Rape Must Be Condemned by the Comity of Nations
By Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai
Secretary General
World Kashmir Awareness Forum
Washington, DC
The death and destruction have exhausted the most scenic and tranquil location in the world –- Kashmir. Today, carefree sounds of young girls’ laughter have been replaced by the ailments of dejection, desolation and depression. The extent of this tragedy was revealed to the world in January of this year when eight-year old Asifa of nomadic Muslim community of Kathua (a city in the disputed Jammu & Kashmir) was abducted, drugged, gang raped inside the Hindu temple and finally murdered.
The rapists included two sitting ministers of the state government belonging to the Indian BharatiyaJanta Party, led by Narandra Modi, the Prime Minister of India. The whole purpose of this heinous crime was to dislodge this small community of Bakarwals. Rape was used as weapon of war. This is a crime against humanity which needs to be condemned by all and one in the comity of nations.
Young girls live under tremendous stress, uncertainty, and insecurity. The endless turbulences, including rape, have changed the entire life pattern of the residents of Kashmir. The entire concept of childhood has undergone a radical change because of the fear of being abducted. The democracy of the world can’t close eyes to the plight of the women in Kashmir. The PDP-BJP coalition government must be held accountable for their actions. Peace will only come to Kashmir when the Indian authorities realize that the people of Kashmir are not the problem, but rather part of the solution.
We are thankful to Antonia Guterres, the Secretary General of the United Nations who said, “We very much hope that the authorities will bring the perpetrators to justice so they can be held accountable for the murder of this young girl.”
The people of Kashmir look up to United Nations as a savior where some resolution of this situation is looked into, and a stable future is assured for the ones who have suffered the most – the hapless women of Kashmir.
Given the interest of the Secretary General of the United Nations in peace and stability all over the world in general and in the region of South Asia in particular; and the support for democracy and human freedom, we urge him to forge a peaceful political solution to the conflict through his good offices by bringing all the concerned parties to the negotiating table – the Governments of India and Pakistan and the leadership of the people of Kashmir.
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