PRESS RELEASE
DE-LIMITATION PROCESS TO ABBROGATE ARTICLES 35A & 370 AIMING AT DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE IN JAMMU & KASHMIR BY THE MODI GOVERNMENT DEPLORED IN A SIDE EVENT AT THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT!
BRUSSELS – 11th JUNE 2019: MEP Dr Prof Klaus Buchner organised a welcome get together for the newly elected Parliamentarians in the European Parliament (EP) in association with the Organisation of Kashmir Coalition (OKC). A number of other MEPs including, MEP Anna Michelle Assimakopoulou, MEP Chris Davies, MEP Bernhard Zimniok and MEP Phil Bennion, MEPs advisers and assistants, parliamentary officials, policy advisers, representatives of think tanks and non- governmental organisations and a number of journalists were in attendance.
In his opening remarks, MEP Buchner highlighted the importance of the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe generally and in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) particularly. He declared that in his capacity as MEP, he would work with all the stakeholders and the EP concerned committees to bring about peace and tranquility in J&K. MEP Buchner, in support of the people of Jammu & Kashmir, upheld that in any settlement negotiations, the genuine Kashmiri leadership (inside and outside Kashmir) must be engaged and the Kashmiris aspirations about their political future are paramount.
Mr Frank Schwalba-Hoth (Former MEP And Co-Founder Of German Greens), Who Moderated The Event, Laid Emphasis Upon Keeping The European Parliament On The Kashmir Issue Consistently Engaged As Had Been Done In The Past Under The
Direction Of Barrister A Majid Tramboo. He Expressed His Delight To See That OKC Is To Resume That Engagement With The European Union And In Particular With The European Parliament.
MEP Chris Davies, Having Been Re-Elected After Five Years Gap, Recalled The Parliamentary Work That Was Undertaken Then Including That Of All Parliamentarians Group On Kashmir – European Parliament (APGK) Engaging With All The Principal Stakeholders. He Hoped, Together With Other Colleagues, An Effective Strategy On Kashmir Is Evolved Ensuring Human Suffering Is Reduced There And A Peaceful Resolution Is Forged.
Prof Nazir A Shawl (OKC Constituent Member And Chairman Of South Asia Centre For Peace And Human Rights – SACFPHR), Catalogued The Gross Human Rights Violations Suffered By The People Of Kashmir Since The Modi Government From 2014 Under The Dovel Doctrine. He Reminded The Audience That The Kashmir Conflict Is An Internationally Recognised Conflict Awaiting The Kashmiris Right To Self-Determination. “India May Be Perceived As An Economic Opportunity But Notat The Expense Of Human Sufferings Of Kashmiris”, Prof Shawl Added. In His Conclusion, Prof Shawl Recommended That “Peace” Is The Way Forward Bearing In Mind That The Region Is A Nuclear Flashpoint.
MEP Phil Bennion, Believes That It Is Crucial To Move Away From Rhetoric Positions On The Kashmir Conflict And To Concentrate On The “Practical Solution” That May Generate The Europe Union’s Support. He Commits Himself To The Kashmiris Human Rights And Their Right To Self-Determination.
In His Concluding Remarks, Barrister A Majid Tramboo (OKC Constituent Member And Chairman International Council For Human Rights – ICHR) Urged The Urgent Attention And Cooperation Of MEPs To Bring The Kashmiris Gross Sufferings And Their Political Dispensation, Once Again, To Forefront Of The EPs Agenda.
The High Point Of Barrister A Majid Tramboo’s Intervention Was Reference To The Modi Government’s Enforcing His Right Wing Political Party’s (BJP) Election Pledge To Abrogate Articles 35A And 370 Of The Indian Constitution Which Extend Special Status To J&K In Terms Prohibiting Non State Subjects Of J&K To Buy Land Or Take-Up Employment There.
Barrister A Majid Tramboo hoped that the newly constituted All Parliamentarians Group on Kashmir – European Parliament (APGK) shall closely work with the Organisation of Kashmir Coalition (OKC), the Vision and Mission of which are described as follows:
OKC serves as an umbrella coalition organisation to facilitate and co- ordinate all the work and the efforts of civil society and human rights organisations and inter-governmental organisations to gain access to International Law and its enforcement mechanism to implementing the United Nations Resolutions on the Kashmir Conflict;
OKC is committed to promoting and projecting Kashmiris Human Rights and their Right to Self-Determination;
OKC pledge to creating public awareness throughout by engaging in organisation to organisation (including people to people) contact;
OKC shall promote solidarity and increase co-operation among its member organisations; and
OKC is the collective voice of its member organisations and works to safeguard and protect the interests of Kashmir in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony.
Barrister A Majid Tramboo and Prof Shawl, for and on behalf of OKC, recommended to deplore the proposed de-limitation process being put in motion by the government of India (this is the process through which the number of seats of the Jammu and Ladakh region are to be brought at par with the Kashmir valley number of seats in the so called State Legislative Assembly to begin the process of the abrogation of the above articles) as a stepping stone for the demographic change in J&K. This was unanimously agreed.
