To be moved by Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe
Seconded by Councillor Abdul Jabar
This Council shares the concern of many Bradford District residents about the current situation in Kashmir, including Bradford District residents who have family and friends in the region.
This Council condemns the recent actions of the Indian Government to revoke article 370 of the Indian Constitution and thereby ending the special status of the Indian Occupied Kashmir.
This Council also notes with concern the following:
i) The addition of 180,000 extra troops to the region, which already has over 700,000 troops, and the reports of Human Rights abuses and killings of Kashmiri civilians by the Indian Government troops.
ii) The removal of access to communications with the outside world and the right to travel to and from the region which has impacted on Bradford residents travelling to and from Kashmir, and
iii) The house arrest of all the political leaders and activists from the region, with thousands of people reported to be detained
This Council therefore calls on the Government to take the following actions:
a) Commit to supporting the retention of article 370 of the Indian constitution until the United Nations resolutions adopted in 1947/8 are implemented.
b) Commit to supporting the Kashmiri people’s right of self-determination, including the use of instruments of international law.
c) Call on the Indian Government to restore all communications to the region immediately and lift all travel bans.
d) Demand an end to all human rights abuses and killings of civilians; and demand immediate free access to the region for international observers and human rights organisations.
e) Urge the Indian Government to agree to international mediation to bring about peace and prosperity to the region.
This Council emphasises that this motion is in no way a reflection on the Indian community in Bradford. We value their social and economic contribution to the district as Bradfordians. We support the Bradford District MPs in lobbying Government to address this issue with urgency.
Minutes:
A motion was moved by Councillor Hinchcliffe.
An amendment moved by Councillor Hinchcliffe and seconded by Councillor Pennington supported by Councillor Jeanette Sunderland, as set out in the resolution below, was carried.
Resolved –
This Council shares the deep concern of many Bradford District residents about the current situation in Kashmir, including the thousands of Bradford District residents who have family and friends in the region.
This Council condemns the recent actions of the Indian Government to revoke article 370 and article 35A of the Indian Constitution and thereby ending the special status of the Indian Occupied Kashmir.
This Council also notes with concern the following:
i) The addition of 180,000 extra troops to the region, which already has over 700,000 troops, and the reports of Human Rights abuses and killings of Kashmiri civilians by the Indian Government troops.
ii) The removal of access to communications with the outside world and the right to travel to and from the region which has impacted on Bradford residents travelling to and from Kashmir, and
iii) The Government of India has detained and arrested Kashmiri leaders and party workers, including three former Chief Ministers of state. Further 13,000 young boys and young men are reported to have been picked up during house raids and from streets and detained by Indian security forces in Government controlled areas. (Ref: India Today, October 5, 2019)
iv) The threat to women of rape, sexual violence and abuse and the horrific consequences for those women and their families.
This Council emphasises that this motion is in no way a reflection on the Indian people or the Indian community here in Bradford. We value their social and economic contribution to the district as Bradfordians.
This Council therefore calls on the UK Government to take the following actions:
a) Commit to supporting the retention of article 370 and 35A of the Indian constitution until the United Nations resolutions adopted in 1947/8 are implemented.
b) Commit to supporting the Kashmiri people’s right of self-determination, including the use of instruments of international law.
c) Call on the Indian Government to restore all communications to the region immediately and lift all travel bans.
d) Demand an end to all human rights abuses and killings of civilians; and demand immediate free access to the region for international observers and human rights organisations.
e) Urge the Indian Government to agree to international mediation to bring about peace and prosperity to the region.
We support the Bradford District MPs in lobbying Government to address this issue with urgency. This Council resolves:
a) To stand in solidarity with the people of Kashmir
b) To offer all possible support to Bradford residents who have family and/or friends living in Jammu Kashmir
c) To continue to facilitate events and spaces in Bradford for dialogue for people of all countries and faiths.
d) To write to the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary urging them to use all the powers they have at their disposal to resolve the matter copying in our Members of Parliament to support their position.
ACTION: Chief Executive
(NOTE: Please note that this resolution is the same as for Motion 9, Condemn Human Rights Violations in Kashmir – Minute 62)
