WASHINGTON: A US senator The US, which heads the caucus of India on Capitol Hill, has joined a growing group of US lawmakers to urge New Delhi to remove the restrictions it has imposed on Kashmir in the hands of India.
"While I understand that India has legitimate security concerns, I am concerned about its restrictions on communications and movement within Jammu and Kashmir," said Senator Mark Warner. tweeted on Tuesday. "I hope that India lives up to its democratic principles by allowing freedom of the press, information and political participation."
The Virginia senator joins dozens of senators and members of the House of Representatives who are calling for an end to the Indian siege of Kashmir. Three of the senators who call on India to lift their place: Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, are candidates for the Democratic nomination for the presidency.
In addition, on Tuesday, a group of US citizens of Kashmir origin informed 148 congressional employees about the situation in their homeland, reminding Congress that "now is the time to act" if they want to prevent India from changing the demographic balance in the Valley.
"This was the first of its kind and a prelude to a hearing in Congress on October 22," said Dr. Asif Mahmood, one of the organizers.
British author and biographer Victoria Schofield, who spoke as a panelist at the Congress briefing, said "an external mediator" was needed to solve the problem. She said Britain faced a similar situation in Northern Ireland and brought to the United States because it could not resolve the dispute without external support. "There is no shame in bringing a mediator," he said.
Posted on Dawn, October 11, 2019
Source: https://www.dawn.com/news/1510239/another-us-lawmaker-calls-for-end-of-kashmir-siege