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India asked to allow HR observers in occupied Kashmir

ISLAMABAD: A US-based Special Representative of Archbishop of Canterbury Church, on Thursday denounced India for its repression against Kashmiris, asking New Delhi to allow human rights organisations into occupied Kashmir for independent observation.

Rev. Canon Patrick P. Augustine, Rector St. John's Episcopal Church, Virginia, also suggested that an international conference be held to influence Indian compliance with the UN resolutions on the dispute.

"An international conference that should also be attended by the Kashmiris, can help influence the Indian government to fulfil its obligations towards Kashmiris as mandated by the UN Security Council resolutions," he said at a press conference.

Speaking "not as a politician" but as "a follower of Jesus Christ," Rev. Augustine, said the international community should commit itself to freedom for all.

"The question is whether the international community will let the humanity suffer in Kashmir or pay attention to the bloodbath being perpetrated by the over 700,000 Indian forces," he said.

He regretted the world community's apathy towards the sufferings of Kashmiri people and said "it has become a silent spectator" of the so-called largest democracy's brutalities against a people seeking their UN-recognised right to self-determination.

"If India believes that all the talk about Kashmir is propaganda against it, let the world see the situation in the valley, India should open Kashmir to international human rights organisations," he stated.

Citing recent world involvement in Kosovo and East Timor, Rev. Augustine called upon the international community to pay heed to the Kashmiris woes.

"In the last decade 70,000 Kashmiris have laid down their lives and men, women and children are being subjected to inhuman torture in the valley," Rev. Augustine, who recently visited Kashmiri refugees camps in Azad Kashmir, said.

The special representative of Archbishop of Canterbury Church also slammed Indian violence against the Christian minority. "India has made a mockery of democracy, the Australian missionary, who extended health facilities to people was burnt by the BJP followers, nuns are subjected to rape, churches are demolished and in many parts Christians are not allowed to celebrate Christmas. APP