Geneva: During a seminar held on the sidelines of the 57th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), international experts and human rights advocates strongly criticized India for its systematic enforcement of disappearances in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), labeling these actions as crimes against humanity.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the seminar, organized by the Kashmir Institute of International Relations and moderated by Altaf Hussain Wani, drew attention to the distressing number of enforced disappearances, with nearly 10,000 individuals reported missing while in custody of Indian forces since 1989. The event saw participation from diplomats, human rights defenders, and members of international civil society, including speakers such as Ghulam Muhammad Safi, Dr. Sajjad Latif, Mary Scully, and Syed Muhammad Ali.
The speakers at the seminar highlighted the severe impact of these disappearances on Kashmiri families, who are left to suffer in anguish and uncertainty. They criticized the Indian government for not ratifying the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and ignoring international demands for accountability.
Furthermore, the participants of the seminar urged the international community to take immediate notice and hold India accountable for its human rights violations. They advocated for an independent inquiry into the enforced disappearances and the investigation of unmarked mass graves found in the region.
A poignant issue raised during the seminar was the plight of the so-called half-widows and half-wives, women left in limbo after their husbands were subjected to enforced disappearances. These women face both emotional grief and social stigma, compounded by the Indian government’s continued inaction and neglect of the situation.
The seminar served as a platform for amplifying the voices of those affected by these human rights abuses and reiterated calls for international intervention to address the ongoing crisis in Kashmir.