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Briefing at Norwegian Parliament

Posted on February 9, 2012 By ICHD

While addressing a seminar at Norwegian parliament on 9th February 2012, the chairperson of ICHD, Ali Raza Syed explained the plight of the Kashmiri people in the face of huge army deployment equipped with heavy armament and protected by various black laws. He said that they had a positive hope especially in the capacity of the Kashmiri people to relentlessly struggle for their rights. He said that his organisation and fellow comrades believed in the good sense of the major powers of the South Asia and international community that they would prefer justice and peace over war between two nuclear armed rivals. He said that it was a worrisome fact for every peace loving person that South Asia is increasingly being seen as nuclear flashpoint and a hub of the extremism.

The event was organised jointly by Kashmir-European Alliance and the member of Norwegian parliament, Peter Skovhold Gitmark. Pakistan Ambassador to Norway, Ishtiaq H.Andrabi, Peter Skovholt Gitmark (MP), President Kashmir EU Alliance Pervez Ahmad, Chief Coordinator Ch.Mukhtar Ahmad and deputy speaker of Norwegian Parliament Akhtar Chaudhry also spoke on the occasion. Mr. Peter Gitmark said that Norwegians will try to help the people of Kashmir. He proposed to send a fact finding Mission to Indian Held Kashmir about unnamed mass graves, in particular, and Human rights situation, in general.

Ali Raza Syed added that the collective human conscience of the peace loving nations like Norway had always been the great strength of their struggle for justice and peace. He said that the Kashmiri peace activists were always grateful to all the nations, individuals, institutions, organizations and forums that have consistently condemned the human rights abuses in Kashmir and have supported our call for the right to self determination. “I can clearly see that the commitment of this nation has enriched the peace movements of the entire world. I know that you shall always stand with us for our positive struggles”, he further said.

He said, “We have great hope to see that European Union is swiftly letting Indians to integrate in the different areas of cooperation. We wish them very best of it while saying that your persistent support for Kashmiris at all the prestigious forums of European Union should never go waste. Rather, it will succeed in giving light of hope to the other parts of the world. Let us believe that our collective struggle shall free South Asia from bigotry, hatred, suppression, torture and despotism. Let us believe that our children shall see a secure and dignified future, sooner rather than later”.

Comparing natural beauty of Europe especially Norway with Kashmir, he said, “I cannot resist comparing the natural beauty of this part of the world with my region; Kashmir, which is called the paradise on earth. Unfortunately, the comparison ends here. We proudly see the prosperity, dignity, sense of security and a healthy relationship of citizens with their states and governments in Europe. We proudly see that kids are going to schools with dreams in their eyes and trust in their hearts. We proudly see that the institutions do provide maximum opportunity to an individual to grow and realize his or her potential. And we wish that this could happen to our unfortunate region as well. At the moment, for last seven decades, Kashmiris are living a life squarely opposite to this. Needless to say, however, we are not hopeless. In fact, this is the hope that is carrying us forward and giving us the strength to bear the hardships and insults imposed upon us. And this is the hope that enables us to carry on our struggle in Kashmir or in the other parts of the world”.

Ali Raza Syed highlighted the efforts of ICHD while saying that it was committed to promote the cause of achieving an honourable life for the Kashmiris. He said they strongly believed in pronouncing their faith in collective human conscience and that the little steps towards enhancing the awareness about the plight of the Kashmiri nation lied at the base of their struggle for right to self determination.

Emphasizing upon the positive approach to the issue, he said that they demanded the right to self determination for Kashmiris but that was not directed towards denouncing or damaging the great people and great civilization of India. Yet, they denounced the high handedness of Indian state and its oppressive institutions. He denounced the fact that more than seven hundred thousands army men were breathing on the necks of the defenceless people. “We denounce the fact that our generations are growing under the fear and depression with no hope for a bright future. We denounce the fact that our great nation does not enjoy the right to choice, the right to assemble, the right to develop and above all, the right to life. We denounce the fact that we find thousands of dead bodies in the mass graves killed by the Indian forces. We denounce the fact that torture and rape has become a daily routine. We do all this in a positive hope for justice and peace. We believe that while doing this, the Indian state is doing a great injustice to the people and civilisation of India itself. We know that no nation can really grow out of guilt while committing such horrendous crimes towards humanity”, said Ali Raza Syed.

The martyrdom of Six Kashmiri youth in IHK

Posted on February 5, 2012 By ICHD

A press statement, on February 5, 2012, by ICHD severely condemned the martyrdom of six innocent Kashmiri youth in Indian Held Kashmir. The Chairperson ICHD said, killing of innocent people in the occupied valley is a significant proof of state terrorism by New Delhi and we can not tolerate the atrocities against our Kahsmiri brothers and sisters.
Ali Raza Syed said, he would highlight the issue strongly in the Kashmir Conference in Spanish city of Barcelona, which was going to be held on the occasion of Kashmir Solidarity Day, (5th Feb). As one of the key speakers of the conference, he hoped that this grave incident of brutal murders was only a recent example of what was going on in Kashmir for last six decades.
According to the report issued by Kashmir Media Service, Indian troops, in occupied Kashmir, killed six innocent Kashmiri youth during fierce clashes between protestors and the Indian police personnel Thursday. According to reports, of those martyred, five youth were shot dead in Kishtwar and one in Mendhar. Ali Raza Syed also expressed concern over the arrest and house confinement of the Kashmiri leaders in Sri Nagar.
The occupation authorities confine the APHC Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq to his residence in Srinagar and arrested senior Hurriyet leaders, Shabbir Ahmad Shah, Nayeem Ahmad Khan and Firdous Ahmad Shah lodging them in Kathua jail outside the Kashmir valley. They have been booked under the draconian law, Public Safety Act. The police also raided the house of JKLF-R leader, Javed Ahmad Mir to arrest him. Another Kashmir political figure, Saleem Nannaji is already imprisoned in IHK.
The chairperson ICHD demanded early and unconditional release of all the prisoners while saying that his organisation was with the people of occupied Kashmir and will continue raising voices against the Indian state terrorism in IHK. He urged the international community to take serious notice of the current grave situation in the held Kashmir and send impartial observers to examine the situation there. Situation is very serious in the IHK and if such circumstances are continued, the region would be more flammable.

Protest in front of Indian embassy in Holland

Posted on October 26, 2011 By ICHD

On 26th of October 2011, the International Council for Human Development (ICHD) organised a protest demonstration in front of Indian embassy in Holland. While raising the slogans for the rights and self determination for the people of Kashmir, the demonstrators made an appeal to the international community to come forward and pressurised India to grant the Kashmiris their inalienable right to self determination. The demonstration was organised with the active support of Kashmir Centre, Holland on the “Day of Occupation” of Kashmir by the Indian forces in 1947.

Leading the demonstration, chairperson of ICHD, Ali Raza Syed and executive director, Kashmir Centre-Holland, Dr. Zeib Khan handed over a protest memorandum to the Indian embassy officials. The memorandum asked the India to withdraw its forces from the held Kashmir and allow the Kashmiris to decide freely about their political future. The memorandum also demanded impartial investigations of thousands of unnamed mass graves that had been discovered in different parts of the held Kashmir. The memorandum demanded that the culprits should be brought to justice according to the international laws.

The speakers said that the India was flagrant violator of the international laws as it was protecting the perpetrators of heinous crimes such as killings, murders, illegal detentions, imprisonments and general coercion. On the issue of mass graves, the demonstrators demanded the international community to send their observers to investigate the issue. The speakers referred to the article 9 of the UDHR while saying that Indian authorities were putting the prominent leaders and political workers under illegal detention only for speaking their minds and demanding their right to self determination. The speakers demanded for Kashmir the same as it was given to Namibia, East Timor, Montengero and Southern Sudan; the self determination conducted and monitored by United Nations and international community.

They said that peace in South Asia, in general, and Sub-Continent, in particular, was too important an issue to left to two rivals that are equipped with the nuclear arms. The speakers urged both the governments of India and Pakistan to include all Kashmiri leadership in the process of negotiations on the issue. They were of the view that no fair solution of the Kashmir issue was possible without the involvement of Kashmiri leadership.

Indian nation day; Kashmiri black day

Posted on August 15, 2011 By ICHD

Kashmir Council EU observes the 15th August 2011, the 65th independence day of India, as black day. A peaceful demonstration was held with the collaboration of Kashmir Centre Holland in front Indian Embassy in Hague on the black day. A large number of Kashmiris and the supporters attended the demonstration. The protestors holding placards chanted anti-Indian slogans and called the international community to stop the atrocities in Indian Held Kashmir.

Issuing a statement on the occasion, Kashmir Council EU Chairman, we want to convey a clear message to the world that why we observe black day on Indian National day? Kashmiris want to show the world that Kashmir was not part of India but New Delhi held the territory by force. He said, about 63 years back then Indian Leader Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru gave a pledge to a huge gathering of Kashmiris at Lal Chawk Srinagar that Kashmiris would be free to decide their future. Indian leaders several times, assured the Kashmiris, “We have no desire to impose our will on Kashmir. Our assurance is that we shall withdraw our forces from Kashmir and leave the Kashmiris to decide freely through a plebiscite under the auspices of the United Nation.”

Explaining the current situation in Indian Held Kashmir, the statement condemned the extra judicial and custodial killings of innocent Kashmiris in the held valley.
The statement called the international community to come forward and pressurize India to let the Kashmiris to decide about their future freely. The right of self-determination of the people of Kashmir should be given them with out any delay.

Stay connected,Stay committed

Posted on April 4, 2011 By ICHD

The International Council for Human Development (ICHD) addressed the media, on 4th of April 2011, and vowed its continued commitment to the cause of the independent Kashmir. The chairperson, Ali Raza Syed addressed the press conference, in Brussels, along with renowned human rights activist, Marjan Lucas who has spend several years in research and activism on the issue of Kashmir.

Ali Raza Syed said that his organization was committed to continue exposing the crimes of the brutal Indian forces in Indian held Kashmir. He said 13 million Kashmiri Diaspora of the world was not ready to allow anybody to suppress or malign the lawful and peaceful freedom movement of Kashmir.

Marjan Lucas said that international community should not let the Kashmiris suffer anymore. Responding to the arrest and later release of Dr.Ghulam Nabi Fai, Ali Raza that the just cause of Kashmir was above the personalities and all people that struggle for the just cause of Kashmir shall continue receiving our support. He expressed his concerns over the mysterious silence of international community about the issue of Kashmir unlike the issues of South Sudan, Eastern Tamur and Kosovo. He declared that the One Million Signature Campaign shall continue to achieve its goals because it was based on the real facts and support from the human rights organizations and international forums of the world.

He demanded that the India should demilitarize the Kashmir, immediately release all the political prisoners, punish all the security personals involve in human rights abuses and remove all the black laws from their statutory books.

The grand international alliance of Kashmiri activists

Posted on March 14, 2011 By ICHD

The International Council for Human Development (ICHD) announced in a press conference a campaign for bringing all the major Kashmiri forums and organisations to one platform for a joint struggle for the same cause. The chairperson of ICHD, Ali Raza Syed said this in a press conference organised in Islamabad on 14th of March 2011.
He said, though a number of groups and organisations were working on the issue of Kashmir at EU and other foreign countries but a collective effort was needed to make their voice more valuable and impactful. He said that there was a need to adopt joint strategy as well. He emphasized upon the international community not to ignore the Kashmir issue. He said that the world bodies should take the action on Kashmir as they had taken actions in East Taimoor, Kosovo and South Sudan.
He identified the lack of coordination between myriad Kashmiri leadership as the main reason behind the weakness of their efforts. He said that the leadership of both AJK and IHK should adopt a joint strategy for their joint struggle. He said that the Kashmiri leadership could not afford the internal disunity since Kashmiris around the world were crying for justice. They were wailing, pleading, protesting, demonstrating, sacrificing their lives to achieve the minimum standard of a collective life as human being.
He introduced International Council for Human Development and Kashmir Council-EU as well. He said that it was a platform of the Kashmiri Diaspora that was struggling to promote the awareness, in the European societies, states and institutions, about the plight of Kashmiri people and their rights as recommended, advocated and demanded by the United Nations, European Union and other international forums, think-tanks and leading international human rights organizations.
“The Council is a network of active professionals, businessmen/women, human rights activists, women, students, children and workers. The Council bridges the cultural and social gaps of the Kashmiri Diaspora while bringing the Kashmiri community close to the mainstream European society and its highly spiritual and humanist values of justice, peace, freedom, democracy, gender equality and Interfaith harmony”, Said Ali Raza.
He said that the Kashmir Council EU had raised the Kashmir issue at the different forums through meetings, seminars, conferences at the different forums including EU parliament and assemblies of the different countries. The Council started lobbying with the European Parliamentarians on the gross human rights violations unearthed by the reports of the leading international human rights organizations and parliamentary groups visiting Indian Occupied Kashmir. Introducing recent Campaign of Kashmir Council EU for collection of ‘One Million Signatures’ from Europeans, he said that a large number of people in Belgium, Holland and France had signed the appeal.
Chairman Kashmir Council EU said that the just solution of Kashmir issue was equally important for India and Pakistan. Further, he said that any dialogue between India and Pakistan should be based on seeking the solution of the central issue of Kashmir. He said that no dialogue could be productive without the solution of Kashmir issue.

Solidarity Rally in Den Haag

Posted on February 5, 2011 By ICHD

The Kashmir Centre Holland, Kashmir Council-EU and IKV Pax Christi jointly organised a demonstration on 5th February 2011 in DEN HAAG Netherland. Like Pakistan, the solidarity Day was observed on 5th February in Europe to renew commitment to continue supporting the Kashmiris brethren for their right to self-determination.
The demonstration was headed by Chairman Kashmir Council EU, Ali Raza Syed, Executive Director Kashmir Centre Holland and Marian Locus of IKV Pax Christi while Malik Ajmal, senior leader of PPP-Belgium, Sardar Sadeek, president Muslim Conference Europe, Ch Pervez Losar, President of PML-Q, Hajj Khalil and Ch.Khalid Joshi of Kashmir Council EU address the participants. Other prominent leaders of Europe including Haji Muneer, Shahid Farooqi, Raja Javed and Syed Sajid Shah were also present in the rally.
On the occasion, Chairman Kashmir Council EU, Ali Raza Syed said that they expressed complete solidarity with the people of Kashmiri in their glorious struggle against injustice and repression. He said that the Kashmiris were fighting for their right to self determination for more than 6 decades and still they did not show any sign of hopelessness. He said the voices of cries from the Kashmir were reaching all over the world. Introducing the One-Million Signature Campaign launched by ICHD, he said that they had embarked upon that important initiative to aware the citizen of Europe about the conditions of life in Kashmir. He said that the other objective of the campaign was to mount international pressure on India. He said that such moves shall bring European citizens and Kashmiris closer to each other.
“It is clear fact that grave atrocities are being committed against the people of Jammu and Kashmir and every day is witnessed of killings of innocent Kashmiris including women and children. Young people are being disappeared and large scale unnamed graves are being discovered in the valley but no one of the world powers supports the Kashmiris and neither any international organisation pays any attention on the cries”, said Ali Raza.
The participant of the demonstration called upon the United Nations and the international community to help Kashmiri people in getting their fundamental rights to self-determination by implementing its various resolutions in letter and spirit.

Indian Republic Day is black day for Kashmiris

Posted on January 26, 2011 By ICHD

On 26th of January 2011, Chairman Kashmir Council EU, Ali Raza Syed, addressed a press conference terming the republic day of India as the black day for Kashmiris since continuing Indian occupation of Kashmir had converted the valley into a military camp. He said the day had no importance in the valley since the Kashmiris were struggling for their right to self determination. The members of Core Committee of Kashmir Council EU, Haji Mohammad Khalil and Ch.Khalid Mahmood Joshi also spoke to the media.

Ali Raza Syed said that Indian troops were using brutal forces against the harmless and innocent protesters in Indian Held Kashmir (IHK) and last year, exercise of the violent forces against the peaceful protestors resulted in more than 100 deaths in the territory. Several of the killed and injured were children and this situation prompted anger amongst general public. He pointed out that the children detained for participating in protests by the Indian authorities in IHK were held in jails with adults, which violated the juvenile justice law.

The speakers told that there were currently above 700,000 Indian troops deployed in Kashmir, which was a clear violation of democratic rights of the Kahsmiri people, they said.
The speakers said that they would continue their drive for awareness on Kashmir issue in Europe. Ali Raza Syed said that the One-Million Signature Campaign was an important part of their struggle in Europe. The speakers said that Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control and across the world observed Indian Republic Day as Black Day to remind the international community that India’s continued denial of Kashmiris’ right to self-determination was contrary to its claim of being a democratic republic.
Commenting on UN Special Rapporteur Margaret Sekaggya recent visit to the valley, Ali Raza Syed termed the delegate’s visit to Indian Held Kashmir (IHK) as a significance development in the context of Kashmir issue. He said, the visit gained significance in wake of last year’s unrest in Kashmir in which a large number of the civilians were killed and wounded by the Indian security forces.

Ali Raza Syed emphasized that the recommendations of the Rapporteur should be used to improve the situation of the human rights in Jammu and Kashmir and make useful ground for the just solution of the problem. He sought probe into large scale human rights violations during the past two decades in the suppression of peoples. He urged the UN to conduct an impartial inquiry into the extra judicial killings in Kashmir particularly after the discovery of thousands unnamed graves in the valley should be investigated immediately.

The speakers drew parallels as well. They said that if If International community could hold referendum in Southern Sudan and East Taimoor for democratic rights of the people, then why it was not possible to arrange the plebiscite under the UN supervision? They demanded serious actions of the international community for peaceful and just settlement of the Kashmir problem according to the wishes of the Kashmiris.

Right to travel, Right to speak

Posted on December 30, 2010 By ICHD

The International Council for Human Development (ICHD) in a press statement on 30th of December 2010 denounced the denounced the Indian government’s policy of denying the Kashmiris their right to travel abroad. According to the details, there are 75,000 Kashmiri families that are deprived of getting visas despite their requests for the travel abroad.

The ICHD chairperson, Ali Raza Syed mentioned the Kashmiri families that are in the black lists of the police or other law enforcing agencies operating in the Indian Held Kashmir. He said that such families and individuals are always under surveillance, they are barred from having jobs and they are denied from travelling abroad. He criticised the Indian government’s decision to refuse the visa request of a 20 years old boy that, as a good footballer, was selected for a tournament in Brazil.
The ICHD also supported the demand of Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) for a probe into the cases of custodial disappearances and unmarked mass graves by the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) as demanded by the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP).
Chairman Kashmir Council EU, Ali Raza Syed said that the ICRC should be allowed to exercise its global mandate of investigating the cases of disappearances and unmarked graves in the territory. He said that the ICRC was professionally neutral and capable organisation to carry out an unbiased and thorough investigation.

Protest demonstration on arrival of Indian PM

Posted on December 11, 2010 By ICHD

A large number of the peole from different walks of life and presentatives of differnt Europe based Kashmiri organistions participated in the protest demonstration on arrival of Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, in Brussels on Friday, December 11, 2010. The protest demonstration was arranged on the occasion of the International Day of Human rights, in Brussels at Place of Schuman (in front of European Council,) from 11 AM until 1 PM. The participants were holding different banners condemning the Indian atrocities in Kashmir.

The protest was organised by Kashmir Council EU under the chairmanship of Ali Raza Syed with the support of other organisations including Kashmir Scandinavian Council Norway, Kashmir European Alliance (Norway) KWDA Canada, IKV Pax Christi Holland, Jammu Kashmir Self Determination Movement UK, Council of Khalistan, Kashmir Centre Netherlands and Jammu Kashmir Welfare Organization France, All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference EU and Jammu and Kashmir PML Europe.

Mir Waiz Umer Farooq, Chairman APHC had a telephonic address on the occassion. He urged EU to use its influence to stop the human rights violation and state terrorism in Indian Held Kashmir. The imortant participants and speakers of the demonstratio were Sardar Ali Shanawaz Khan, Exective Director Kashmir Scandinavian Council, Ch. Mukhtar, the Head of Kashmir European Alliance , Zahid Hashmi, President of Jammu Kashmir Welfare Organization , Raja Liaqat, President MC Holland, Zaib Khan, Chairman Kashmir Centre Holland, Khalil Chaudary, Secretary General Kashmir Council EU, Ch Pervaiz Losar, President PML Q, Sardar Sadeek, President of MC Europe, Khalid Mehmood Joshi, President of WKDA Europe, Raja Javed, the Leader of Jammu Kashmir PML N , Mian Arshaad, the Leader of PML N, Malik Mohammad Ajmal, Senior Voice President of Pakistan Peoples Party, Khawaja Mohammad Sajjad, Abdul Sattar Qadri Chairman, Belgo-Pak Belgium, Amin ul Haq of CDH, Malik Pervaiz of Peoples Muslim League, Chaudary Mushtaq of JKLF and Dr. urmit Singh President of the Council of Khalistan addressed the huge number of participants.
Chairman of ICHD, Ali Raza Syed said that the organizers of the demonstration wanted to raise awareness about the ongoing wide-spread human rights violations in the Indian Held Kashmir against the people of Kashmir by the military and paramilitary forces.

“We protest to express our concern on the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Jammu and Kashmir, and ongoing denial of the right to self determination as promised to the people of Kashmir by former Indian Prime Minister, Late Jawaharlal Nehru, and agreed upon by the UN in 1948. Over 600,000 troops are stationed in Kashmir, on every ten civilians a soldier or security officer is at duty, which is five times more then the international forces in a war zone as Afghanistan”, said Ali Raza Syed.

The speakers strongly condemned the government of India for violently crushing the non-violent protests. They said that the curfew, brutal force and merciless repression by army and security forces could not break the will of the people of Kashmir. Giving facts and figures, one speakers said that since more than 120 non-violent protesters (youth, women and children) had been killed by police and army bullets during previous five months.

“We want Dr. Manmohan Singh to take home the message of the people in Europe that , truth can never be buried and justice never be compromised. We want to express support for the people of Jammu& Kashmir and show them they are not alone. We express solidarity with their non-violent struggle against human rights violations and the denial of the right to self determination”, said the speakers.