BRUSSELS: Chairman of Kashmir Council Europe (KC-EU), Ali Raza Syed, has reaffirmed that the right to self-determination is a fundamental right of the Kashmiri people, and their struggle to achieve this right will continue.
Expressing views on the occasion of Black Day, observed on 27 October, he demanded that India must end its illegal occupation of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and allow the Kashmiri people to decide their future freely.
He said that 27 October 1947 is one of the darkest days in the history of Jammu and Kashmir, when India landed its troops in Srinagar against the wishes and aspirations of the Kashmiri people, beginning its military occupation of a large part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Kashmiri people consider this action a violation of their fundamental rights, freedom and right to self-determination, and have therefore continued their struggle against the illegal occupation for several decades, he said.
Ali Raza Syed noted that Kashmiris living in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and other parts of the world observe 27 October each year as Black Day to protest against the occupation and draw international attention to the longstanding Kashmir dispute and the suffering of the Kashmiri people.
Kashmiris reject India’s control over their homeland
He emphasised that the annual protest conveys a clear message to the Indian government that Kashmiris reject India’s control over their homeland and seek the right to determine their future in a free environment, without pressure, coercion or fear.
He reaffirmed that self-determination is a fundamental right of the Kashmiri people and that their struggle to achieve it would continue.
He highlighted reports of human rights violations, arrests, detentions, torture and an atmosphere of fear in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, urging the international community to take serious notice of the situation and play an effective role in safeguarding the rights of the Kashmiri people.
Kashmir dispute linked to regional peace
Ali Raza Syed said that the Kashmir dispute is not merely a regional conflict, but it is an internationally recognised issue and is closely linked to peace, stability and prosperity throughout South Asia.
He went on to say the lasting peace in the region will remain difficult to achieve until the Kashmir dispute is resolved in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people and their right to self-determination. Peace in Kashmir can pave the way for peace and prosperity throughout the region of South Asia.
The Chairman of Kashmir Council Europe appealed to the international community, particularly the United Nations and the European Union, to support the right to self-determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and play their role in securing a just, peaceful and lasting resolution of this longstanding dispute.
