Brussels, Ali Raza Syed, the Chairman of Kashmir Council Europe (KC-EU), in a recent webinar commemorating Kashmir’s Black Day, urged the global community to assist the people of occupied Jammu and Kashmir in ending the ongoing Indian occupation of their region.
According to a news release by Kashmir Media Service, the webinar, hosted by the Kashmir Council Europe (KC-EU) to mark the day of occupation of Jammu and Kashmir, witnessed participation from European intellectuals, human rights activists, and journalists. Throughout the event, various speakers emphasized the need to terminate occupations of suppressed regions, highlighting territories like Kashmir, Ukraine, and Palestine.
Tracing back to historical events, it was on October 27, 1947, when India deployed its military troops in Kashmir without the consent of its residents. During the webinar, Ali Raza Syed remarked on the prolonged occupation, stating, “For 76 years, a significant portion of Jammu and Kashmir has been under Indian control. Annually, we mark this day of occupation as Black Day and hold demonstrations.” He reiterated that the Indian invasion of Jammu and Kashmir 76 years ago was unsanctioned and the occupation persists against the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
Syed further criticized powerful nations that exploit their military might to occupy weaker regions, contravening international standards. The KC-EU Chairman emphasized the global community’s responsibility in ending the occupation of Jammu and Kashmir. Advocating for civilians’ rights, he condemned any form of aggression against non-combatants, emphasizing that assaults on civilians in any conflict are entirely unacceptable.
Expressing his viewpoints, Hungarian journalist Mikulas Kriwansky commented on the nature of power-hungry governments that violate weaker states, often under fabricated pretexts. He pointed out the existence of international conventions aimed at preventing civilian massacres, yet lamented their frequent disregard.
Andre Barcs, another European intellectual present at the webinar, echoed the sentiment, advocating for an immediate cessation of civilian casualties in regions like Jammu and Kashmir, Palestine, and Ukraine. He also called for an end to the illegal occupations in Kashmir and Ukraine.