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Action Alert: India/Kashmir – Demand an end to the siege of Kashmir

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Action Alert: India/Kashmir – Demand an end to the siege of Kashmir

12 February 2013

Contents

1. Action Required
2. Summary
3. Background
4. Sample Letters

1. Action Required

Write letters and emails to the Foreign Minister and MPs of your country urging them to condemn the unlawful executions in Kashmir and to pressure their Indian counterparts to immediately and unconditionally end the siege of Kashmir which has now lasted four-days.

2. Summary

IHRC are deeply concerned by the draconian and oppressive tactics of Indian forces in Indian Occupied Kashmir. The region has been under siege for the last four days with the population facing a curfew. IHRC condemns the execution of Afzal Guru in New Delhi and the subsequent clampdown of the freedom of expression in the Valley of Kashmir.

IHRC calls for the siege of Kashmir to end, for all criminals within the security forces to be held accountable and for the free and fair democratic right of the Kashmiri people to be given so that they can determine their own future.

3. Background

India has an atrocious human rights record in Kashmir, where forced disappearances, summary executions and rape are common practices. Recently, India has prevented groups from holding protests against what was largely seen as an unfair and unjust trial of Afzal Guru.

Muhammad Afzal Guru was secretly executed at New Delhi’s Tihar jail in Shashikumar Velath on 09 February 2013. The execution took place when more than 100 countries of the world during discussion on Universal Periodical Review India had asked New Delhi for complete elimination of capital punishment like hanging. No opportunity was provided to Afzal Guru to challenge the rejection of the mercy petition.

4. Sample Letters

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Sample letters are given below for your convenience. Please note that model letters can be sent directly or adjusted as necessary to include further details. If you receive a reply to the letter you send, we request you to send a copy of the letter you send and the reply you received, to IHRC. This is very important as it helps IHRC to monitor the situation with regards to our campaigns and to improve upon the current model letters.
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a. Minister of foreign affairs in your country (UK campaigners can write to the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office using the details below)

[Your name]
[Your address]

[Date]

Rt. Hon. William Hague MP,
Foreign & Commonwealth Office,
King Charles Street,
London,
SW1A 2AH,
United Kingdom.

[Date]

Dear Mr. Hague,

Re: Illegal siege and numerous human rights violations in Kashmir

I am deeply concerned by the draconian and oppressive tactics of Indian forces in Indian Occupied Kashmir. The region has been under siege for the last four days with the population facing a curfew after the unjust conviction and hanging of Afzal Guru in New Delhi.

Muhammad Afzal Guru was secretly executed at New Delhi’s Tihar jail in Shashikumar Velath on 09 February 2013. The execution took place when more than 100 countries of the world during discussion on Universal Periodical Review India at the UN Human Rights Council had asked New Delhi for complete elimination of capital punishment like hanging. Furthermore, no opportunity was provided to Afzal Guru to challenge the sentence.

I urge you to do whatever you can to persuade your Indian counterpart to immediately and unconditionally end the siege of Kashmir and to stop the ongoing oppression of the Kashmiri population. Furthermore, all criminals within the Indian security forces must be held accountable. How can the British government, which claims to stand for justice, keep quiet over these clear violations of human rights law?

I look forward to hearing back from you regarding this urgent matter.

Yours sincerely,

[Your signature]

[Your name]
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b. Yang Jiechi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China. Tel: 86-10-65961114

[Your name]
[Your address]

[Date]

No. 2, Chaoyangmen Nandajie,
Chaoyang District,
Beijing,
100701

[Date]

Dear Mr. Yang Jiechi,

Re: Illegal siege and numerous human rights violations in Kashmir

Muhammad Afzal Guru was secretly executed at New Delhi’s Tihar jail in Shashikumar Velath on 09 February 2013. The execution took place when more than 100 countries of the world during discussion on Universal Periodical Review India at the UN Human Rights Council had asked New Delhi for complete elimination of capital punishment like hanging. Furthermore, no opportunity was provided to Afzal Guru to challenge the sentence.

I urge you to do whatever you can to persuade your Indian counterpart to immediately and unconditionally end the siege of Kashmir and to stop the ongoing oppression of the Kashmiri population. Furthermore, all criminals within the Indian security forces must be held accountable. How can the Chinese government, which claims to stand for justice, keep quiet over these clear violations of human rights law?

I look forward to hearing back from you regarding this urgent matter.

Yours sincerely,

[Your signature]
[Your name]

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“And what reason have you that you should not fight in the way of Allah and of the weak among the men and the women and the children, (of) those who say: Our Lord! Cause us to go forth from this town, whose people are oppressors, and give us from Thee a guardian and give us from Thee a helper.”

Holy Qur’an: Chapter 4, Verse 75

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