PRESS CONFERENCE SPONSORED BY PAKISTAN

22 May 1996

Press Briefing

19960522 FOR INFORMATION OF UNITED NATIONS SECRETARIAT ONLY

At a press conference sponsored by the Permanent Mission of Pakistan this morning, representatives of the All Parties Hurriyat (Freedom) Conference (APHC) briefed correspondents on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Secretary-General of the Kashmir Bar Association, Mumtaz Ahmed Wani, said that the Conference was an umbrella body of 24 social and political organizations concerned over the situation in Jammu and Kashmir which, he said, was under Indian occupation.

The Chairman of Kashmir Women's Aid, Hamida Bano, said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir were in an agonized state of mind, going through one of the worst phases of their history. Indian forces were crushing human rights in a ruthless manner; their demands for self-determination had cost over 40,000 lives. Some 20,000 homes had been destroyed, and millions of dollars worth of property had been destroyed. Youth were tortured and 10 people were being killed every day in extrajudicial custody. For women, the situation was worse, she said. Indian soldiers systematically committed harassment and even rape. In March of this year, an 11-year-old child had been burned alive. The crackdowns, searches, beatings and killings had psychologically traumatized daily life.

The only crime of the people of Jammu and Kashmir had been to demand self-determination, she said. Jammu and Kashmir had seen eight elections in the past, but they had never been impartial, free or fair. The Indian Government was implying that elections scheduled for today in Jammu and Kashmir would legitimize its control. But while the elections might give the impression of democratic process, they would only result in the selection of members of the Indian Parliament. The political question was not one of Indian Parliamentary elections; it was a question of 13 million people demanding their democratic right to determine their own future.

The presence of 700,000 Indian soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir had not resolved the situation, she said. If there were to be a genuine referendum or election, her organization would welcome it. But that election should not take place under occupation by the army or by the terms of the Indian Constitution. Fraudulent, farcical and manipulated elections were not needed; internationally supervised elections were.

She said that the Indian Government had manufactured and distributed clothing traditionally worn by Kashmiris in order to give the impression to television viewers that Kashmiri voters were participating in large numbers in today's election. Kashmiris were boycotting the election; there was a general

Pakistan Briefing - 2 - 22 May 1996

strike under way and schools were closed. Meanwhile, Indian forces were intimidating people and threatening them with violence unless they took part in the Indian-sponsored poll. It was time for India to recognize Kashmir's dignified existence.

The Executive Director of the Kashmiri-American Council, based in Washington D.C., Ghulam Nabi Fai, said that the Conference had been formed in 1993 in order to consolidate the Kashmiri resistance movement. It intended to raise the issue of Jammu and Kashmir in international forums with a view to peacefully resolving the issue. Most Kashmiri leaders had been denied travel documents by the Indian Government, he said. The Conference had always been ready, and still wanted to resolve the issue, which had been on the United Nations agenda for 49 years. The genocide taking place in Kashmir must end, he said. It was high time that the United Nations and the permanent members of the Security Council took note of what was happening in Jammu and Kashmir so that the issue could be resolved. Otherwise, nuclear war may be threatened in the region.

Mr. Wani said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir, India and Pakistan were all suffering. Some 40 per cent of Indians were living below the poverty line; an equal proportion of Pakistanis were living in similar conditions. All of this was due to the Jammu and Kashmir issue, which had forced governments to invest massive funds in their defense ministries. India was telling the world that Kashmiris were secessionists or terrorists. Eventually, the Indian people would understand that they were facing starvation because of the Jammu and Kashmir problem.

His group had proposed that leaders from the five regions of Jammu and Kashmir meet outside of India or Pakistan to resolve the issue, he continued. Thereafter, a high-level meeting between India and Pakistan could take place, followed by a three-way meeting between India, Pakistan and Jammu and Kashmir, which would seek to permanently resolve the crisis in the sub-region. Over the years, Kashmir had seen various proposals for settlement which had not taken hold because either the Kashmiris or the Pakistanis had not taken part.

Regarding the issue of hostage-taking and kidnapping, he said that the Indian Government had a secret military unit, allied with Kashmiri militants, which was carrying out murders and kidnapping. Kashmiris had consistently condemned kidnapping, he added.

A correspondent asked whether the Security Council had responded to the requests that it take up the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. Mr. Nabi said that they had discussed the issue with Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Alvaro de Soto, who had assured them that he would convey their views to the Secretary-General. They were also meeting with Permanent Missions to the United Nations with a view to achieving a permanent solution.

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Mr. Wani added that the Security Council must take on the issue sooner or later because nuclear proliferation was a critical issue -- an issue related to the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

To a question regarding human rights in Jammu and Kashmir, Ms. Bano said that her group had addressed the United Nations Commission on Human Rights with the expectation that it might bring about greater awareness. The response had been very positive.

Had their group met with officials of the United States Government during their visit? a correspondent asked. Mr. Wani said that American officials had expressed their concern over the Jammu and Kashmir issue, but were reluctant to take up the question without the agreement of all the parties. During their visit to Washington they had met with some 24 Senators and Congressmen.

To a question on today's elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Wani said that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the party leading India's Government, had maintained discouraging views regarding Jammu and Kashmir, including endorsement of a law by which Indian soldiers could carry out executions without prior judicial approval. As a result of that law, buildings were being destroyed and people were being killed at random, he said. The BJP was now saying that the army should have a "free hand", which would mean more rape, more killings.

Had United Nations human rights reports fairly represented the situation in Jammu and Kashmir? a correspondent asked. Mr. Wani said that the 19 May report on the topic had been independent, credible and genuine.

What was the strategy of the Conference for dealing with the Government of India after completion of today's elections? a correspondent asked. Mr. Wani said that the people of Kashmir wanted to determine their future; therefore, they would not participate in the elections. Mr. Nabi stated that the elections would not establish a new government in Kashmir; it would only select representatives to the Indian Parliament. Ms. Bano said that any election for the choosing of representatives to the Indian Parliament was irrelevant to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. They needed an election which would determine the government of Kashmir itself. Today's election would only result in more killing, rape and destruction.

To a question on support for their organization from the Government of Pakistan, Mr. Wani said that they received diplomatic and political support. They did not receive funds nor arms from Pakistan.

Ms. Bano said that only peaceful negotiations between the three parties could resolve the conflict in Jammu and Kashmir, and the threat that the conflict posed to South Asia and the world as a whole.

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To a question on detained persons in Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Wani said that some 40,000 people were under detention -- some 10,000 in Kashmir and 30,000 in India.

A correspondent then asked whether they had faced any difficulty in travelling from India to the United States. Mr. Wani said his partner of 16 years had last year travelled to New York and Geneva and had intended to do so again this year, but before he could leave he had been killed. The message had been that anyone who exposed the Indian genocide would be made to disappear. Their delegation had been stopped at the airport, and their passports had been "snatched". But international attention on Jammu and Kashmir had been such that they could not be prevented from leaving. Since leaving, his house had been attacked three times by Indian soldiers. They feared that they would be "liquidated" upon their return.

Were extra-regional powers needed to resolve the crisis? a correspondent asked. Mr. Wani said that the United States could play an important mediating role. That was why they were discussing the issue with the United Nations, and with the United States, in an effort to achieve peace in South Asia.

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