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Central Europeans support Kashmiris’ rights during a three-day signature move on Kashmir

Kashmir Council Europe (KC-EU)s “One-Million Signature Campaign”was massively welcomed in three central European countries Hungary, Slovakia and Austria.

The Council's team arrived in Vienna Tuesday’s night after holding the signature’s campaign in Hungary and Slovakia in last two days respectively. Like two preview days in Budapest (Hungary) and Bratislava (Slovakia), a huge number of the people visited a one-day signature camp held in Vienna, the capital of the country on Wednesday

The EU based signature drive is a widespread awareness movement on Kashmir’s issue and a large number of European people in different countries including Belgium, Holland, Norway, Sweden and UK supported it by their signature so far.

A press release said, the like Budapest and Bratislava, the capital cities of Hungary and Slovakia, the camp in Vienna was also successfully organised by council and certainly acknowledged by a massive number of the people as they made their signature in favour of the oppressed people of Jammu and Kashmir.

 The Kashmir Council EU has been supported by different local NGOs and social activists based in different European countries for motivation of the move.

At the conclusion of the three-day tour to three central European countries, Chairman Kashmir Council EU Ali Raza Syed said, a large number of the people specially youth including university students supported the rights of people of Jammu and Kashmir and opposed violation of human rights in the occupied territory.

He said, side by side receiving signatures from the people, the Kashmir Council EU’s team distributed the leaflets and brochures on Kashmir and presented a number of t-shirts with slogan of “Free Kashmir” on its front during the signature camps held in last three days in Hungary, Slovakia and Austria.

It is important to mention that basic aim of the EU based signature drive is to collect a million signatures in order to highlight the conflict of Kashmir and pressurize New Delhi to stop the human rights abuses perpetrated by the Indian forces in the Indian held Kashmir (IHK).

The collection of one million signatures will be presented in the shape of the document to the ‘European Parliament’s human rights committee’ in order to raise the issue of violations of human rights in IHK.

Highlighting the issues of a large extra-judicial killings, sexual abuses, forced disappearances and unnamed mass grave in IHK, Chairman Kashmir Council EU also urged the international Community to prevent violation of human rights in IHK and help the people of Jammu and Kashmir in connection with their right of self-determination.

Kashmir Council EU holds a protest demonstration on Modi’s visit to Brussels

The Kashmir Council EU held a protest demonstration on the occasion of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Brussels on Wednesday 30th March.

The Kashmir Council was the main organizer of the protest which held in front of the European Union Head Quarters in Brussels.

The protest was very successful, with a large number of the people from different walks of life attending the procession. Prominent personalities, social workers and representatives of various NGOs including human rights organisations were also present.

The organisations which cooperated in connection with the protest included World Kashmir Diaspura Alliance, Free Kashmir Org Germany, Kashmir Info, Kashmir Committee Sweden, Kashmir European Alliance Norway, Kashmir Centre Holland, International Council for Human Development, and JKLF Belgium.

Holding banners and placards, the protesters chanted slogans against the wrong and discriminatory policies of Modi’s regime. The words including Modi Fascist, Modi Murderer, Modi Butcher and Modi Terrorist were pasted along with the pictures of Modi on the placards.

Addressing the protesters, the Chairman of the Kashmir Council, Ali Raza Syed said that the protest was against the atrocities committed by Indian security forces in Occupied Kashmir, and against the fascist policies of Modi’s government towards minorities and other oppressed segments of society in India.

The protest was held at Place Schuman in front of EU Council and Commission Offices, where Modi’s meetings took place in the capital city.

Mr. Syed said that the protest was against Modi’s fascism, particularly Indian brutalities against the people of occupied Kashmir and the exploitation of Kashmiri students studying at different Indian Universities.  They also protested the exploitative policies Modi’s government put into place against various minorities including the Sikh community and other segments of society in India. Many other issues related to the rights of people in different parts of India were also raised during the protest.

Former Prime Minister of AJK Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhary was also among the speakers of the demonstration. Speaking of the fact that, for a long time, the people of Kashmir have faced brutalities committed by Indian forces, he said, “We will continue our struggle against the fascist policies of Modi government, especially atrocities against the people of Kashmir.”

The human rights abuses in Indian Held Kashmir pass with impunity and are backed by a dedicated political will by the Indian government, other speakers of the gathering also commented. This dedication and impunity granted by the state of India makes the head of the state responsible for crimes against humanity that should not be ignored by the civilized world, they said.

They also condemned the terrorist attack in Lahore and expressed sympathy with the families of the victims of the tragic incident. The speakers also deplored the brutal incidents of terrorism in Belgium, Turkey and France.

‘Ali Raza Syed condemns attacks in Brussels’

The Chairman of the Kashmir Council EU, Ali Raza Syed, has released the following statement following the attacks in Brussels:
 
'Our hearts, thoughts, and prayers are with the victims and their families on this shocking day.  We absolutely condemn these monstrous attacks.  They are targeting innocent people, in a peaceful city that hasn't known anything like this since the second world war.  
 

 

 

We shall not let these instigators of terror break our spirits in Belgium, nor derail the peace and cooperation that has existed for so long in Europe.  We must let the attacks make us kinder to each other, and stronger in our solidarity.  We shall stand together, and with unity we will defeat the forces of evil and the enemies of humanity.'

 

 

 

Ali Raza Syed at the UN: Kashmir’s conflict needs the urgent attention of the international community

MARCH 15 2016



Kashmir Council EU's Chairman, Ali Raza Syed, said yesterday that Kashmir’s conflict needs the urgent attention of the international community, as it is a universal threat to humanity. We are compelled to see this as one of the most urgent calls for peace.

He was addressing a seminar organised by World Muslim Congress at the sidelines of the 31st session of United Nation Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva.

The seminar was moderated by Altaf Hussain Wani. Other panel speakers of the seminar were Dr Zahoor Manzoor, Member of the Brussels Parliament, Dr Karen Parker, Endre Barcs, Emima Abdusalam and Daniela Dongues. A documentary about the sedition charges against Kashmir Professor Syed Ali Shah Geelani was also screened.

During his speech, Ali Raza Syed said that the misery and injustice in Jammu and Kashmir is not only the problem of a secluded community, while the conflict is a universal threat to humanity:

"We are compelled to see this as one of the most urgent calls for the peace. We believe that justice should prevail on power.

"I am not going to narrate here the history of Jammu and Kashmir, nor will I refer to the numerous calls from the UN or international human rights organisations during the last seven decades. Rather I will only say that every human life lost in this conflict, every woman raped, every injustice committed is the injustice done to more than one and half billion people of India, Pakistan and entire South Asia. This is the unfortunate region that has been held hostage of this conflict for seven decades. This is the region that is lurking under extreme poverty, decease, illiteracy, bad governance, corruption. This is the region whose states are compelled to spend their meagre resources in building large armies and lethal armaments including missile and nuclear programs.

"About the issue of mass graves in IHK, more than 10,000 innocent people have been disappeared. I want to raise a simple point of common sense. And this relates to Indian government’s refusal to conduct DNA tests. At one level, they claim that everybody killed by Security Forces was a militant or an outsider. Well, proving their identity, by DNA tests, shall only strengthen their claim beyond doubt.

"We become sad and agitated to see that our fellow Kashmiris suffering from Indian occupation are still deprived of the basic notions of dignified life with right to choose, right to life and right to move, right to fair trial, freedom from torture, freedom from fear and freedom from inhuman treatment, amongst other inalienable rights and freedoms being enjoyed by the rest of the world at various degrees.

"In my lifelong struggle for the right of self-determination for Kashmiris, I don’t remember a single year without a fresh reason for concern, a new act of horrendousness by Indian state. For the years, we have been agitating against mass graves, black laws and the impunity of the state officials. Today even the people of India are starting to say that the Indian occupation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir is illegal. JNU Students and professors came out to support the basic rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

"I hope that more and more of the people of India will support the rightful struggle of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

"Now is the time that the international community and the United Nations should implement the resolutions passed by the UN Security Council some 60 years ago, which gave the people of Jammu and Kashmir the right to decide their destiny in a plebiscite."

Referring to a UN resolution, he reminded the assembly that on 21 February 1957, the United States of America, co-sponsored by the United Kingdom, Australia, Colombia and Cuba, raised the issue of Kashmir at the UN Security Council. The United States was one of the five co-sponsors of the Security Council Resolution 123 of 21 February 1957 that reasserted the call for a plebiscite, and declared that the Kashmir Constituent Assembly’s vote in 1954 to reaffirm the state’s accession to India was not internationally binding. Delegates voted 10-0 in favour of the resolution a few days later.

Despite such resolutions, the people of Kashmir are still waiting to exercise their rights and freedom along with everything that is guaranteed in the United Declaration of Human Rights.

He said, "We urge the Indian and Pakistani states to muster the courage to implement UN resolutions which guarantee the right to self-determination. But we know that it is not possible without active support from the international community. Now it is time for the international community to raise their voices, and for the UN to implement its resolutions to end the long suffering of the people of Jammu and Kashmir."

end

‘Biggest Democracy?’ Ali Raza Syed condemns the beating and detaining of Kashmiri students for eating beef

PRESS RELEASE MARCH 15

Kashmir Council EU Chairman Ali Raza Syed has condemned the beating and detention today of four Kashmiri students at Mewar University in India. The four male students were attacked by a group of locals, because they had allegedly consumed beef the evening before.

Responding to the news, Ali Raza Syed said:

‘What is happening now in India is the result of the policies of Mohdi’s government, and his strong ties to the Siv Shena party. Since Mohdi came to power, we have seen a rise in violent behaviour from extremists who are encouraged by him and the BJP.

 

They are killing people for eating beef, beating students who support a cricket team other than India, and jailing anyone who dares to speak with an independent voice. Dalits, Christians, Muslims, and Sikhs are all being targeted for their beliefs, because the Siv Shena party want to create a pure Hindu state, where there is no place for other communities, minorities, or other religions.

 

India cannot continue claiming to be the world’s biggest democracy on the world stage while they carry out these practices at home. The increasing number of atrocities like these should open the international community’s eyes to the real face of the so-called biggest democracy.’

 

World should take notice of violation of Women rights in IHK

Kashmir Council EU Chairman Ali Raza Syed has said, International Community should take serious notice of severe situation related to women in Indian Held Kashmir (IHK).

In a statement on the occasion of International Women’s Day, Mr Ali Raza Syed said, beside the men and children, thousands of women became target of Indian brutalities in occupied territory. Women in Kashmir have been suffered massively in IHK as they have been raped, tortured, maimed and killed and some of them were even jailed for years.

Reports of many local and international human rights organizations shown that the Indian authorities violated all norms and morality in dealing with women in the held Kashmir.

Sorrows and griefs of the Kashmiri women by the hands of occupation security forces are endless, he said. There are thousands of the women who were raped and killed or lost their beloved one during atrocities committed by the Indian occupation forces.

A large number of women in IHK are suffering because of loss of their husbands, sons, fathers, and brothers and their miseries are unending, Chairman KC-EU added.

He said, the Kashmiri people have been subjected to the worst kind of human rights abuses. The Indian troops deployed in Indian Occupied Kashmir operate under the draconian laws, specific to Kashmir, which provide immunity to these occupation forces. The forces have been given a free hand to play havoc with the life, dignity, honour and property of the hapless people of Kashmir.

Sikhs supports Kashmir Council EU’s upcoming protest on Modi’s visit to Europe

A number of Sikh organizations based in Belgium and other countries pledged their support to the upcoming protest on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Brussels on 31st March.

Kashmir Council EU which is main organizer of the forthcoming protest program including a demonstration and a one-day camp at the European Union Head Quarters Brussels, has launched a broad campaign for securing public support in this protest.

So far, a number of the individuals and representatives of the different organizations have been contacted by the Kashmir Council EU Chairman Ali Raza Syed and other office bearers in the context.

Europe based Sikh Organizations which declared their support to the protest are included Baber Khalsa,  Dalkhalsa  and All Gurdawara Committees Belgium, Dalkhalsa Switzerland, Dalkhalsa  Germany, Sikh Student Federation Germany, Rasham Singh Baber Khalsa Germany and S.A.D. Maan  Germany.

Ali Raza Syed assured the Sikh community’s leaders that atrocities against the Sikh minority by the Indian regime would also be highlighted in the protest.

The protest would be held at Place Schuman (near Metro Stop Schuman) in front of EU Council and Commission Offices where Modi’s meetings are supposed to be held in the capital city on 31st March (Thursday).

Modi will visit Brussels for the first India-European Union (EU) bilateral summit in four years.

According to a Press Release issued in Brussels, the protest would be started at 12:30 p.m.

Chairman Kashmir Council EU Ali Raza Syed who is also leading the council team for organizing the protest, said, we have received very positive response of different circles so far and I hope that a large number of Kashmiris and representatives of minorities and other oppressed people of India would attend the upcoming gathering in Brussels. Kashmir Council EU has already requested the leadership of both side of Azad Kashmir and Indian Held Kashmir and members of the all minorities and other suppressed people in India to attend the protest.

The PR said, the protest is against Modi’s fascism particularly Indian brutalities against the people of occupied Kashmir and exploitation of Kashmiri students studying at different Indian Universities and as well fascist and exploitative policies of Modi’s government against various minorities including Sikh community and other segments of the society in India. Many other issues related the rights of people in the different Indian parts would also be raised during the protest.

Chidambaram has confirmed Guru’s hanging was unfair: Ali Raza

Chairman Kashmir Council EU Ali Raza Syed today said that former Home Minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram’s statement over Afzal Guru’s case indicated that the Kashmir leader was hanged “unfairly”. 

In a statement from Brussels, Ali Raza Syed said, the former minister’s statement brings the justice system of India “under question”.

“Afzal Guru was hanged because he was a Kashmiri as Indian justice system does not work in case of Kashmiris,” he argued. 

Ali’s statement was in response to an interview to The Economic Times, where Chidamabaram had said, "I think it is possible to hold an honest opinion that the Afzal Guru case was perhaps not correctly decided."   

Chairman Kashmir Council EU asked international community to assign an international investigation into the case of Afzal Guru and pressure India to assist in reopening the case in order “to expose the facts behind injustice in this particular case”. 

Ali Raza Syed said, “Afzal Guru had always denied his involvement in the 2001 Indian Parliament attack but despite of that he was discriminately executed by the authorities and forcibly buried at jail premises against the wishes of his family.” 

He said, “Kashmiris who are deprived of justice in Indian rule, are suffering state oppression at the hands of New Delhi as the State imposed black laws in the Kashmir valley.”

“India wants to continue its rule and it uses all unfair tactics for the purpose. It was not only Afzal Guru who was sacrificed under Indian policy of Kashmiri genocide while in the recent years, thousands of Kashmiris were arrested, kidnapped and killed extra judicially in Kashmir,” he said. 

Chairman Kashmir Council EU also deplored the detention of Kashmiri leaders and activists including Shabir Ahmad Shah.

Condemning the security forces actions against the leaders, he said, “The arrests and harassment cannot deter Kashmiris from continuing with their struggle.” 

“They will continue to raise their voices against the Indian atrocities on the oppressed people,” Ali Raza Syed said, while condemning the recent “crackdowns and arrests” of the Kashmiri students in New Delhi.

Solidarity Day

Kashmir Council is organizing an event of candle light vigil in Brussels ,the capital of Belgium in order to express solidarity with oppressed people of Indian-held Kashmir (IHK).

You are kindly requested to join us to show the solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Crackdown against Kashmiri students in Delhi undemocratic: Ali Raza

Kashmir Council EU Chairman Ali Raza Syed today condemned “crackdowns” against the Kashmiri students in New Delhi, and termed it an attack on freedom of speech and expression.

In a statement issued in Brussels, Ali Raza Syed said, “The action against the students is an assault on a democratic right for dissent and debate and against the basic human rights of the people.”

Expressing concerns on the situation, he said, it is a matter of grave concern and against the norms of a civilized society.

“The events including the detention and suspension of students was a cause of concern among the members of academic world and civil societies of the globe,” statement said.

He asked that it is duty of civil society of India specially academia to protect rights of the students in that country.

Terming the Indian attitude as “narrow-mindedness and a discriminated act”, he said, “Victimization of the Kashmiri students in India is unacceptable.”

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