SRINAGAR: Mushaal Hussein Mullick, wife of Muhammad Yasin Malik, the chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, has shot a letter to Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation calling on him to help seek release of his incarcerated husband, serving jail term in Srinagar. Mushaal released the letter to press in Islamabad, Pakistan on Thursday where she lives with her daughter since past two years after Indian government refused to grant her visa to travel to Kashmir to be with her husband. Mushaal is a Pakistani national who married pro-independence Kashmir leader in 2009. Below is the text of the letter, a copy of which was sent to Kashmir Observer.
Respected and Most Honorable Sir,
Your Excellency,
Mr Vladimir Putin,
President of the Russian Federation,
I, Mushaal Hussein Mullick, a victim of a divided Kashmiri Family fighting for our right to self Determination as per the United Nations Security Council Resolutions and wife of detained Kashmiri Leader Mohammad Yasin Malik Chairman Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front , request you to take urgent notice of the current gross human rights violation taking place in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Our four year old daughter Raziyah Sultana and I have not met Yasin Malik for the past two years as India is not issuing us a visa to travel to Srinagar on our Pakistani Passport primarily because my Husband is struggling peacefully for the freedom of Kashmir. He is living in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and has been denied a passport by Indian state Authorities for the past three and a half years. The separation of our divided family could end through your kind intervention as Permanent Member of United Nations Security Council.
Your Excellency, My Husband Mohammad Yasin Malik has been languishing in Prisons in Srinagar since 8th July 2016, after the brutal killing of Kashmiri youth Burhan Wani by the Indian Forces. Yasin is critically ill after his extremely inhuman solitary confinement and brutal interrogation at Joint Interrogation Centre HumHumah Srinagar where after he has grown very weak, losing weight over 15 Kilograms. Last week he was taken to a hospital in Srinagar in Army custody where his Personal Doctor Sajad Reshi Cardiologist examined him and advised many medical checkups regarding his heart, kidney and other ailments. Medical tests regarding his heart ailment are alarmingly dangerous as he has a metallic valve in his heart which requires a daily dose of a lifesaving drug but is unfortunately not being given to him regularly, thus putting at jeopardy his life through a high risk of blood clotting and also his kidney stones have enlarged endangering his kidney function severely. The doctors have urged the Indian State to shift him to a ICU at the Hospital immediately to monitor his heart functioning at a 24 hours basis and operate upon his affected kidneys. Unfortunately, after medical examinations he has been shifted to Central Jail instead of being hospitalized.
I urge you to put pressure on the Indian State to release all the incarcerated Kashmiri Leadership and Kashmiri public and also to put pressure on India to shift Yasin Malik to the hospital immediately otherwise there is no guarantee of survival to his life.
Along with my husband the entire Kashmiri leadership has been arrested since 8th July 2016 including Senior Elderly Kashmiri leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has been placed in house arrest for several years, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq has been put behind bars for the last 2 months, Female Kashmiri Leader Asiya Andrabi has been arrested and Public Safety Act a draconian Law has been Imposed upon her. Let me add further that none of these leaders are terrorists as they are being treated and punished by Indian State, in fact they are all Political prisoners and a Prisoners of Conscience. Every human life is precious and as per the Universal Human Rights Charter every religion, every human being has right to Self Determination. This is the power truth. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. This is stated in the 1st article of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. All Faiths declare the unity of human beings and freedom for all.
Your Excellency, as you know Kashmir is one of the most neglected, long standing and unresolved issue on United Nations agenda. It is one of those conflict zones which has faced the worst forms of human rights violations and war crimes against humanity. United Nation’s endeavors in resolving this issue and voices to hold India accountable for atrocities in Kashmir has always miserably been tangential by outrageous Indian attitude. Under Article 35 of the Charter of the United Nations, any Member may bring any situation whose continuance is likely to endanger the maintenance of international peace and security to the attention of the United Nation Security Council. Currently, similar situation has arisen owing to the prolonged Jammu and Kashmir crisis, a State which has not been given its Right of Self-determination by India as endorsed and promised by the United Nations Security Council resolutions.
India has committed both; crimes against peace and crimes against humanity (overall 94,504 Kashmiris have been Killed, 11211 were killed or disappeared in police / army custody, 136,434 innocent civilians were arrested, 106,063 houses/ shops/ structures arson or completely destroyed, 22,824 Women have so far been widowed, while 107,586 Children orphaned, besides 10,433 women were gang-raped and molested). It is an irony indeed that the World’s largest democracy; India is administering the World’s largest military occupation in Kashmir (700,000 troops of Indian Army, 500,000 personnel of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), 74,913 policemen of State Police, reinforced the State with 77 additional companies of CRPF and 26 companies of Border Security Force); and, has never held its Army accountable for abusing the rights of Millions.
Kashmiri people are suffering from extreme inhumane behavior for the last Seven decades like torture, extrajudicial killings, mass murders, rape, torture/ abuse, exposition of unmarked graves, detentions and enforced disappearance. The people of Kashmir are continuing their long struggle against Indian oppression and tyranny. Violence is widely used to subjugate the masses and especially the women. Indian army and police are using rape as a weapon of war. The countless tales of rape, are an instrument to force Kashmiris to show compliance and to break the moral, mental strength.
The fact is that in any conflict the first and worst victims are women and children and same is the case in Kashmir; where violence and abuse are used against women as a tool to subdue them by Indian forces to claim their authority and inflict war crimes. Women primarily have been the most terribly injured party, in this decade’s long conflict. She suffers as a daughter, mother, wife and sister, because most of the times she has to survive alone, with the loss of any support from her male counterpart. Women in Kashmir are suffering from a number of physical and psychological problems because of the stressful environment. In the war-trodden region, Kashmiri women are now experiencing more stress as an aftermath of long crisis; and becoming infertile because of conflicting environment and stressful conditions. Besides, 800,000 people in Kashmir including women are affected by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Conflict has also resulted in many psychiatric problems in women, including depression and anxiety, which directly affects child birth. This also enhances suicide rates among Kashmiri women over the years.
The tales of agony of Kashmiri women do not end here. The unending conflict in Kashmir besides leaving behind widows have also left number of ‘Half-Widows’. The missing persons in Kashmir have left over thousands of half-widows whose husbands are missing or are in enforced disappearance. Valley is full of the plight of such women – left at the mercy of no one. Wives, Mothers and Sisters of those men who are in custody for years or missing go for regular sit-ins and protests.
Indian Government; recently, through its security forces have massacred large numbers of unarmed civilians, conducted warrantless house-to-house searches, seized youths, beaten protesters, and destroyed whole neighborhoods. Upsurge of intensified indigenous struggle for the exercise of right of self- determination, the situation in Indian Occupied Kashmir has become extremely complex and tense after 103 Days of constant army curfew. Since 8th July 2016 a total of 103 Kashmiris have suffered custodial killings, while 150 Kashmiris have gone missing, 11030 innocent civilians arrested, over 15,000 people including women, children and old age are critically injured, 800 victims of Pellet Guns blinded permanently. Indian forces even attacked hospitals and Ambulances. Peaceful Protestors, bystanders, Children & Women are daily hit by pellets and losing their Sight forever. Pellets penetrate the Skin’s Soft tissues, and eyes being delicate structure are the most vulnerable to damage. Once pellet goes inside the eye, it shatters tissues and causes multiple damages to all parts of eyes.
India is pursuing a plan to transform Kashmiris into a minority through changing its demography dynamics which is in complete negation of Article 370 of Indian Constitution that gives special status to Jammu and Kashmir as it is not a legal part of India because United Nations Security Council Resolutions that promise the people of Jammu and Kashmiri the right to plebiscite have not yet been exercised; Thus sowing the seeds of a new future conflict in the nuclear and conventional flashpoint region. India has pursued a policy of repression which has resulted in massive Human Rights violations; and throughout the conflict, deliberately targeting civilians, while Indian law gives the perpetrators full protection through its draconian laws. The provisions of cold-blooded Indian laws (J&K Armed Forces Special Powers Act, Public Safety Act, TADA, Telegraph Act and J&K Disturbed Areas Act etc.); providing complete immunity to Indian occupation forces in Kashmir.
Although, International organizations acknowledge Indian forces most horrendous human rights violations and crimes against humanity, but Indian and a majority of international media turns a blind eye to what is happening in Kashmir.
Kashmiris take keen interest in Your Excellency, President Vladimir Putin’s praiseworthy policies within Russia and abroad; internally stabilizing Russia from any form of disintegration by means of improving the livelihood and well-being of the great majority of the Russian people such as the enhancement in per capita income, benefits, longevity, substantial increase in birth rates ; a significant fall out in infant mortality rates and overall decline in suicide rates as compared to other countries.
Kashmiris also hail Russia’s achievements internationally under Your Bold and Courageous Leadership in playing a vital role in bringing peace within the World. A recent Inspiring statement by Your Excellency, that Russia will fight for an independent Palestinian state, and calling for the issues of the Middle East to be resolved through peaceful means has gotten an encouraging response internationally. Russia’s open opposition to the stance of Israel on the Gaza crisis; that Palestinians have the right to establish an independent and habitable state with a capital in East Jerusalem. We the Kashmiris hail Russia’s continuous efforts to contribute towards achieving this goal through bilateral and multilateral channels. We also appreciate Your Honorable President Mr. Vladimir Putin’s tireless efforts and advocacy towards bridging peace, stopping wars and supporting against any form of foreign intervention in countries’ internal disputes. Your Excellency Mr. President’s attempts to urge for a peaceful solution in Yemen has also brought a lot of hope and impact upon the Kashmiri masses. The factual and balanced evaluation of current Kashmir crisis is of vital importance for Kashmiri's future as well the regions peace and we expect that Russia can play a vital role through its diplomatic channels towards a peaceful settlement of the dispute.
Honorable President Mr. Vladimir Putin, your untiring efforts towards humanity and charity will go down in the pages of history in Golden Words such as your playing the piano and singing Fats Domino's "Blueberry Hill" with such compassion and special care during a children's charity dinner, is very much appreciated and admirable by the Kashmiri youth. By far, it’s one of the best renditions I’ve heard in a longtime.
Russian Government under the Soviet Union has been the facilitator and host of Tashkent Declaration 10 January, 1966 (signed between Prime Minister of India, Lal Bahadur Shastri and President of Pakistan, Mohammed Ayub Khan in Tashkent) and during Simla Agreement, 02 July, 1972 (signed between Prime Minister Republic of India, Indira Gandhi and President Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto) .We the Kashmiris at this hour of need expect and hope similar proactive and instrumental role as in the past for bringing a constructive, friendly and noble approach in bringing peace and stability within the region:-
a) Russian Government’s support and deep concern are vital to prevent India's negative role in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir with the avowed purpose of creating disorder, disharmony, indulging in heinous war crimes against the people, taking them hostage and creating an atmosphere of terror. Following may facilitate:
I) Lifting of Army Curfew from the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
II) Immediate release of all political prisoners including Kashmiri leadership.
III) Provision of Medical Treatment to all the injured, blinded, maimed people and also political Prisoners languishing in jails.
IV) Upliftment of Economic Blockade, removal of ban on Internet Connections, Phone lines and access to Mobile networks
V) Russia being the Permanent member of United Nations Security Council Resolutions must urge India to give Permission to International Media and International Human Rights Groups including the United Nations fact finding mission to visit Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir to probe and investigate the war crimes being committed by Indian Occupation Forces.
VI) Resumption of Dialogues between Pakistan, India and representatives of Kashmiris with the prime objective of resolving Kashmir issue as per the aspirations of Kashmiri people.
b) Russia must call upon India to stop forthwith its war crimes, which is in violation of the United Nations Security Council Resolutions, the Tashkent Declaration and Simla Agreement vis-a-vis the internationally accepted norms of inter-State conduct and is the root cause of tension in the region due to extreme violation of human rights of Kashmiris.
c) India’s anti-Pakistan campaign of calumny and falsehood is unacceptable and deplorable through the highly provocative statements emanating from India against Pakistan, which vitiate the atmosphere and incite public opinion.
d) Russian Government needs to express regret and concern at the pitiable conditions and violations of human rights and denial of democratic freedom of the people in those areas of the State of Jammu and Kashmir, which are under the illegal occupation of India.
e) Russian Government must pursue United Nations Security Council to take an urgent notice of the Indian designs and consider other options to seek compliance from India.
f) Russian Government may use influence on the principle of equality and self-determination and convince India that her attempt would endanger peace in the region.
g) The Government of India may be compelled, being the matter, one of extreme urgency and call for an immediate action by the members of Security Council from avoiding a breach of international peace.
Peace in the region would remain elusive without the resolution of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with United Nation Security Council Resolutions that call for a free and fair plebiscite to determine the wishes of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Anticipation of Bright Future,
Regards
Mushaal Hussein Mullick
Chairperson Peace and Culture Organization,
Wife of detained Kashmiri Leader Yasin Malik
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