Brussels: The Kashmir Council Europe (KCEU) has announced plans to stage a protest camp in Brussels on August 4, aiming to draw international attention to the ongoing situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the protest is scheduled for 1:00 PM at Europe Square in front of the Central Train Station, located near the European Headquarters. The event is part of a broader effort by the KCEU to commemorate the anniversary of the Indian government’s decision on August 5, 2019, to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
KCEU Chairman Ali Raza Syed also revealed plans to address gatherings at Pakistan’s embassies in Brussels and The Hague, as well as a webinar on the same day. These efforts aim to highlight the plight of Kashmiris since their land was partially occupied by Indian forces on October 27, 1947, with conditions worsening after the 2019 revocation.
Syed detailed the continued hardships faced by Kashmiris, including the detention of political figures, human rights activists, and journalists. He criticized the Indian authorities for removing amenities even from pro-Indian political leaders like Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti. Furthermore, he accused Indian forces of engaging in brutalities such as extra-judicial killings under draconian laws.
Over the past five years, the Modi-led Indian government has altered domicile rules, allowing hundreds of thousands of non-Kashmiris to obtain residency status and allocating vast tracts of land for investment, further diluting the indigenous demographic and cultural landscape, Syed explained.
He called on the international community and human rights organizations to urgently address these human rights violations in the state.