This week, I sought and secured a debate on human rights in Kashmir which is to take place on the afternoon of Thursday 15 September, in the House of Commons.
I was joined before Parliament’s Backbench Business Committee by Jason McCartney MP, Andrew Griffiths MP, Denis MacShane MP and Nic Dakin MP. We argued for a debate on Amnesty International’s recent report on human rights in Indian-occupied Kashmir, “A Lawless Law”. We pointed out that this would be the first full debate on Kashmir since Partition and called for Parliament to demand real progress towards human rights and democratic self determination for Kashmiris.
The Committee decided to award a three hour debate to be shared with Lee Scott MP on the subject of human rights on the Indian Sub-continent. This will allow the situations in both Kashmir and Sri Lanka to be debated.
I am delighted that Parliament will have this opportunity to debate human rights in Kashmir and Sri Lanka in the main Chamber of the House of Commons. The cause of Kashmir has never received the prominence it should in British public debate and too little attention has been paid to the pleas of British Sri Lankans. I hope this debate will spur the Government to further action on both situations.
Well done Steve. I am delighted that my local MP has raised this issue and this will be debated. It feels like world press has ignored such a big story with mass graves in Kashmir. I hope this will highlight the issue. Thanks again.
Regards,
Basharat Khan
Weldon Mr Steve Baker. Tamil Community in Wycombe and all over UK obliged to you and your colleagues. Pleas keep up the pressure until Justice is served for everyone. Thank you
Thanks for taking notice of what is happening in East Kashmir (which you prefer to call Indian Occupied Kashmir). It seems that our body count has finally become worthy to be discussed.
With the two countries (India & Pakistan) happy with the status quo it has become necessary for the world powers to intervene but alas their attitude towards kashmir made kashmiri’s wonder if even they were human. But thanks to your initiative we are seing a change in the making but yet are forced not to hope for anything yet (learning from past experiences), even with many UN resolutions regarding Kashmir nothing has changed we are still being butchered unabated in broad day light thanks to world community who are acting like an ostrich.
Let me try to answer the question ”why the two countries are happy with status quo and why there is need for the world to intervene at earliest.” Well kashmir has become the stick with which both beat each other. In addition to this both the countries are sharing the natural resources of kashmir otherwise to which they have no legal or moral ownership. With these things in mind do you think that the two countries would want to resolve the issue with out any external pressure, i don’t think so. But till the world powers decide to intervene , one thing for sure is going to change that is our body count.
Now its upto you people how large a tophy (of human bodies) you want.
Thanks
iftikhar
East Kashmir
Well done Steve, we need the brave people’s like you to open the debate on innocent killing in Kashmir. World need to focus the human rights violation in Kashmir and should resolve that even right of self determination should be exercise by people’s of Kashmir.
Thank you Mr barker to give some thought for the continued suffering of these helpless people. The situation can improve if these matters are taken globally which is the only pressure that these regimes have.All we here from them are lies and false promises that they have no intention to implement.
Why UK silence in UNHRC about SRI LANKA KILLINGFIELDS? now UN report in HRC? still no justice for pple.
Human rights in Sri Lanka were discussed extensively in yesterday’s debate.