Srinagar, Kashmiri historian Hafsa Kanjwal has accused India of engaging in “memoricide,” an attempt to erase the collective memory and history of Kashmir’s struggle for self-determination, amidst ongoing repression in the disputed territory of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

According to Kashmir Media Service, during a media interview, Kanjwal detailed India’s efforts to suppress dissent and rewrite the history of the Kashmiri resistance movement. She criticized the Indian government’s tactics, including arbitrary arrests, internet shutdowns, and demographic manipulation by encouraging the settlement of non-Kashmiris in the region, as part of a broader strategy to undermine the Kashmiri Muslim population’s majority status and their demands for self-determination.

Kanjwal highlighted the dire consequences of India’s actions on the Kashmiri people, warning of the potential obliteration of their calls for freedom should they become a minority in their own land. She also expressed disappointment in the international community’s response, noting a general reluctance to confront India over its human rights abuses in Kashmir, largely due to geopolitical considerations involving China.

Despite the international outcry from human rights organizations and United Nations’ special rapporteurs regarding the treatment of human rights defenders and civil society groups in Kashmir, Kanjwal noted the lack of substantive action to address the situation. She emphasized the resilience of the Kashmiri people, pointing to a new generation of Kashmiris committed to learning about their history and continuing the struggle for freedom, despite the severe oppression they face.

Kanjwal’s critique sheds light on the complex dynamics of Kashmir’s quest for self-determination and the challenging path ahead, as both local resistance and international advocacy continue to confront the realities of Indian control and international geopolitics.