My speech in International Kashmir Conference on
Peace, Human Rights and counter terrorism. Dr
Shabir Choudhry
Mr Chairman, friends and colleagues, peace and blessings on all of you.
Distinguished guests, friends and colleagues, I
welcome you to this august gathering on behalf of United Kashmir Peoples
National Party.
By being here you have demonstrated that the
topics of this conference are close to you heart. We want to promote and
protect human rights, establish peace and oppose terrorism.
There is saying that knowledge is power. That is
why those who want to deny fundamental rights to people ensure that masses are
kept illiterate. Uneducated people can be easily manipulated.
Before we can protect human rights, and eliminate
sufferings of other human beings, we need to know what are these human rights. One
purpose of this conference is to educate people on issue of human rights.
Early on, one delegate said we should call
Pakistani administered Kashmir, as ‘Azad Kashmir’ because that was the name given
to this territory. Others differed with this view, and said, this territory
should be called Pakistani occupied Kashmir, because we are not azad, we are
not independent.
Let me quote you one example. United Kashmir Peoples
National Party organised a seminar in London some years ago, where one Baloch
leader also addressed. He said, ‘Oh people of Jammu and Jammu and Kashmir,
there are nearly 200 countries in the world, and none of them have this prefix
Azad. No one say Azad Germany, Azad Japan, Azad America or Azad Britain etc, if
your small territory has ‘azad’ before its name, it means there is something
wrong with it. This word is only given by rulers of Pakistan to fool people;
and give this false sense of being independent.’
We people of this region should consider this
comment seriously. Reality is we are not azad. We are occupied. However, it is
sad that some people are mentally incapable of differentiating between
independence and slavery.
Coming back to the topic of today’s conference, I want to assert that, no
matter, where we are from and how we look, we all have a right to benefit from
fundamental human rights, just because we are human beings.
No one has a right to
deny these rights to us. Individuals, groups and governments which do this, in effect,
contravene the UN Charter. These governments, groups and individuals must be
made accountable for their actions.
It must be pointed out
that this conference is not against any country or any party. Our aim is to
bring about more awareness on fundamental human rights, and promote peace and
human rights.
While advancing the
cause of peace, and educate people on the issue of human rights, we have to
talk about impediments to peace, and situations which lead to curbing the human
rights of people.
I strongly believe that
extremism, terrorism, intolerance and religious hatred result in curbing human
rights, and endangering peace and stability.
Terrorist incidents
whether they take place in Mumbai, Pulwama or in Quetta, they kill people. They
destroy human lives. They add to human misery and suffering. They destroy
family life. They make children orphans and women widows. We cannot, and must
not condone one incident by calling it a jihad, and condemn the other by
calling it terrorism.
Terrorism in its all
forms and manifestation must be condemned and opposed. Human beings can only
benefit from fruits of human rights when there is peace and stability.
However, there can be
no peace and stability when guns are roaring; and when people try to impose
their agenda by use of force and violence. When there is instability, chaos and
infighting, vulnerable people of the society are the first to suffer.
There are many sources
of violence and terrorism. Extremism is one of them. Extremist ideas and
attitude lead to terrorism; and terrorist incidents can lead to wars between
the countries.
Remember, the first World War started as a result of a terrorist
incident. The Prince of Austria – Hungary, Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife
Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, were killed on 28 June 1914 in
Sarajevo. This terrorist incident sparked a chain of events which eventually
started the World War.
Acts of terrorism
nearly led arch rivals, India and Pakistan to a nuclear clash. Terrorism is
enemy of humanity and civil liberties. When we criticise a government for human
rights violation, we do need to look at incidents in their socio political
environment.
Let me give you one
example. If terrorists start firing on police in Oxford Street, London. The
police will immediately request reinforcement, armed police will arrive. For
the safety of people, the entire area will be cordoned off, traffic will be
stopped, and later on diverted.
In the cross firing,
innocent people could be killed and injured. Even if firing stops from the side
of the terrorists, the police will search the Shops and houses, warehouses and
other places.
In this process people
will suffer, including children women, old and the sick. There will be long
traffic queues, people will be late from their hospital and other appointments.
Business and trade will also suffer.
For all this suffering
and chaos, who should we blamed? The police for doing what they did, or the
terrorists who created this situation?
Remember, the police
reacted to the situation, and had to do what they did to save people and kill
the terrorists.
Violent and terrorist
acts in Kashmir result in suffering and death of innocent people. For the sake
of peace and protection of human life, gun culture must end, as that adds to
our misery and suffering.
Prime responsibility of
a government is to save life, liberty and property of the people; and in that
context they have to fight terrorists or militants, and that, at times, result
in causalities and human rights abuses.
It is prime
responsibility of the government, and its infrastructure to protect me and
other citizens of Jammu and Kashmir, who want to live their lives peacefully.
However, while performing their duties, I request the men in uniform to
exercise restraint, and not to kill innocent people.
It is wrong that the UN
Resolutions give us a right of self-determination. What is available is a right
of accession. This means the people of the divided State has to decide if they
want to become a Pakistani or an Indian. The right to live as an independent
country was taken away from the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Apart from that, it
must be remembered that as far as international community is concerned, term of
reference on Jammu and Kashmir dispute is the Simla Agreement between India and
Pakistan. According to the Simla Agreement, India and Pakistan will bilaterally
decide what is good for us.
I do not want
bureaucrats of New Delhi and Islamabad to decide our future. We people of Jammu
and Kashmir are politically mature people. We know what is good for us. We
don’t want any lectures on our identity, on our history, on our future or on
our national interests.
Also, I want to clarify
that Jammu and Kashmir dispute is not a religious dispute. It is a political
dispute and requires a political solution.
Use of gun and
religious extremism can create more problems for the people, and divide the
State; but this proxy war and strategy of promoting extremism will never lead
us to independence.
Many Pakistanis think
people of Jammu and Kashmir are desperate to become part of Pakistan. That is
not true. We believe that some people are brain washed in name of religion.
Vast majority of people want united and independent Jammu and Kashmir.
This brain washing
process starts from the childhood. Children are told you are a Pakistani. They
are forced to say ‘Pakistan zindabad’, meaning, long live Pakistan. They are
forced to sing anthem of Pakistan. They are forced to read syllabus in schools
prepared by Pakistan. They ban books which tell them true history and culture
of Jammu and Kashmir. They are rewarded for singing laurels of Pakistan and the
Pakistan army.
Even if they contest
elections they have to declare oath that they will be loyal to Pakistan. They
are not asked to show loyalty to their motherland. If they apply for a
government job in so called Azad Kashmir, they have to declare their loyalty to
Pakistan. They are totally controlled by Pakistani officers appointed there,
and their secret agencies and the army.
One British Kashmiri
conducted a survey of 10,000 people in which more than 73% people clearly said,
they wanted an independent Jammu and Kashmir. No Azad Kashmiri newspaper was
prepared to publish a report of this survey. Eventually one newspaper called
Majadla published the news. Next day, it was banned. To date the newspaper remains
banned.
All of my books are
banned. Any bookseller who stores my books faces hefty fine, and his shop is
sealed off.
I have never used a gun.
I do not support militancy. There is no case against me in any country. I use
pen. Pakistani authorities are frightened of my pen.
My father died in
England, and his dead body was taken to my native village. I cannot travel to
my home village because we have to land in Pakistan, and they don’t allow me to
enter Pakistan. Apart from me, Shaukat Kashmiri, Jamil Maqsood and many other people
cannot land in Pakistan because of restrictions.
Anyone who disagree
with their views, and openly speak against their policies on Jammu and Kashmir
is branded as a ‘traitor’ and an ‘Indian agent’. In other words if we formulate
pro Jammu and Kashmir, pro peace and pro people policies, according to the
logic advanced by Pakistan, we are ‘anti Pakistan’, ‘traitors’ and ‘Indian
agents’.
In this kind of
political and social environment, if people do not praise Pakistan than what do
they do. They have to do this in order to keep away from the trouble, and save
their skin. This shows what fundamental rights we have and what right of
expression we have in this so called ‘Azad Kashmir’.
The Pakistani
authorities don’t want people who can think independently, or speak their mind.
They need mental slaves who can dance on the tune played by Islamabad; and who
can protect and enhance interests of Islamabad.
Human body is controlled by brain; and those who
control our brains, also controls us. A person with a liberated mind is a
liberated human being.
I sometimes feel sorry
for these people, as they don’t have consciousness of being enslaved. They are
unable to differentiate between independence and slavery.
Finally, I want to give compliments
to my UKPNP colleagues, who worked hard to organise this magnificent
international conference, which I hope will go some way in promoting cause of
peace, human rights and counter terrorism.
On behalf of the
UKPNP, I want to express sincere gratitude to the Church of Scientology for
their assistance. Without their support, and facilitation we could not have
arranged this mega event, and sincerely hope that their future cooperation will
continue to advance the common agenda.
Writer is a renowned writer and author of many
books. He is also President Foreign Affairs Committee of UKPNP; and Chairman
South Asia Watch, London.
