Srinagar, On October 27, 1947, an event that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have come to see as the beginning of their prolonged hardship took place: India’s military intervention in Srinagar. This act, perceived by many in the region as a blatant breach of the Partition Plan’s intent and international standards, initiated the Kashmir conflict that has lasted for over seven decades, characterized by allegations of state-backed aggression and rights abuses.
According to a news release by Kashmir Media Service, despite enduring severe repressive measures, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have remained steadfast in their resistance against what they consider an illegal occupation by India. Allegations against New Delhi include its use of massacres, forced disappearances, detentions, and varied forms of physical intimidation to consolidate its hold over the territory.
The report cites instances of extrajudicial killings and fabricated confrontations as recurring practices by Indian forces in the region. Notably mentioned are the controversial Pathribal episode in 2000 and the Machil incident in 2010. Both events involved claims by the Indian Army of combating militants, but subsequent revelations suggested that civilians were the actual victims. Further allegations of using sexual violence as a tool for control are also raised, with specific incidents like the 1991 Kunanposhpora mass rape and the 2009 Shopian case as examples.
The release underscores a prevailing sentiment in the region that Indian troops in IIOJK operate with impunity, a condition that many believe worsened after the revocation of the region’s special status by the Modi administration in August 2019.
The overarching sentiment presented is that despite the heavy-handed tactics reportedly employed by India, the determination of the Kashmiri people to achieve independence remains undeterred. The news release concludes with a call to the global community to intervene, urging them to halt the alleged ongoing suppression by India in IIOJK and to hold New Delhi accountable for its actions in the region.