Kashmir: Demand justice now

Leaflet of New Socialist Alternative (CWI India)

Text of the leaflet:

Justice for Kashmir

Civilians massacred

15 people lost their lives in the last month alone because they dared to express their opposition to a regime that has denied their basic rights. They were killed because the Indian state could not answer their genuine questions. Kashmir has lost thousands of its children in this struggle for basic rights.

Army in the Valley

India has amassed nearly 7 lakh (700,000) soldiers in Kashmir since 1990. With the pretext of fighting terrorism, they have instilled terror in the hearts of Kashmiris in an attempt to silence them. Kashmiris have fallen victim to an inhumane use of force. From fake encounters to custodial deaths, disappearances to rape, violations of human rights are widespread. There seems to be no security in the region with India’s highest density of security forces.

AFSPA is the Law

The Indian government has promulgated the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), which gives the army unlimited powers. They can shoot to kill, arrest at will and invade the privacy of homes without awarrant or justification. This has resulted in numerous cases of human rights abuses as the army fears no law. In fact, in Kashmir, the Army is the Law.

Fundamental Rights denied

India claims to be the world’s largest democracy, but in Kashmir, Freedom and Democracy are words without meaning. The people cannot freely express their dissent, their protests and even funeral processions are fired upon by security forces. Though the Constitution of India guarantees to all its citizens the freedom to express, assemble and associate, Kashmiris, it seems can claim no such rights.

Five wars have been fought between India, Pakistan and China. Thousands have perished, lakhs (hundreds of thousands) displaced and Kashmir’s ‘Paradise on Earth’ has been left mutilated. But the voice of Kashmir has never been heard. There can be no resolution to this conflict, no end to this blood bath until the free will of Kashmiris is heard, recognised and accepted.

The imperialist powers cannot provide a solution to the people of Kashmir. Only a united struggle by the working class of India, Pakistan and China along with the people of Kashmir to end capitalism, landlordism and totalitarianism can provide a just solution.

Let us form an united platform and struggle for

• The repeal of AFSPA and the end to Army deployment in North East and Kashmir
• The Withdrawal of all Army and paramilitary forces from these regions
• The independent investigation of all acts of security excesses, encounter killings and other human rights violations
• A just political solution built on the foundations of the inalienable right of self determination of the people of Kashmir and North East
• Towards a confederation of socialist states of South Asia

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