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2. Residents and citizens of Canada also are invited to
The Situation
In March 2020, the Government of India introduced a new Domicile Law in Indian Administered Jammu and Kashmir (IAJK).
On May 18, 2020 the Government of India notified the Jammu and Kashmir Grant of Domicile Certificate (Procedure) Rules. Since Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally disputed territory, this law, which entails forced transfer of populations and settlement is in contravention of international law, prohibited by Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention and condemned by the United Nations Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities.
Since August 5, 2019, when India illegally and unilaterally annexed IAJK, Kashmiris have been under an intensive militarized lock down. While the UN Secretary General called for a global ceasefire of all hostilities and urged leaders to focus on the pandemic, India has used the pandemic to escalate hostilities in the armed conflict.
With the introduction of the new Domicile policies, the indigenous populations of the region are under threat, and one step closer to genocide. Under the new rules, there will be a forcible transfer of non-local Hindus from India into IAJK. This demographic change is the implementation of a settler colonial project in the 21 century, even as the world is focused on Covid-19.
Canada, along with rest of the international community, has a responsibility to act and demonstrate its long standing reputation as a peace maker in the world.
This letter urges the Canadian government to immediately intervene and break the silence on what is happening in IAJK. Your letter asks the Canadian government to
1. Ensure that the international obligations to IAJK and its indigenous inhabitants pursuant to all UN resolutions, human rights laws are upheld
2. Prevent the government of India from implementing its new Domicile law and all related rules
3. Ensure the government of India immediately stops the settler colonial project and all attempts at demographic change of IAJK
4. Ensure the government of India respects and protects the right of the fpeople of IAJK, including their right to life, liberty, free expression, assembly, press and free movement
5. Ensure the government of India restores, and ceases its restrictions on communications in IAJK
6. Ensure the government of India provides adequate access to health care and education in IAJK
7. Ensure the government of India immediately and unconditionally releases all political prisoners
8. Ensure the government of India immediately ceases to enforce and begins the process of repealing all unfair laws including the Public Safety Act and Armed Forces Special Powers Act.
9. Move forward with a hearing by the Parliamentary Human Rights subcommitee (SDIR) of the Foreign Affairs Standing Committee to investigate human rights violations, war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in IAJK.
