Moscow: An international Kashmir conference was jointly organized by Tehreek-e-Kashmir Russia and the Jammu Kashmir Community International (JKCI). The event brought together experts from the United States, United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, Spain, Denmark, South Africa, Russia, Middle East, Pakistan and Azad Kashmir to commemorate October 27, a day observed globally as the Day of Occupation. 

In his welcome address, Ishtiyaq Hamdani, a prominent Kashmiri advocate, senior journalist, and Chief Organizer of the Tehreek-e-Kashmir, Russia, highlighted the long-standing suffering of the Kashmiri people over the past 78 years. He stressed that it is the moral and political responsibility of the international community to raise awareness of their plight and to encourage India and Pakistan to return to the negotiating table for a peaceful and just resolution of the Kashmir dispute. 

Ghulam Nabi Bhat, Chairman, JKCI welcomed the participants for their willingness to join the conference and to express their point of view to help their brothers and sisters in Indian occupied Kashmir. He emphasized that the sacrifices given by our brothers and sisters in Kashmir should have shaken the conscience of the civilized world but unfortunately, they are giving preference to the trade over moral values and universal principles. 

Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, Chairman, World Forum for Peace & Justice said that the people of Kashmir are constantly reminded of the fact that it was in 1948 & 1949 that the United Nations adopted resolutions that clearly states that the people of Kashmir have the right to determine their own future through a free and impartial vote. The people of Kashmir ask the United Nations to follow through on its commitment given to the people of Kashmir. 
  
Dr. Fai added that we must mention here that even by today’s violent world, the behavior of the Indian occupation regime in Kashmir is singular in as much as it has enjoyed total immunity. Not a word of condemnation has been uttered at the important capitols of the world, not even a call on India to cease and desist from its near- genocidal campaign. This is not merely a case of passivity and inaction; in practical effect, it amounts to an abetment and encouragement of murderous tyranny. If tyranny is not condoned inside the territory of a member state of the United Nations, is there not greater reason for the United Nations to intervene when the territory is one whose disposition is to be determine through a fair vote under the impartial auspices of the world organization. 
  
Sheikh Abdul Matten, leader of All Parties Hurriyat Conference said that the people of Kashmir demand what India and Pakistan have promised to them at the United Nations. The promise was that the future status of Jammu & Kashmir shall be decided by the people through a referendum which will be conducted by the United Nations. That promise was never fulfilled. 
  
Sheikh Abdul Mateen demanded the unconditional release of all political prisoners, including Masarat Aaalm, Yasin Malik, Shabir Ahmed Shah, Aasia Andrabi and others. 
  
Dr. Aabida Rafique, a young and dynamic scholar and academic said that October 27th is observed all over the world as the day of occupation. It is also observed as a day of grief and day of sorrow, because it was on October 27 in 1947 that India sent its army to occupy our land. Dr. Rafique added that the Indian occupied Kashmir has been converted into a concentration camp. Any voice of dissent is met by long-term imprisonment or even death. 
Salman Khan, Founder and Chairman, South African Kashmiri Action Group and member of Board of Directors of Kashmir Diaspora Coalition (KDC) said that it is important after 78 years of Kashmir struggle for us to reflect and ponder over the lesson learned and what is the way forward. We need to give direction to our Kashmir struggle, a vision, unite our diaspora, established a Think Tank and draw inspiration from the struggle of our elders as they have wealth of knowledge and are walking encyclopedia on Kashmir history. We must cherish their knowledge and wisdom and use their knowledge and wisdom as our guiding principle.  

Salman Khan called on Kashmir diaspora to be united and work in unison and adopt one vision, one slogan and strategy and that is the right of self-determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Hepleaded to embrace Kashmir struggle in our heart as a religious duty, live for Kashmir and die for Kashmir and use the power of social media every day religiously to create awareness of Kashmir and seek solidarity across the world. Kashmir Liberation in our lifetime inShaaAllah. 
  
Advocate Rehana Ali, Information Secretary, Tehreek-e-Kashmir UK said, today we observe Kashmir Black Day, a tragedy that has persisted since October 27, 1947, when the Indian army landed at Srinagar airport. Since then, atrocities have been continuously committed by the Indian occupation forces against the civilian population of Kashmir. The genocide form has changed over time, later justified in the name of law and order, democracy and harmony, statehood and freedom of speech. India introduced Articles 370 and 35A, the Public Safety Act, which is called the lawless law by Amnesty International in 2020, and the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, it is also known the rape law and the license to kill law. These “black laws” violated UN resolutions and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and many argue, contradicted the Indian Constitution too. 
  
Advocate Rehani Ali added that we must raise awareness among Kashmiris about how to report incidents, obtain police reports and share them with UN observers, media outlets, and UN complaint mechanisms like the UN website on a regular basis. Consistent, documented reporting and international engagement are essential steps toward justice and the much awaited “Plebiscite”. 
  
Ms. Sajida Gilani of Azad Kashmir appealed to the international community to intervene in Kashmir on humanitarian grounds to ease the suffering of the innocent and unarmed Kashmiri population. The suffering and abuses are so pervasive as to extend beyond those directly affected. The pattern of abuses reaches every man, woman and child in the Valley of Kashmir. 
  
Zubair Hussain, a prominent journalist and social worker from Sweden delivered the passionate message by saying that we want the people of Indian occupied Kashmir to know that the people of Azad Kashmir are with them. They will do whatever they can to help them on diplomatic and political front to be the voice of the voiceless people of Kashmir. 
  
Raja Khan of Great Britian said that the presence of nine hundred thousand Indian occupation forces has made Kashmir the largest army concentration in the world. The purpose of so many Indian soldiers is to suppress the civilian population of Kashmir into submission. But the people of Kashmir will continue their struggle till the date when Kashmir will be liberated from the occupation of government of India.  
  

Ms. Rabia Ghori, USA who is originally from Baluchistan emphasized that the rational approach to set a stage for a settlement of the Kashmir dispute is to include the accredited leadership of the people of Jammu & Kashmir in all future negotiations with India and Pakistan. Any Kashmir solution that fails to command the consensus of the 23 million people of the State of Jammu & Kashmir is doomed to shipwreck moments after its launch. 

Raja Parvaiz Khan, Secretary General JKCI said that the issue of Kashmir became international the day an alien Indian soldier set foot on the soil of Kashmir on October 27, 1947.  Raja Parvaiz added that the presence of military personnel and bunkers in Indian occupied Kashmir serve as a constant reminder to Kashmiris that they are not free but subjugated people. 

Zaheer Hussain Kiyani reiterated that the people of Kashmir demand what has been agreed upon at the United Nations Security Council with the consent of both India and Pakistan that they will be allowed to exercise their right to self-determination to decide the future of their land. 

Sardar Tamur Aziz, President Kashmir Council Sweden said that, by no stretch of the imagination, can the situation in Kashmir be treated as India’s internal matter, as India argues. Kashmir is recognized as a disputed territory under international law and the United Nations bears the responsibility of preventing the massive violations of human rights that are being committed by the Indian occupation regime. The movement in Kashmir is not secessionist because Kashmir cannot secede from India what it never acceded to in the first place. Nor is the Kashmir conflict a territorial dispute between India and Pakistan; it involves not an undemarcated boundary between the two states but the life and future of 23 million people of Kashmir. 

Naeem Choudhary of Jammu Kashmir Forum France said that it is symptomatic of the approach of the world powers that the greater emphasis is placed on the “reduction of tensions” than on the settlement of the core issue, i.e., Kashmir. This gives importance to superficial moves and temporary solutions even though it is known that such moves and solutions do not soften the animosities of the parties, nor allay the life and death concerns and anxieties of the people most directly affected. 

At the conclusion, the International Kashmir Conference adopted the following resolutions unanimously. 

1.     The Conference strongly condemns the Indian occupation of Kashmir on 27 October 1947 and pledges to observe this day every year as a Day of Occupation. 

2.     The conference demands the immediate release of all Kashmiri political leaders unconditionally, including Mohammad Yasin Malik, Shabir Ahmed Shah Musarat Alam, Aasia Andrabi. 

3.     The conference calls upon the United Nations to impress upon both India and Pakistan to create conditions to hold a plebiscite in accordance with the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. 

4.     The conference strongly condemns the grave human rights violations committed by Indian occupation forces in Jammu and Kashmir and urges the international community to take immediate action to bring the pain and suffering of the people to an end. 

5.     The conference reaffirms the unwavering moral, political, and diplomatic support of the diaspora and the people of Pakistan for their Kashmiri brothers and sisters in their just struggle for self-determination. 

6.     The conferences urges the global Kashmiri diaspora to unite on one slogan – the right of self-determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. 

(Dr. Fai is also the Secretary General, World Kashmir Awareness Forum. He can be reached at: WhatsApp: 1-202-607-6435  or. gnfai2003@yahoo.com www.kashmirwreness.org)