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

[Shivam Vij शिवम् विज्]

Apologies - the subject line did say, "please sign and forward". That
was in the mail I got. So please feel free to not sign and delete.
best
shivam

On Fri, Aug 29, 2008 at 6:40 PM, Shivam Vij शिवम् विज्
<mail at shivamvij.com> wrote:
> Let me clarify Sonia that I haven't taken out the petition. I don't
> know who has. You have the right not to sign it. I forwarded it FYI
> and, as you may have noticed, did not add a note urging others to sign
> it. On my part I have signed it and I don't feel the need to explain
> anyone why I have signed it.
> best
> shivam
>
> On Fri, Aug 29, 2008 at 6:36 PM, S. Jabbar <sonia.jabbar at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Interesting, Shivam. But why on earth is this addressed to the British
>> government, the ones who've bloodied their hands in Afghanistan & Iraq? Not
>> enough that they were once our colonial masters, surely?
>>
>> And after the history of the UN, and the role of the UK and the US, you want
>> them to enter Kashmir?  Not bad enough that they have their bases in
>> Afghanistan and are swarming Pakistan?
>>
>> Sorry. Can't sign this.
>>
>>
>>
>> On 8/29/08 6:22 PM, "Shivam Vij शिवम् विज्" <mail at shivamvij.com> wrote:
>>
>>> ---------- 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
>> _________________________________________
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>>
>>
>
>
>
> --
>
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>



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