India has been weaponising the pain of Muslims for years, and if we don’t speak out and actively encourage governments and organisations to protect Kashmiri Muslims, they will never be independent from India’s tyranny and free from persecution.
India has been weaponising the pain of Muslims for years, and if we don’t speak out and actively encourage governments and organisations to protect Kashmiri Muslims, they will never be independent from India’s tyranny and free from persecution.
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan paid tribute on Kashmir Martyrs Day on Monday for their “valiant fight and defiance against a Hindutva supremacist regime”. The regions of Jammu and Kashmir were unable to observe the anniversary as an official state holiday as the civil administration of Ladakh had cancelled it last year.
Kashmir Martyrs Day in part commemorates the 22 Kashmiri Muslims who were murdered in 1931 by Hindu Dogra forces, as they stood up to Adhan for Friday prayer service.
The US-based World Kashmir Awareness Forum said in a statement that world powers need “to pay heed to the long-standing wishes and aspirations of the Kashmiri people…But the tyranny in Kashmir under the Hindutva nationalists has reached a new and unprecedented level of inhumanity.”
According to Kashmir Media Service, Imran Khan spoke at an event on June 27th in the capital of Azad in Jammu and Kashmir, who said the torture and other atrocities on innocent people of occupied Kashmir are being perpetrated in a systematic way – saying the use of pellet guns, abduction of youth, mass graves, and other heinous crimes are increasing.
In addition, 25,000 non-Kashmiri people have been granted domicile certificates, which means they are entitled to homes and government jobs, leaving many innocent Kashmiri Muslims displaced. This worryingly looks like a state-sponsored colonization of Kashmir, by moving in non-Kashmiris and non-Muslims into the region.
So what can we do in Europe to help ease the suffering of Kashmiri Muslims who are facing systematic oppression?
Educate Yourself
The history and events surrounding Kashmiri Muslims and its relationship with the Indian government is troubling and complex. Here are some useful websites to gain a better understanding:
National Geographic: Kashmir Conflict and How Did It Start?
It’s also important that you particularly focus on Pakistani media outlets such as Pakistan Today and Dawn, as Pakistan has not been afraid to call out India’s atrocious behaviour.
Donate Money
Due to the ongoing curfew, families have been trapped in their homes for months, roads are blocked, markets are closed, and the internet and other communication has been blocked. The cost of food and accommodation has also skyrocketed, putting countless lives at risk.
Penny Appeal is working with local partners to provide food, water, and medical supplies. Your generous donations will ease the suffering of the people of Southern Kashmir, which includes the districts of Islamabad (Anantnag), Panzgam, Pulwama, and Srinagar.
You can donate here.
Contact Your Local MP or Politician
If you are not sure who your local MP is, you can find out here. And if you don’t have the time to write your own letter or email, there are many templates that you can use online. Here’s an example. If outside the UK, you can still use these templates to write letters and emails to your local politicians as well.
For those in the UK, here is another useful link concerning recent UK Parliament debates about Kashmiri Muslims to see what progress has been made. You can create alerts to be updated about any future debates.
Contact the Organization of Islamic Cooperation
You can urge the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to stop India from carrying out its actions in Kashmir. In June 2020, they condemned human rights violations but there has been very little progress protecting Kashmiri Muslims.
In February 2020, Saudi Arabia refused to accept Pakistan’s demand for a stand-alone OIC Foreign Minister meeting on Kashmir with the 57-member bloc of Muslim countries. As Muslims, we need to collectively raise our voices with organizations that have the potential to wield influence and change, and demand that our brothers and sisters in Kashmir are not forgotten.
Boycott Companies
Some stores in the UK run by Pakistani businessmen are no longer selling food products from India. This includes brands such as Heera, Fudco, Dabir, Natco, and KTC. You could inform your local businesses that you no longer wish to buy these products and ask them to supply other brands.
You could also unsubscribe from any Indian channels which show Bollywood films such as Star Plus, Star Movies, Star One, Sahara One, SET Max, B4U Music, Zee Music, and Zee Cinema.
India has been weaponising the pain of Muslims for years, and if we don’t speak out and actively encourage governments and organisations to protect Kashmiri Muslims, they will never be independent from India’s tyranny and free from persecution.
