14 members of European Parliament take up issue of human rights violations in J&K
BRUSSELS, August 6 (SABAH): Fourteen members of European Parliament have written a letter to European Commission’s President Ursula Von Der Leyen and Vice President Josep Borrell conveying serious concern over the grave and systematic human rights violation of the Kashmiri people.
According to the letter, “The people of Jammu and Kashmir are being subject to intolerable suppression of their freedom and fundamental rights over the past seven decades.”
The letter maintained “appears more evident that India has abandoned any political approach to the insurgency in Kashmir and is managing the crisis with almost exclusively military means.”
It added, “The Amnesty International Report of 2021 and since the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in 2019, the Indian authorities have arrested many human rights defenders including journalists and activists under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.”
They called on the Commission’s president and vice president to express their concerns with the Indian government and call on India to fulfill its obligations under international law, especially the imperative of protecting civilians. There is a need to encourage both India and Pakistan to move ahead for the normalization of the relations and resumption of formal bilateral talks.
“A renewed attempt at peace talks is needed more than ever. In order to do this, it is required for all the actors to stray from the logic of conflict, stop exploiting and fomenting ethnic and religious tensions and accept to give Kashmiri people hope and a chance at self-determination,” added.
“As European Parliamentarians, we will do our part, continuing and increasing our engagement tin parliamentary diplomacy with colleagues in India and Pakistan to foster a climate of detente and dialogue, and being vocal in calling for a real change in Kashmir,” the letter concluded.
Those members who have written letter include Fahio Massimo CASTALDO, NI, Lorant VNCZF, MEP, EPP, Sabrina PIGNEDOLI, MEP, NI, Eugenia RODRIGUEZ PALOP, MEP, TheLeft, Idoia VILLANUEVA RUIZ, MEP, TheLeft, Pierre LARROUTUROU, MEP, S&D, Karen MELCHIOR, MEP, RENEW, Carles PULGDEMONTI CASAMAJO, MEP, NI, Antoni COMIN, MEP, NI, Manuela RIPA, MEP, GREENS/EFA, brando BENIFEIm MEP, S&D, Pernando BARRENA, MEP, TheLeft and Javier NART, MEP, RENEW.