Powerful Speech by Shri Lakshmi Kaul on Kashmiri Pundit’s Human Rights at United Nations Council of Human Rights

Respected Mr. Chairman and my honourable friends,

I thank the organisers for inviting me to speak here today about the Human Rights in South Asia.

Nearly half the worlds population today is a refugee ? each affected by conflict in some form or the other. We dream of a better world everyday yet the world continues to go from bad to worse ? conflict is becoming the norm for many.

I am a Kashmiri and was born in adversity, in exile. I grew up disconnected from my roots as my family had been ousted before my birth. The next exodus came to my knowledge when I was a young child living in Srinagar in 1988-89 ? in January 1990 our entire community was asked to Die, Convert or Leave at the behest of Jehadee slogans shouted from the local mosques ? overnight everyone had to leave to save their families, their childrens lives. In the darkness of that night, many were raped, looted, killed brutally ? but the world remained silent!

From Qazigund to Baramulla, the spread of a particular form of Islam supported by an armed militia movement funded by Pakistan has created massive unrest in last three decades – there has been ethnic extermination and the only voice that is allowed to come out is the voice of propaganda.

The so called Azadi movement has No support from Hindus, Dogras, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Gujjars, Bakarwals, majority of Shia Muslim community and moderate Muslims. Inspite of continuous unrest, people go about their daily lives, they participate in state elections – their own people have been running government machinery for majority of these 70 years. The disgruntled lot is misused by state machinery; is armed with guns and slogans of Intifada and made scape goats to the idea of azadi.

For around 3 decades now, children of Kashmir valley continue to be radicalised and subject to gross human rights violations. There are 8 and 9 year old Mohalla Commanders and many other younger children instigated to pelt stones at the establishment in the state. Last year when the poster boy of Jehaad, Burhan Wani was killed, it led to the eruption of unrest in the valley with hundreds taking to the streets in protest asking for Azadi. Many of these were children.

I would like to quote the words of Burhan Wanis father after he was killed to know how children are brainwashed:

“A Muslim has his faith in God. He knows if he dies in the path of God, he goes to God. In our religion, whosoever dies because of the oppression from India, or by an Indian bullet, doesnt die. He goes from this world to the other world (as promised in the Quran)”

I would like to remind you of what the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict listed as one of the 6 grave violations of child rights: