HomeArticleIndia’s settler colonialism in Kashmir

India’s settler colonialism in Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir is a UN-mandated international dispute. The UN Security Council has passed several resolutions that call for the holding of a free and fair plebiscite to determine the political aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

This makes self-determination an inalienable right of the Kashmiris. Therefore, by revoking Article 370 of the Constitution, which granted the state of Jammu and Kashmir the special status, and then dividing and annexing it, India has violated its international obligations on the dispute.

India is continuous violation of international laws has planned a housing colony for serving and retired army personnel in the heart of Jammu city of Indian Administered Kashmir.

Reportedly over 430,000 Kanals of land are already under illegal possession of the Indian military and paramilitary forces. Indian Army has been given sweeping powers to take possession of agricultural land and residential areas in any part of Indian Administered Kashmir, after declaring them as “strategic”.

The residents would be issued the Indian Administered Kashmir’s domicile as per new domicile laws introduced by the Modi regime, political experts have called the plan yet another attempt to disenfranchise Kashmiris.

These developments are yet another manifestation of India’s colonial-settler mindset and its designs to expand control over Kashmiri lands, which is a clear violation of International Law and the obligations of the occupying power towards occupied lands. Before the abrogation of Article 370 & 35A of the Constitution, only state subjects of Jammu and Kashmir were allowed to buy land and apply for government jobs in Indian Administered Kashmir.

The whole exercise as per UN mandate, is invalid and illegal, which is aimed at changing the existing demographic character of the occupied territory. Astonishingly, India is aspiring for UNSC permanent seat but at the same time have been violating UN Resolutions on Kashmir for last seven decades. Kashmir Residents in absolute disapproval said, they won’t allow soldiers colony.

 

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