US lawmakers term Kashmir annexation ‘disaster’ – Newspaper

WASHINGTON: Occupied Indian Kashmir (IOK) faces a "humanitarian crisis" and India's decision of August 5 to annex the "disputed" territory has been a "disaster" for cashmerers, notes a panel of the Congress of U.S.

These observations were made Tuesday at a one-day hearing of a subcommittee of the House of Representatives on Asia and the Pacific, described by the Indian media as "the most critical examination that any Indian action has received in a panel of the House of Representatives. Representatives of the United States since the 1998 nuclear tests. "

At least three lawmakers, Ilhan Omar, Tom Malinowski and David Cicilline, asked US officials who testified before the panel, whether the motivation of the Indian government behind the recent Kashmir decision was national security or an ultra-nationalist and majority agenda.

"To what extent is this the result of the BJP and RSS, particularly RSS, … the ultra-nationalist sentiment, driving this effort and this assault in Kashmir?" Asked Congressman Cicilline, a Rhode Island Democrat. "What are we doing to combat that and help them recognize that this is not an appropriate way to behave in a democracy?"

“The revocation of article 370 has long been a pillar of the BJP political platform. Then, when Prime Minister Modi won the majority in these last elections, in which 67 percent of the Indians participated, the government quickly and without consulting with us (moved) to implement it, "said the Undersecretary of State for the United States for South and Central Asian Affairs G Wells responded.

"The revocation is a bit silly …, we are not taking a position on Article 370, we are taking a position on whether cashmere can live with dignity and have a full political and economic life," he added.

Congressman Cicilline asked if Indian security forces had used pellet guns in Kashmir after August 5 and if children blinded by these weapons were far away and their families did not know where they were. Ms. Wells promised to review the report.

Panel president Congressman Brad Sherman questioned India's claim that it isolated Kashmir from the rest of the world to avoid cross-border terrorist attacks.

Sherman asked if there was any incident of "verified cross-border terrorism" since August 5, when India changed the state of occupied Kashmir.

Ms. Wells stated that she was "listening to different stories from different sides" but "we have observed a decrease in infiltration incidents."

This observation contradicts the Indian claim that there has been an accumulation of terrorist groups that hope to cross the Control Line.

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, who chairs the Caucus of the Pakistani Congress, asked Undersecretary of State for Democracy and Human Rights Robert Destro if he would describe the situation in IOK as a "humanitarian crisis," said Destro, "Yes, it is ".

Ms. Jackson Lee, who is also a member of the Indian caucus and attended the rally of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Houston earlier this month, demanded that Pakistan's sacrifices in the war on terrorism be recognized.

He then addressed the issue of the humanitarian crisis from another angle. "Have you denied any reputable member of the Indian government or reporters from India to the United States," he asked.

"No," Ms. Wells replied, creating space for Mrs. Jackson Lee's follow-up question. "What can we do when (US lawmakers) are denied entry for legitimate purposes to Kashmir areas," he asked.

“We regret that Senator (Chris) Van Hollen has not been able to travel to Kashmir. I'm sure we can travel to Kashmir again, "Wells said.

In the two-hour morning session, Trump administration officials were often forced to defend Indian actions in Kashmir while expressing "discomfort over decisions made by New Delhi," as a report from the Indian media said.

The hearing was titled "Human Rights in South Asia", but the large number of questions related to Kashmir. The packed room applauded every time a lawmaker or an American official criticized Indian actions in Kashmir.

Ms. Well stressed her concerns "about the way in which the Indian authorities have implemented" the decision of August 5, noting that Washington has constantly raised its concern over the situation in Kashmir.

He also said that the United States supports the rights of cashmere to protest peacefully, but condemns terrorists "who seek to use violence and fear to undermine dialogue" between India and Pakistan.

"Are we supposed to trust these officials of the government of India when the government of India does not allow the visit of our diplomats?" Sherman asked when Mrs. Wells said that US diplomats trusted Indian officials and media reports for information on the situation in Kashmir. .

When Ms. Wells said that India argued that now is not the right time to allow foreign officials and journalists to enter Kashmir, Congressman David Torne said: "It seems exactly the right time."

"How is the State Department accepting that right now India, a close strategic partner for the United States in everything from trade to military cooperation, is telling us that we cannot allow US diplomats to enter Kashmir?" The congresswoman asked. Abigail Spanberger. She said that Indian government officials had told her that the situation in Kashmir had improved, but her constituents, who had family in Kashmir, shared "very different stories." He also cited several cases of how the blockade had affected lives and even caused deaths.

Congressman Tom Malinowski said the blocking of communication "weakens people who want to be our allies."

The first Indian-American congressman, Pramila Jayapal and Congressman Sherman mentioned that a Kashmir American, Mujahid Shah, whose father, a businessman, had been arrested despite having no political ties.

Ms. Jayapal said she was deeply concerned that, despite orders from the higher court to stop pretrial detention, India was not releasing even those who had received a favorable verdict.

Posted on Dawn, October 24, 2019