- Target:
- President of South Africa and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation
- Region:
- South Africa
- Website:
- www.kashmirglobalmovement.com
The Kashmir dispute has been dominating the India-Pakistan relationship ever since the birth of the two states in 1947. It has also played a significant role in border disputes between China and India over Askai Chin (a portion of Kashmir). Kashmir lies between three of the most populous countries of the world: India, China and Pakistan, covering a land mass of over 80,000 square kilometres – almost the size of the United Kingdom (UK), and inhabiting over 17 million people (Lamb, 1991: 6).
The struggle over the Kashmir valley has been one of the most prolonged disputes of the last century. Since the controversial arrival of Indian forces in Kashmir on 27 October 1947, the territory of Jammu and Kashmir (often referred to simply as Kashmir) has been divided by a ceasefire line or Line of Control (LoC) between sides under Pakistani and Indian control, respectively. Since 1947, India and Pakistan have failed to reach a consensus on the territory of Kashmir. Instead, they have fought three wars (1948, 1965, and 1971), and almost had a nuclear showdown in 1999 (known as the Kargil War). There have been two United Nations (UN) mandated ceasefires, in 1949 and 1965 and 58 United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions (Wheeler, 2010: 319-344). Most recently, the world witnessed another stand-off between the two nuclear arch-rivals in a suicide attack in the Pulwana region on 14 February 2019, in which 40 Indian paramilitary police were killed (Herrara, 2019).
Please also you can cut and paste the below petition and send it to these emails address
presidentrsa@presidency.gov.za, minister@dirco.gov.za
Dear Hon. President Cyril Ramaphosa and Hon. Minister Pandor,
We write to you to draw your attention toward the recent tensions against Muslims & Christians in India and a silent genocide in Kashmir where 14 million Kashmiris have been put under brutal martial law since 4th August 2019.
The European Union Parliament EUP on 11 July 2023, adopted a resolution 2023/2781(RSP) “The situation on minorities in Manipur that called on Indian authorities to take “all necessary” measures to stop the violence in Manipur and protect religious minorities, especially Christians.
It has been long 76 years since the illegal occupation of Kashmir started when Indian forces with the help British Royal air force and British Imperial armed forces landed into the Srinagar on the this day 27th October 1947 this invasion perused by a mass uprising and civil unrest in Jammu Kashmir and PM Nehru took the case of Jammu and Kashmir to United Nation Security Council to seek the resolve on the matter.
After listening to Indian complain and right to reply from Pakistan the UNSC issued a famous resolution 47 of 21st April 1948. The UNSC resolution 47 explicitly instructed Indian union to give a people of Kashmir a right of self-determination by hold a free and fair plebiscite which PM Nehru accepted it and agree to hold plebiscite with three months but he subsequently delayed it until 1954 and then he amended the Indian constitute by invoking article 370,35a to give Kashmir a semi-automatous status.
On the 5th August 2019 Indian government led BJP Hindutva illegally abrogated of Article 370,35a which was a unilateral decision by all means and categorized by the international community as a farce.
The legislation was introduced alongside a presidential order that takes from the region and its people some political autonomy and hereditary rights by revoking Article 370 of India’s Constitution.
The changes will also lift a ban on property purchases by non-residents of Kashmir, opening the way for Indians outside the territory to invest and settle there. The local Muslim population has long feared such measures would change Kashmir’s demography, culture and way of life. The fall out is affecting Muslims in Greater India.
An indefinite security lockdown has kept most of the region’s 14 million people in their homes and
in the dark about the changes. Critics have already likened Kashmir’s proposed new arrangement to the West Bank or Tibet, with settlers — armed or civilian — living in guarded compounds among disenfranchised locals.
The procedure adopted to revoke the special status and autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir appears to be incompatible with judgments and observations of high courts and the Indian Supreme Court, who have clarified that the President of India would need the agreement of the government of Jammu and Kashmir to change its status. This was ignored.
We, the peace-loving citizens and civil societies of South Africa implore in the name of justice, fair- play and humanity and ask you to put a stop to the ongoing tyranny, violence and oppression by the Indian army against the defenseless and innocent Kashmiri people in general and Freedom fighters in particular and the Muslim population of India.
We collectively deplore Indian PM Modi election campaigning and politicking at the cost of loss of Indian Army loses and civilian in Kashmir other part of India. The sole purpose of political gain, electioneering cannot and should never be rest on bellicose and war mongering. This current standoff at border is reflection of Indian internal policies failure especially in dealing with the question of Kashmir future.
The incident of 14th Feb 2019, which leads to the dangerous standoff and faces grave Nuclear War possibilities, lies in the unresolved dispute of Kashmir. The Indian state apparatus and Indian armed forces have used all sort of coercive and brutal tactics to killed, tortures, maimed, raped and abduct thousands of peace-loving Kashmiris and Indian Muslims, these brutal violence breed further violence.
The history has proven again and again that no power on the earth ever has succeeded to rule against the will of people. The people of Kashmir want their right of self-determination as enshrined in UNSC resolution 47 of 1948, which is accepted by Indian PM Nehru in 1948, but the free and fair plebiscites, is being denied for last 74 years.
The Indians need to ask a very pertinent question to their-self and their rulers that with the presence of over 890 000 armed troops and curfew like life in Kashmir for last 74 years have not quell the un-quenching thirst of Kashmiri people for their Freedom with a colossal loss of over hundred thousand Kashmiris, then perhaps it is time for reconciliation and mediation to bring a peace in Kashmir and Indian to consider peaceful settlement of Kashmir and an honorable exit.
We further would like to place on record that Indian state apparatus and Indian armed forces are in direct violation of following International conventions, treaties and agreement:
ICCPR International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 16 Dec 1966
ICESCR International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights16 Dec 1966 CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women CESCR Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
VDPA Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action (World Conference on Human Rights, 1993
CEFRD Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD)
DRC Declaration of the Rights of the Child 1923
DRIP Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Universal Declaration on Human Rights.
AUHR Africa Charter on Human & Civil Rights
SAHRC Bill of Rights of South Africa
Indian Constitute Article 21-A Indian Constitute Article 51-A Indian Constitute Article 45
Indian Constitute Article Right to Education Act, 2009
The indigenous and native population of Jammu and Kashmir must be accorded opportunities to exercise their natural right of self-determination, that was promised by no other than the first Prime minister of Independent India i.e. Bharat Pandit Jawaher Lal Nehru to the International community; this is accordingly enshrined in the UN resolutions. Also, we are and surely you too are convinced that, following measures are imperative in order to achieve our noble and well-intended objectives viz. peace, prosperity and creation an atmosphere in our region so that people in Indo- Pak sub-continent may be able to lead an anxiety free and dignified life.
Though we vehemently support and welcome the recent efforts from both the sides and consequent developments and the peace initiatives but at the same time we have to understand and admit that, the dialogues and Confidence Building Measures are meaningless and futile attempts unless the following steps are taken in good faith.
It had been long 76 years of Indian illegal occupation of Kashmiri land, and many subsequent dialogue have been proven fruitless, so we urge to the following,
1. We are petitioning to Dirco to review its invitation to Prime Minister Modi to visit South Africa during BRICS Conference during 23rd August to 25th August 2023 under the lights of above mention human rights violations and atrocities committed against minorities and especially in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
2. We are appealing for the release of all Kashmiri political leaders especially Yasin Malik, Khurram Pervez and many others. There more than 30,000 political and civil rights activist behind jail in Indian illegally occupied Kashmir.
3. We are appealing to your office to instruct NPA special investigative unit to expedite investigation on the case open against Prime Minister Modi for his alleged role played in extra-judicial killing of innocent Kahsmiris in Indian illegally Jammu and Kashmir IIOJK during is tenure and Prime Minister.
4. We are requesting the reversal of revoking of article 370, 35a with immediate effects.
5. We are requesting the uplifting of the internet black out and blocked of telecommunication in Jammu Kashmir.
6. The opening of a formal inquest on the 48 pages UN Ohchr report on Kashmir which was released on 8th July 2019 which was compiled by the offices of UN Offices of Human Rights commissioner.
7. The opening of a formal inquest on the 53 pages UN Ohchr report on Kashmir which was released on 14th June 2018 which was compiled by the offices of UN Offices of Human Rights commissioner.
8. An independent inquiry into the brutal killing of PhD scholar Maman Wani in Indian occupied Kashmir by Indian Armed forces on 12th Oct 2018.
9. An independent inquiry into the brutal killing of PhD scholar Burhan Wani in Indian occupied Kashmir by Indian Armed forces on 6th July 2016.
10. The immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Indian troops comprising 890,000 armed personnel from occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Military presence in especially civil area is second highest besides Palestine.
11. The unlawful detentions and un-arbiter unabated summary extra-judicial and wanton annihilation of the Kashmiri people should be stopped without further loss of time.
12. An atmosphere should be created conducive to the normalcy in the region. This is only possible if the dreadful shadow of trigger-happy Indian soldiers is forth-with removed from the civil areas.
13. The people of Jammu and Kashmir should be returned back their hitherto legitimate but usurped political, social socio-economic, religious and all the other human rights, as prescribed by the
14. United Nation’s Charter of "Universal Declaration of Human Rights" which had been ratified by the Indian Government.
15. The basic human right viz. freedom of speech and freedom of expression has been curtailed by the occupation authorities and these should be henceforth restored to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, the Muslims of India be treated with peace and understanding.
16. In the prevailing horrifying and draconian environment religious congregational meetings and assemblies cannot be imagined, hence a need to nullify those unjust "laws" actions generally against Muslims in India.
17. Austerity and modesty of the unblemished Kashmiri and Indian Muslim noble ladies must not be violated by the Indian occupying forces. Aggressors are these days using this as a degrading weapon, this should be stopped immediately.
18. The International Human Rights agencies, SA Human Right Commission SAHRC and other NGOs should be given easy access to the Indian occupied Kashmir and greater India for fact finding mission and independent investigation.
19. The International Fact Finding Missions should be allowed unconditional access to the illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir and other areas of conflict and turmoil.
20. Each and every Kashmiri must be given opportunities for fair and unbiased just hearing before trial or resorting to extra-judicial executions in the form of "Fake Encounters".
21. The multilateral composite dialogues must resume without pre-conditions. The aim should be to find fair, just and amicable solution to the problem which is consuming energies and financial resources for the past more than half a century and which could have been utilized to provide food, shelter, education and health facilities to our down trodden masses. It can only sincerely be prayed and hoped that, some tenderhearted and humane approach will be taken so that, sooner than later, our cherished sub-continent would be in a position to offer peace, tranquility to ALL of its inhabitants.
Please also you can cut and paste the above petition and send it to these emails address
presidentrsa@presidency.gov.za, minister@dirco.gov.za
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The Stop Modi Visit to South Africa petition to President of South Africa and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation was written by Salman Khan and is in the category Human Rights at GoPetition.