BRUSSELS: Speakers of an international conference at European (EU) parliament expressed serious concerns over the severe situation of human rights specially recent waves of state-terrorism in Indian Held Kashmir (IHK).
Kashmir Council Europe (EU) organized the conference on role of women in struggle for right of self-determination of Kashmiris.
The conference titling, “living under occupation – new roles for Kashmiri women” held with collaboration of Friends of Kashmir Group of the European Parliament on Tuesday at premises of the EU Parliament in Brussels.
Members of EU parliament, Representatives of different organizations, a number of experts and intellectuals from different parts of the world including Europe participated in the conference.
aising the uprisings in Kashmir, MEP Raja Afzal Khan said, both India and Pakistan are nuclear power and Kashmir is a nuclear flash point in the region. He asked the international community to pay special attention to block a possible war which could be dangerous not only for Kashmir, Pakistan and India but also for whole world.
Addressing the gathering, MEP Dr Sajjad Karim said, world needs to review situation keenly and give specific importance to the Kashmir issue. Appreciating fresh stance of EU on Kashmir issue, he referred answer of high representative of EU to his letter on situation erupted in IHK and said, it is a significant shift of EU on Kashmir as Ms Mogherini insisted over the participation of Kashmiris in the peace process.
“Discernable shift in the European Union’s language has taken place in the latest development on the most recent situation in Kashmir,” he said. He loaded the Friends of Kashmir Group of the European Parliament and Kashmir Council EU for organizing this conference.
Earlier in his welcome address, Chairman Kashmir Council EU Mr. Ali Raza Syed said, Indian authorities are involved in severe abuses of human rights in Indian Held Kashmir. “On one hand, the Indian authorities are involved in extreme state-terrorism against the people of Kashmir but on other hand, New Delhi wants to prevent their voices against the abuses,” he pointed out.
“The conference is one of the series of the events which aim are to increase awareness about the miseries and hardships of oppressed people of Kashmir specially Kashmiri women suffering under the Indian occupation” he continued.
The conference also focused on mass rape of Kashmiri women in the village of Kunan Poshpura in 1991. Recorded interview of two of the authors of the book, “Do You Remember Kunan Poshpura” namely Natasha Rather and Essar Batol was also displayed in the conference.
Moderating the first session of the conference, the Human Rights Activist from Holland Marjan Lucas expressed serious concerns over the arrested of Khurram Parvez, the Kashmiri human rights activist by the Indian authorities. She said, Mr Khurram was due to address this conference but he was denied to travel at Delhi airport and arrested under public safety act (PSA) by the Indian government. She said, two other speakers of the conference Parvez Imroz and Natasha Rather from IHK also could not travel to Brussels due to the situation erupted in IHK.
She announced that we would access Amnesty International regarding current situation in IHK specially illegitimate imprisonment of Khurram Parvez.
In his speech, Member of EU parliament Ms James Carver took keen interest in the situation in Indian Held Kashmir. He said, this is important issue and organizing this gathering is significant for raising the problem.
Appreciating the conference, he said, one of the best lobbies is working in order to raise the issue of Kashmir at forum of European parliament.
Loading the event, MEP Ms Anthea Mcintyre said, It is important that a number of women are also here to raise their issues in Kashmiris. Condemning the human rights abuses, she said, EU deplores violence in all over the world including Kashmir.
In her presentation, the expert on Human Rights from UK Ms Sadia Mir said, women in Indian Held Kashmir are facing severe hardships but unfortunately there is no access of human rights organizations including amnesty international in the region.
Fomer member of Brussels Parliament Ms Danielle Caron, prominent Kashmiri female figures from UK Sumera Farook, Farzana Afzal and Sabiya Khan also spoke on the occasion.
During the conference, it was also pointed out that India wants to crush the peaceful struggle of Kashmiris by use of brutal force but the people are determined to continue their movement until freedom from Indian occupation.
Member of AJK Assembly and former minister Chaudhary Yaseen and Chairman of Movement for Right of Self-Determination Raja Nejabat Hussain also attended the conference.
