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Secretary-General of Amnesty International Kumi Naidoo has reiterated his call to the Indian government to act in accordance with international human rights law and standards towards the people living in occupied Kashmir.
We're extremely concerned over the continued restrictions in the region and risk of human rights violations – the government of India must stop the blackout. https://t.co/zJhooRatWg
— Kumi Naidoo (@kuminaidoo) August 14, 2019
“For the first time in decades, the United Nations Security Council is taking up the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. Members of the council need to remember that their mandate is to protect international peace and security — and they should seek to resolve the situation in a way that puts the human rights of the people in this troubled region at its center,” Naidoo said in a statement.
For 1st time in decades U.N. Sec. Council is taking up the issue of Jammu & Kashmir. They need to remember that their mandate is to protect int. peace & security, so they should resolve the situation in a way that puts rights of J&K people at its centre. https://t.co/l4lkJhg4St
— Amnesty International (@amnesty) August 16, 2019
The Amnesty International’s Secretary-General said: “We reiterate our calls to the Indian government to act in accordance with international human rights law and standards towards people living in Jammu and Kashmir, including in relation to arrests and detentions of political opponents, and the rights to liberty and freedom of movement.”
Naidoo said that the actions of the Indian government have thrown ordinary people’s lives into turmoil, subjecting them to unnecessary pain and distress on top of the years of human rights violations they have already endured.
“The people of Jammu and Kashmir should not be treated as pawns in a political crisis, and the international community must come together to call for their human rights to be respected,” he added.
China deeply concerned about IOK, opposes any unilateral action
China has expressed serious concern over the state of affairs in the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir, saying the current situation is “already very tense and very dangerous.”
Following a meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Kashmir issue, China’s Ambassador to the United Nations Zhang Jun said that India has changed the status quo in Kashmir.
UNSC meeting was convened behind closed doors at the request of China to discuss the Indian government’s recent decision to nullify the special status granted to the occupied Kashmir
“It is obvious that the constitutional amendment by India has changed the status quo in Kashmir, causing tension in the region. China is deeply concerned about the current situation and opposes any unilateral action that complicates the situation,” the Chinese envoy said.
While talking to the media at the UNSC, Jun said that the members of the Security Council have expressed serious concern over Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir, where the situation is “already very tense and very dangerous.”
Press talk of China's Ambassador to the @un HE Mr Zhang Jun after #Pakistan raised the issue of human rights violations & revocation of the status of Indian Occupied Kashmir by the Indian State at the UN Security Council
(3/4) pic.twitter.com/JWIn14J8Jd— PTV News (@PTVNewsOfficial) August 16, 2019
For the first time in more than 50 years, the UNSC members met on Friday behind closed doors to discuss the Indian government’s recent decision to revoke the special status of occupied Kashmir.
“The Security Council has just held an informal consultation and listened very carefully to the briefings and reports from the secretariat including the briefing from the military observer group on the ground that helped us understand the situation better. The Secretary-General also issued a statement a few days ago,” said Jun.
“Members have expressed that there are serious concerns concerning the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. They are also concerned about the human rights situation there and it is the general view of the members that parties concerned should refrain from taking any unilateral action which might further aggravate tensions,” he said.
Read more: PM Imran Khan welcomes UN’s move on Kashmir
“China holds the view that the issue of Jammu Kashmir is an issue left from history between India and Pakistan. According to UNSC resolutions, the status of Kashmir is undecided and it is an internationally recognized dispute. The Kashmir issue should be resolved properly through peaceful means in accordance with the UN charter, the relevant SC resolutions and bilateral agreements. This represents the international community’s consensus,” he concluded.
IOK no more ‘internal matter’, voice of Kashmiris heard: Maleeha Lodhi
Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Dr Maleeha Lodhi has said that the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting on the critical situation in the occupied Kashmir has nullified India’s claim that it is an ‘internal matter’.
While welcoming the UNSE meeting, Ambassador Lodhi said that the voice of Kashmiri people is heard after almost five decades. She said that UNSC meeting is a testimony to the fact that Kashmir is an internationally recognized dispute.
The meeting was convened behind closed doors at the request of China to discuss the Indian government’s recent decision to nullify the special status granted to the occupied Kashmir since the 1950s. Lodhi said Pakistan was “grateful to China for calling this meeting”.
Pakistan's Ambassador to the @UN spoke to the media after successfully raising the issue of #Kashmir at the UN Security Council
(2/2) pic.twitter.com/jsvNgSOH3y— PTV News (@PTVNewsOfficial) August 16, 2019
“The voice of the Kashmiri people has been heard today. The fact that this meeting took place is a testimony to the fact that this is an internationally recognized dispute. This meeting has reaffirmed the validity of the UNSC resolutions on the status of Jammu and Kashmir,” Dr Lodhi told reporters after the meeting. “This meeting nullifies that Jammu and Kashmir is an internal matter for India.”
The discussion on the occupied Kashmir issue after 50 years in UNSC has practically turned down India’s stance that the occupied Kashmir was an internal issue and not an internationally recognized dispute.