The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, in conjunction with the Kashmir Centre.EU, conducted a Hearing on Kashmir in the European Parliament. Hosted by Chris Davies the hearing entitled Kashmir The Full Truthtook place on the afternoon of the 13th of October.
Introductions were made by Chris Davies MEP (UK ALDE) and Ivo Vajgl MEP (Slovenia ALDE) followed by presentations from Barrister A. Majid Tramboo - Chairman of Kashmir Centre.EU, H.E. Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan - Prime Minister of Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJ&K), H.E. Mr. Jalil Abbas Jilani - Ambassador of Pakistan to the EU, Belgium and Luxembourg, Ms. Shireen Mazari - Director General of the institute of Strategic Studies and presently the Editor of the Nation in Pakistan, General Ashok Mehta- Former General in the Indian Army, now a respected commentator on Security and issues, writer, and Defence Analyst.
Chris Davies MEP, co-initiator of the hearing, opened by asking how India, who claims the people of Jammu & Kashmir are citizens of India, can actively engage in such human rights abuses. He went on to say that this is not a situation that the international community can ignore. We need to urge these governments to renew their efforts to reconcile their differences, and offer the services of the European Union as facilitators.
In his summary, Ivo VAJGL (Zares, Slovenia) the other co-initiator of the seminar, said: "Some aspects that I have witnessed today show similarities to the situation we experienced in former Yugoslavia, namely in Bosnia-Herzegovina. By studying them we might get closer to an implementable solution. What generally inspires me is the principle of self-determination, which is also at stake in Kashmir. Overall, the tolerant way in which views have been exchanged this afternoon is encouraging."
Barrister A. Majid Tramboo discussed three main facets of the Kashmir problem and said that for more than six decades, the Kashmir conflict has been knowingly projected as one of the most intractable problems of international politics. These facets were Self-Determination, Human Rights and Regional Security.
The respective resolutions of the United Nations Security council are undoubtedly the documents of reference for a durable and internationally acceptable solution. This perception has been confirmed, and the time of their adoption, by both India and Pakistan. The resolutions are clearly declaring, the people of Jammu and Kashmir to determine their own future through a "fair and impartial plebiscite under the auspices of the United Nations". However, no steps have ever been taken towards the implementation of the resolutions and the commitments made to the Kashmiri people.
So far, however, in spite of all the declarations of goodwill and the readiness to negotiate, not much has been achieved in moving forward. What is needed in this historical constellation are bold steps to lead both countries away from the traditional enemy stereotypes and the attitude of deep mistrust.
Most unfortunately, violence continues unabated in the IHK. Only over the last 10 weeks or so 118 young people between the ages of 9 years and 34 have been killed in peaceful assemblies through live ammunition by the Indian Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
In the interim what needs to be achieved, as a short and medium term measures and which is likely improve the confidence are: (a) the opening of the border along the CfL must not consist of sporadic events only, (b) communication lines have to be opened on a payment basis and (c) the movement of people and goods over the CfL must be facilitated and improved; so far there have been too many bureaucratic hurdles to these promising practical measures.
Mr. Tramboo also suggested that India and Pakistan should form a working group on Kashmir, that includes representatives of the people of Kashmir, in order to discuss and implement the required measures to find a suitable, lasting and durable solution.
H.E. Sardar Attique Khan said that the Kashmir situation had reached genesis and that a solution needs to be found as soon as possible. Pointing out that Kashmir was surrounded by three of the worlds nuclear powers he said that prolonging the Kashmir dispute could have potentially disastrous consequences in terms of regional and global security.
The result of the Government of India denying the 13 million people of Jammu & Kashmir the right to self-determinaiton has been a peaceful indigenous uprising against their deprivations. Over the past five months the actions of the Indian Government in Jammu & Kashmir have driven the people to starvation and curfew has curtailed all shopping and schooling.
On the 25th of September 2008 the Prime Minister of India declared that the Government of India was willing and ready to settle the issue of Jammu & Kashmir through talks with Pakistan but even now that pledge remains to be taken up seriously.
Political leaders in J&K are routinely denied the right to travel outside of the country and some are denied medical treatment.
H.E. appealed for immediate food aid to J&K to prevent starvation and urged the European Institutions and the International Red Cross to take immediate and decisive action to avoid a catastrophe.
H.E. Mr. Jalil Abbas Jilani said that it was clear from both sides that a war between Indian and Pakistan would have devastating affects and each side was aware of this as they sought to find enduring peace. There is a realisation that they need to forge co-operation to meet unconventional threats such as poverty, water, population control, food security and environmental issues.
In a joint statement on the 24th of January 2004 both the governments of India and Pakistan said that they would find a just settlement to the issue of Kashmir that was to the satisfaction of India, Pakistan and the people of Kashmir.
This process can only be taken forward by building trust and avoiding propoganda. Using propaganda has not succeeded in moving the process forward and there is no choice but to take the real isses relating to Kashmir, including water, head on. There should be no more time wasted on discussions, we should work together to try to resolve the issue for good. Confidence building measures can only go so far and we have reached that point.
Ms. Shireen Mazari has been to the European Parliament on three separate occasions to discuss the issue of Kashmir and has yet to see any tangible results. The current lockdown in Kashmir just perpetuates the consistent desire to end occupation by Indian forces and to achieve freedom after 63 years. In the past few months over 110 young people have been killed and some 3000 have been injured with even more being detained without charge of trial under the PSA. Each time that there has been an uprising in Indian Held Kashmir the government of Pakistan has been caught napping and has failed to act correctly on the international stage.
The current stance of India that the Kashmir dispute is not an internaional matter is ridiculous. In the late 1940's India took the matter of Kashmir to the UN under chapter 6 which by its very definition makes it an internaitonal matter. Ms. Mizari questioned what had now changed to make India no longer want the matter to come under international and impartial investigation.
Ms. Mazari further noted that recent attempts to have dialogue with Kashmiri leaders was a cynical ploy in order to prop up the Indian position prior to the visit of Barak Obama in the coming months.
General Ashol Metha discussed the right of the people of J&K to a plebiscite. He noted that on the 5th of February 1994 the Indian representative to the security council made it clear that the government would under no circumstances allow that to take place. Mr. Mehta, having spent 15 years serving as a senior member of the Indian military in J&K, said that no Indian troops ever engaged with the civilian population so reports of such deaths or human rights violations were fictitious, he did however conceded that fake encounters, the practice of staging a confrontation with a person in order to have just cause to kill them, did take place.
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