Kashmir dispute demands urgent world attention: Dr. Ghulam N. Mir
Says Kashmiris will never forget martyrs’ sacrifices
Washington: President of the World Kashmir Awareness Forum, Dr. Ghulam N. Mir, has called on world powers to intervene and help establish a credible and sustained process for peaceful resolution of the decades-old Kashmir dispute.
According to Kashmir Media Service, in a statement from Washington, Dr. Mir warned that the dispute cannot be ignored or wished away and emphasized that Kashmiri people’s sacrifices – physical, mental and economic – are etched permanently and can never be erased from the memory or history.
Dr. Mir’s remarks came in connection with the observance of Kashmir Martyrs’ Day, commemorated every year on July 13. “Nearly a century ago, 22 unarmed and peaceful Muslim protesters were gunned down to death by the armed forces of Hari Singh, the last ruler of the tyrannical Dogra dynasty outside the Central Jail in the capital city Srinagar. They had gathered there to hold vigil during the trial of their hero Abdul Qadeer who was being tried by Hari Singh’s kangaroo court”, he said.
“That massacre marked the beginning of the popular uprising against the tyrannical rule of the ruling dynasty —a rule that continued under British patronage until 1947, when Hari Singh finally surrendered to invading Indian forces. But for the Kashmiris, the tyranny didn’t end there—it merely changed hands,” he added.
Dr. Mir noted that since 1947, Kashmiris have endured brutal repression under Indian occupation. “Kashmiris have continuously given immense sacrifices under the post- independence India. Massacre after massacre has continued to take place under Indian occupation, ethnic cleansing and colonization”.
He condemned the BJP-led Modi regime’s August 5, 2019 move to revoke Kashmir’s special status, calling it a “blatant act of annexation” and an attempt to erase Kashmiri identity. “Even the official commemoration of July 13 has been abolished by the Indian state, but the people of Kashmir have vowed to resist, no matter at what cost”.
Dr. Mir said the Martyrs’ Graveyard in Srinagar will always remind the Kashmiris of the sanctity of those who sacrificed for truth and justice and for freedom. He added adding the legacy of the martyrs cannot be buried under censorship and state repression, urging the world to act before it is too late.
