COLOMBO — The Secretary General of the United Nations was urged to encourage, facilitate and support efforts leading to a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolutions, as well as exercise the mandate entrusted to him by Charter of the United Nations and under relevant international instruments to forthwith ensure the fundamental rights and freedoms of the oppressed Kashmiri people in particular their right to self-determination.
The appeal was made at a peaceful assembly organized today by Kashmir Study Forum, Pakistani and Sri Lankan community opposite United Nation Office at Baudaloka Mawatha in Sri Lanka to mark the Kashmir Black Day.
Similar peaceful assemblies appealing the world community to prevent human rights violations in the Indian held Kashmir and holding of plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir under the UN auspices were also held in other parts of the Island including Ampara, Batticaloa and Puttalam.
The Kashmir dispute has emerged as one of the greatest human crises in history which is marked by extra judicial killings, rape, detention, and kidnapping of Kashmiris.
More than 94,000 Kashmiris have been killed, out of which over 7000 were custodial killings at the hands of Indian occupation forces. More than 106,000 structures have been destroyed, more than 22000 women have been widowed, over 107,000 children have been orphaned and more than 10,000 women have been raped and molested by Indian military and paramilitary troops in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) since 1989.
The participants of the assembly expressed their grave concern about the ongoing killings of civilians by Indian security forces in the towns and villages of Kashmir.
The recent surfacing of unmarked mass graves in the valley has laid bare the brutal repression unleashed under the garb of law enforcement. These incidents have necessitated United Nations intervention in the dispute in order to safeguard human rights in the region.The participants also urge the United Nations for immediate end of Indian laws such as Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (TADA), Jammu & Kashmir Public Safety Act 1978, The Armed Forces (Jammu & Kashmir) Special Power Act 1990, Jammu & Kashmir Disturbed Area Act 1990, Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) 2002 and Article 370.
A memorandum with thousands of signatures urging UN to play its role to resolve the oldest unresolved dispute on UN agenda since 1947 was also handed over to the UN office.
A signature campaign was also launched to raise awareness, encourage advocacy and to emphasize the centrality of the resolution of Kashmir Issue to the lasting peace and prosperity of South Asia across the Island nation.
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