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Pak not allowed to raise Kashmir issue at UNCHR

The United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva Friday snubbed Pakistan for raking up the issue of human rights violation in Jammu and Kashmir, when Islamabad's senior diplomat was stopped from articulating his country's position and concern on the situation in the troubled northern Indian state.

Lulia A Motoc (Romania), chairperson of the plenary session for the UN sub-commission for the promotion and protection of human rights told the Pakistani diplomat not to violate the rules of the forum by raising the issue of human rights of another country.

This was contested by the Pakistan diplomat, who pleaded that he was not speaking on human rights violation taking place in India, but in Kashmir, which is a disputed territory. He cited the UN Security Council resolutions to this effect.

But a number of sub-commission members including Jane Hampson (Britain), Louis Joinet (France), Asbjorn Eide (Norway) and Paulo Pinheiro (Brazil) strongly opposed the Pakistan government's stand on this issue, stating that, ''The commission is not here to decide maps and boundaries'' of member countries. They clarified that the commission has no ''interest in the Kashmir question'' and hence no permission should be granted to the diplomat to air his government's view on the issue.

They said as things stand today, Pakistan ''does not administer that territory and as such has no right to speak on human rights violations that take place in another country."

The UNCHR had passed a resolution during the last session, which forbids a member country to speak on violations taking place another country.

The two-week long sub-commission meeting is attended by NGOs from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and over 120 other countries, besides senior officials of the member nations. Several Kashmir separatist and human rights groups are also attending the session.

El Hadji Guisse of Senegal said there is a need for more discussion on the rule, which prevents members to discuss problem of human rights regarding other nations. He, however, said the sub-commission at present has no alternative, but to enforce the rule.

Indian diplomats and officials did not intervene, but allowed delegates and members from other nations to contest the Pakistani claim. However, the rule does not prevent NGOs to raise the human rights issues of other countries. In fact some representatives of pro-Pakistan NGOs spoke against ''systematic violation of human rights by the Indian government in the state.''

One of the senior members of the commission, David Weissbrodt (US), expressed serious concern over growing violence in the state: he strongly favoured initiation of dialogue to end bloodshed.

Jane Hampson also welcomed the Indian government showing readiness to talks to militants and secessionist groups to bring about peace and normalcy in the state.

Beith Bennet of the Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Organisation criticised the Pakistan government for not allowing Khalid Querishi, a human rights activist, to attend the conference.

He said, ''The rulers of Pakistan are not interested in pluralistic democracy and continue to persecute minorities, including the Mohajirs, Sindhis and Balochs."

He said the paranoia among the ruling elite of Pakistan was so great that the authorities had sought to manipulate the census figures. The sub commission must call upon the Pakistan government to stop stifling the voices of minorities. Philippe le Blanc of Franciscans International expressed concern over the blasphemy laws and the separate electoral system for the minorities. He said this resulted in segregation on the basis of religion.

However, Ahmed Maqbool of the World Muslim League urged the sub commission to pay attention on human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir by the Indian authorities.

UNI

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