The United Kingdom on Tuesday said any allegations of human rights violations in Kashmir as a consequence of Indian government’s decision to abrogate special status to the territory must be “thoroughly, promptly and transparently” investigated.
The British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told Members of Parliament in the House of Commons that he had raised the concerns with India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during a conversation on 7 August and that the UK will carefully monitor the situation in Kashmir.
“In relation to detentions, potential mistreatment and also the communications blackouts, I raised those issues with the Indian Foreign Minister. The Indian government has made clear that they are only temporaneous, as strictly required. And of course, we would want to hold them to that undertaking,” Raab said.
“All and any allegations of human rights violations are deeply concerning. They must be investigated thoroughly, promptly and transparently,” he added.
Reiterating the British stand that the Kashmir dispute is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan, the minister emphasized that the human rights concerns made it an international issue.
“The issue of human rights is not just a bilateral issue for India or Pakistan or a domestic issue, it is an international issue… we expect internationally recognized human rights to be complied with and respected,” he said, addressing a question from Conservative Party MP Steve Baker.
Raising a series of questions over the Kashmir issue, the Members of Parliament demanded an end to the “blockade” in the state as well as independent observers to be deployed to the region.
Conservative MP Bob Blackman favored the revocation of Article 370, which he categorized as discriminatory to women and minorities.
Raab said: “…Any violence is deplorable. It shouldn’t be conducted in this country, or anywhere else for that matter, at any individual communities. What we now need to do is try and reduce those tensions but also, on a positive side, build up confidence-building measures to allow proper dialogue between the communities in Kashmir and also between India and Pakistan.
“We want to see a reduction of tensions in Kashmir, respect for internationally recognized human rights and steps from all sides to rebuild confidence.”
The government revoked Article 370 of the Indian Constitution on August 5. Since then the Kashmir valley and five districts of Jammu region are seeing suspension in the internet, mobile, and landline services and also TV channels shut.
