Talha Imran

A new report from Kashmir Scholars Consultative and Action Network (KSCAN) reveals how India is using an alleged "anti-encroachment drive" to dispossess and impoverish the people of erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, a disputed region that it has occupied since 1947. The report argues that India's actions amount to a systematic settler-colonial process that violates international law and human rights.

The report traces the origins of this process to August 2019, when India unilaterally and illegally annexed Jammu and Kashmir, which had been recognized by the UN as a disputed territory since 1948. India then split the region into two union territories under its direct control: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. It also repealed or amended more than 200 laws that had protected the land and citizenship rights of the indigenous Kashmiris.

Since then, India has embarked on a campaign of land grabbing and demographic engineering in the region. It has identified more than 200,000 acres of state land as "encroached" by the residents, and has demolished thousands of homes, shops, schools and mosques. It has also issued domicile certificates to more than 3.4m non-Kashmiris, mostly Hindu migrants from other parts of India, who can now buy land and apply for jobs in the region. The report warns that these measures will lead to the economic disempowerment and marginalization of the Kashmiris, who are predominantly Muslim.

India's actions amount to a systematic settler-colonial process, violating international law and human rights. The UN recognizes the disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir, and India's annexation of the region violates UN resolutions and international law. Moreover, India's demographic engineering and land-grabbing campaign in Jammu and Kashmir violate the rights of the indigenous Kashmiris, who have been living in the region for centuries.

It calls upon the international community to intervene and stop India's settler-colonial project in Jammu and Kashmir. It urges the UN to implement its resolutions on the region, which call for a plebiscite to determine its final status. The report also appeals to human-rights groups, civil-society organizations, and media outlets to expose India's violations and support the Kashmiris' right to self-determination.

The situation in Jammu and Kashmir has long been a contentious issue between India and Pakistan. Both countries claim the region in its entirety but control only parts of it. The Kashmir conflict has been ongoing since the partition of India in 1947, and both countries have fought three wars over the territory. The international community has called for a peaceful resolution of the conflict, and the UN has passed several resolutions calling for a plebiscite to determine the region's final status.

India's actions in Jammu and Kashmir have come under international scrutiny in recent years, with human-rights organizations raising concerns over the violations of human rights and the Indian government's suppression of dissent. The new report provides further evidence of India's systematic settler-colonial process in the region, highlighting the need for urgent intervention to protect the Kashmiris' rights and prevent further marginalization and disempowerment of the indigenous population.

The Kashmir conflict is a highly complex issue with deep-seated historical and religious roots. The dispute has been a source of tension between India and Pakistan for decades, with both countries accusing each other of human rights violations and fomenting unrest in the region. The Kashmiris themselves have been caught in the crossfire, with their rights and wellbeing often ignored by the competing national interests of the two neighboring nations.

In recent years, the Indian government's actions in Jammu and Kashmir have come under intense scrutiny, with human-rights organizations and international bodies calling for accountability and a peaceful resolution to the conflict. However, India has consistently rejected calls for mediation or intervention, arguing that the issue is an internal matter.

The Kashmir conflict remains a major challenge for South Asia and the international community. The situation in Jammu and Kashmir demands urgent attention and intervention to protect the rights and welfare of the Kashmiris and find a peaceful resolution to the conflict. The international community must act swiftly and decisively to prevent further escalation of the situation and ensure that justice is done for the people of the region.

About the Author:

The author is an independent researcher and Lecturer at National University of Modern Languages (NUML), Islamabad. 

*Opinions expressed in this article are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of The South Asia Times