The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Coalition has expressed it full support to the communique of the Emergency Virtual Meeting of the OIC Contact Group on Jammu & Kashmir held on June 22, 2020.
In its petition to the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir, the ASEAN Coalition was of the view that the situation on the ground in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K) is dire and needs immediate attention to alleviate the sufferings of the Kashmiri civilians.
Since the August 2019 lockdown, there is no breathing space for the Kashmiris as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Indian government has escalated its grip on the disputed territory moving towards a complete annexation.
The crime against humanity is been committed with impunity by the Indian occupation forces and the sufferings of the vulnerable Kashmiris are targeted with increasing suppression.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has not done enough to protect the lives of the Kashmiris. What the Kashmiris have been demanding is a legitimate right to self-determination.
India’s preoccupation to annex Kashmir has overshadowed the pandemic crisis which India has not been able to cope with.
The crime and violation of international law by India against Kashmiris can no longer be tolerated. The price of devastated families, destroyed homes, maimed victims are the result of the inaction of the United Nations and OIC.
The OIC should not only continue to voice its concern on the Kashmir issue but should further galvanize enough international pressure to persist upon the world community to impact on India, politically and economically.
Kashmir cannot be seen as an India-Pakistan conflict as repeatedly lauded by India. The issue is an international geopolitical issue impacting on regional stability.
We, the ASEAN people, are calling the OIC and the UN for a more effective action to end the sufferings of the Kashmiris by using the international mechanism for a long-lasting resolution for disputed territory.
India is using its military might in its decades of occupation on Kashmir and the BJP government is proceeding with legislative powers to pass imposing draconian rules and laws against the Kashmiris.
The OIC should take cognizance of the fact that India is applying the Israel model on Kashmir. With more than 70 years of occupation, India imitates Israel’s model to strangle Kashmiris through military operation, systemic apartheid rules, annexation, Hindu supremacy rule, socio-economic deprivation, and political oppression.
If the OIC is serious in pursuing a solution to the Kashmir issue then, there is no other option but to prevail on all OIC member states in unity to conditioned India to abode Kashmir.
We call the OIC communique to be translated into action and ensure the ground situation in protecting the civilian lives of the Kashmiris be ensured and normalcy is established.
The petition was signed by the President Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organizations (MAPIM) & the Coordinator ASEAN People’s Advocacy Group for Kashmir Mohammad Azmi Abdul Hamid.
The petition was endorsed by the followings;
- Datuk Seri Syekh Ahmad Awang, Chair of Alkuance of World Mosques in Defence of Al Aqsa,
- Datuk Wira Syekh Abdul Ghani Samsudin, Chair Secretary for the Ulama Assembly of Asia
- Fadhil Yusni, Deputy President Malaysia Kashmir Youth Movement.
- Jamal Abdul Nasir, President Justice and Development Association Cambodia.
- Masadah Sajadi, International Affairs SALIMAH Association of Malaysia.
- Agus Sudarmaji, President Al Aqsa Working Group Indonesia.
- Dr Wisoot binLateh, Chairman Council for Humanitarian Networking of Syekhul Islam Office Thailand
