised the recent
developments unleashed by the Hindu supremacist leadership in Indian Occupied Kashmir.
Following the abrogation of articles 370 and 35A, a lockdown is imposed and all
rights and fundamental freedoms are jeopardized. Professor Shawl thanked the
Labour leadership for taking a principled stance and hoped that the leadership
will fulfil its responsibility by having a full debate at the plenary of the
conference with a resolution as promised at the last year’s conference. He
hoped that the preventive diplomacy of the UN and the British Government to end
the siege and help the people of Jammu and Kashmir to realise their right of
self determination.
Shadow Minister Naz Shah MP
Shadow
Minister Naz Shah MP, in her address, remarked that RSS Government has a
fascist outlook and as such the siege in the valley is part of their genocidal
campaign. She continued by comparing the situation in Kashmir to the siege of
Srebrenica and Bosnia: “Its aim is ethnic cleansing. Genocide is not a
bilateral issue. It is not a Muslim issue. It is an issue for the entire
world”, Ms Shah opined that Labour ought to stand in support and solidarity
with the Kashmiris. She assured the participants that it will be taken up at
the main plenary and a debate on Kashmir will also be taken up in the
Parliament. She commented that as a daughter of Kashmir she would fulfil her
obligations for the people of the state.
Councillor Liaquat Ali MBE
Councillor
Liaquat Ali MBE Chairman of UK Pakistani and Kashmiri Councillors Forum, said
in his speech, “As of today, it’s been 50 days that Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK)
is completely lockdown with no communication with the outside world. Reports of
human rights abuses and people’s sufferings, killings, abductions, illegal
detention of over 10,000 Kashmiris, rape and use of lethal and prohibited
weapons are being reported in the international media with comments that their
reporters could have only very limited access. The magnitude of the actual
atrocities could be gauged from such restricted reports. A compilation of those
reports has been prepared. This situation has been causing deep concerns among
the Parliamentarians in the UK, members of civil society and international
community and had been heart wrenching for the families of Kashmiris imprisoned
in IOK.
He
also said, “Kashmiris have no access to health, education, food, business or
livelihood. And this is happening in 21st century, when technology connects the
whole world with a click, and amidst mighty protectors of human rights, a
so-called democracy brutally trampling rights of defenceless Kashmiri nation
with impunity.”
Councillor
Ali also thanked the key note speakers and all the participants for debating
the crisis situation in Kashmir. He hoped that the Kashmir issue to be included
in the election manifesto of the Labour party. At the end a unanimous
Declaration has been adopted.
The Brighton Declaration:
•
This event held at the Annual Labour Party Conference highlights the extra
ordinary situation caused by India's unconstitutional and unlawful action in
the state of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K);
• Kashmiris
are claimed in the name of Hindutva style democracy and further colonised in
the name of development. The lockdown is affecting 8 million people on the 52nd
day. It has created a human rights crisis of catastrophic proportions;
• It
is not only creating human suffering but also posing a great threat to
international peace and security;
• It
violates India's own constitution and the UN resolutions 122,123 and 126 passed
in 1957; and
•
The consequences of the abrogation of articles 370 and 35A are horrendous; It
is aimed to demolish Kashmir identity and bring a demographic change.
It
is hoped that the Labour Leadership shall play a proactive role as voice of the
British people to invoke the preventive diplomacy of UN to save humanity in
Kashmir and create an environment for peaceful resolution.
•
The current blockade must end with utter commitment for the promotion and
protection of all Kashmiris human rights;
•
The complete withdrawal of Indian military presence from Kashmiri towns and
villages;
•
All restrictions on freedom of expression, assembly and right of association
should be lifted;
• A
fact finding international commission should visit the imprisoned Kashmir to
take stock of existential realities; and
•
International community should facilitate a multilateral engagement among all
stakeholders; Kashmiris being the most affected party.
