Geneva: At a recent dialogue in Geneva, Altaf Hussain Wani, the Permanent Representative of the World Muslim Congress and a representative of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, voiced significant concerns over the Indian government’s deployment of mercenaries to suppress political dissent both within and outside its borders.
According to Kashmir Media Service, during an interactive dialogue on the Working Group’s report on the use of mercenaries and their impact on human rights and self-determination, Wani condemned this practice as a grave violation of international norms. He endorsed the findings of the Working Group’s report, which documents extensive human rights abuses and barriers to self-determination arising from the activities of mercenaries and private armies.
Wani accused the Indian government of perpetuating a culture of impunity by employing mercenaries in various capacities, such as village defense committees and task forces, aimed at stifling political opposition. He detailed the severe implications of these practices in Kashmir, where the local population faces harassment, intimidation, extortion, and violence at the hands of these groups, with little to no recourse to justice.
Highlighting the global reach of these operations, Wani revealed that these mercenaries also operate in countries like Canada and Australia, targeting and silencing Indian government critics abroad. He called for urgent international attention and action to curtail these violations.
In his plea, Wani urged the Human Rights Council and the Working Group to conduct thorough investigations into these violations and to take robust measures to ensure accountability and the protection of human rights and self-determination rights. He stressed the need for immediate international intervention to address these urgent issues.