My speech in International Kashmir Conference on Peace, Human Rights and counter terrorism. Dr Shabir Choudhry

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.