[Reader-list] A petition for Kashmir - please sign and forward

[Shivam Vij शिवम् विज्]

---------- Forwarded message ----------


Dear All,

Please sign this petition for the sake of the suffering Kashmiri people:

http://www.petitiononline.com/jk2008/petition.html

Please also send this email to as many people (Kashmiris and
non-Kashmiris alike) as you can, together with a request to sign the
petition.

Regards
 ______________________________________________
To:

Gordon Brown
Prime Minister
United Kingdom

David Miliband
Foreign Secretary
United Kingdom

Ban Ki-moon
Secretary-General
United Nations

José Manuel Barroso
President
European Commission


We are writing to bring to your attention the increasingly
deteriorating situation in the Indian-controlled part of the disputed
region of Jammu and Kashmir. Over the last two months, the people of
Kashmir have held mass public processions protesting against an
economic blockade imposed against the valley of Kashmir by extremist
elements in the southern region of Jammu.

These peaceful protests have now escalated into a demand for the right
to self-determination guaranteed to the people of Kashmir by various
United Nations Resolutions (including nos. 57/1948, 51/1948, 80/1950,
and 122/1957). These rallies have drawn widespread support from
hundreds of thousands of Kashmiris across the length and breadth of
the Kashmir valley.

The Indian authorities have responded to these non-violent protests by
using excessive lethal force including firing live rounds on unarmed
protestors. So far, more than 25 unarmed civilians have been killed in
firing by Indian soldiers. There are now more than 600,000 Indian
soldiers and paramilitaries on active duty in Kashmir (which
translates to approximately one soldier for every eight Kashmiris).

Initially the Indian government allowed the protests to proceed
without much opposition. However, it has recently changed its approach
and begun to adopt repressive measures. The Indian government has
banned local television channels and placed restrictions on media
freedom. Pro-freedom politicians have been arrested without charge and
prevented from attending processions and giving speeches. Indefinite
curfew has been imposed across the ten districts of the Kashmir valley
and soldiers have been given shoot-at-sight orders in some places.

We are deeply disturbed by the absence of any comment by the British
government, the European Union or the United Nations on the recent
spate of violence in Kashmir. When protests broke out in Tibet in
March earlier this year, only a few thousand people took to the
streets in Lhasa and other towns. Yet, there was a flurry of
condemnation of the Chinese authorities by Western governments and
international organisations. China was urged to refrain from using
excessive force and to initiate meaningful talks with the Tibetans. In
stark contrast to this vocal stance on Tibet, the international
community has maintained complete silence on Kashmir.

We call upon the British government, as the former colonial power in
South Asia, to discharge the moral responsibility it has to speak out
against human rights violations in Kashmir and to urge all parties to
exercise restraint and initiate peaceful negotiations for solving
disputes. India is a member of the Commonwealth just like Zimbabwe and
the Indian government deserves to be reminded of its obligations just
as much as Mr Mugabe. In today's world, the British government simply
cannot afford to be seen as being selective in its criticism of other
countries and exposure of state excesses when it comes to maintaining
ethical and humanitarian high-grounds.

We, therefore, call upon you to urge the Indian government to:

• exercise restraint in dealing with protests in Kashmir,

• ensure human rights are not violated and bring perpetrators of human
rights to justice, and

• initiate peaceful and meaningful negotiations to address the
underlying causes of unrest in Kashmir, including the fundamental
question of Kashmir's future status.

Sincerely,
The Undersigned