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Kashmiris Appeal to United Nations

All Parties Committee for the Kashmiri Peoples Right of Self-determination, comprising 16 political parties of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan, has said that the Kashmir Issue remaining unresolved on the UN Security Council Agenda for 62 long years was an ugly black spot on the face of the World Body and needed to be washed off in the best interests of the UN itself, of world peace and of a peaceful and prosperous future for the people of South Asia in general and of Kashmir in particular.

This was conveyed to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and all the 15 members of the Security Council individually by Mr Amanullah Khan, Convener of Kashmiri Right of Self-determination Committee in a detailed letter on the eve of the 64thannual session of the General Assembly. The UN Chief Executive was requested to have copies of the letter circulated to the heads of all UN missions as provided under rules.

The letter begins with conveying heartfelt thanks to the UN from the Kashmiri people for doing them the favour of letting Kashmiri themselves determine their future and that of their State in accordance with their freely expressed will whereas the outgoing British rulers of the Subcontinent, Indian National Congress and All India Muslim League had given, under Indian Independence Act of 1947, the right to determine their future to their hereditary and despotic ruler.

The letter said that although Kashmiris remained deprived of that right of theirs even after 62 years due partly to the weak policies and lack of due sense of responsibility on the part of the officials of the very UN, Kashmiris still felt indebted to the world body for having their right of self-determination accepted by the international community in general and by India and Pakistan in particular at least in principle.

The letter sent to the strongest personnel of the biggest international organization by the convener of the Committee for Kashmiris Rights of Self-determination says that resolutions no. 47, 51, 80, 91 and 122 of the UN Security Council and those of UNCIP of 13th August 1948 and of 5th of January 1949, all accepted by India and Pakistan and all providing for letting rather facilitating Kashmiris determine their future, but Kashmiris still remained deprived of their inherent, internationally recognized and pledged right mainly due to the weaknesses then demonstrated by concerned UN officials.

In the light of these facts, the addressees of the letter have been called upon to 'do a bit of soul searching' individually and collectively and 'realize your moral, political and organizational duties and obligations regarding the problem'. The letter goes on to say, 'Remember, Your Excellencies, the Issue does not relate to an ordinary right of a few people but concerns the most important of human rights (right of self-determination) of 17 million people of Kashmir, more in number, than the individual populations of as many as 133 UN member countries'.

The letter said that the Committee did not suggest a particular solution of the Issue except that it should be based on the freely expressed will of the people of the entire Jammu Kashmir State as it existed on August 14-15, 1947 when the Subcontinent got freedom. "No solution of the Issue not meeting that criterion will be accepted", the letter said.

The letter concluded with the hope that its addressees would take steps conducive to affording to 17 million Kashmiris their fully deserved but now being denied, right and its implementation which, the letter said, would also ensure a peaceful and prosperous future for the region inhabited by over one fifth of humanity.