The International Council for Human Development (ICHD) held a peaceful protest in front of the EU Parliament in Brussels on July 5, 2010. The protest was organised to agitate against the killings of unarmed Kashmiri youths in Occupied Kashmir. A large number of Kashmiris and their supporters participated despite heavy rain. The participants were highly critical of the brutality of the Indian forces in Kashmir.
Addressing the protestors, Ali Raza Syed, Chairman of ICHD expressed his anguish and anger about the deteriorating situation of human rights in occupied Kashmir. He condemned the killings of 12 innocent youths in the previous month. Giving the details, he said that a 17 year old boy Tufail Ahmad Matoo was killed on 12th of June, a 24 year old man Mohammad Rafiq Bangroo was killed on 19th of June, Javaid Ahmed Malla was killed on 23rd of June, Firdous Ahmad Kakroo was killed on 25th of June, 22 year old Bilal Ahmed Wani and 17 year old Tajamul Ahmed Bhat were killed on 27th of June, a 9 year old boy Tariq Ahmed Rather was killed on 28th June, a 15 year old Istiaq Ahmad Khanday, 17 year old Imtiyaz Ahmed Itoo and 19 year old Sajjad-ul-Islam were killed on 29th of June. He told that the fake encounters were common practice in occupied Kashmir and the recent ‘fake encounter’ had killed three innocent Kashmiris.
“Whatever tactics India may adopt to silence Kashmiris inside or outside India, the ICHD shall persist and continue to lobby in the EU for the promotion & protection of the Kashmiris human rights and for the implementation of their inalienable right to self – determination”, said Ali Raza Syed. He said that despite the fact that Kashmir were under occupation by India, they deserved the respect to their basic rights and freedoms in accordance with international law to which India is a signatory. He said that their struggle will continue until the killings of innocent people by the Indian security forces stops. He appealed to the EU to use its influence to stop the genocide of the Kashmiri people.
The speakers demanded that the trade relation between EU and India should have been suspended. India should be asked to respect their international obligation to let people of Jammu & Kashmir exercise their Right to Self-Determination and to respect international human rights norms and the treaties to which India is a signatory including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
The speakers demanded that India should undertake an independent and impartial investigation in all the killings, custodial deaths, disappearances, fake encounters, rapes and other human rights violations under international law and international auspices. They demanded an open access IHK for major human rights NGOs and humanitarian organizations in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.