Putting Kashmir on the Agenda British Kashmiri Manifesto for social justice in the UK and just peace in Jammu Kashmir
Sixty days ahead of the General Election 2015 in the United Kingdom a leading Kashmiri Diaspora community development organisation Kashmir Development Foundation (KDF) has launched a campaign to put Kashmir on the agenda.
KDF has launched British Kashmir Kashmiri Manifesto for social justice in the UK and Just Peace in Jammu and Kashmir.
Putting Kashmir on the Agenda British Kashmiri Manifesto for social justice in the UK and just peace in Jammu Kashmir
The Executive Director of Kashmir Development Foundation, Sardar Aftab Khan said: “We have consulted with a wide range of community activists, academics and existing members of the Parliament as part of the development of British Kashmiri Manifesto 2015. We are very pleased from the outcome of this citizen diplomacy engagement and we will make every effort to bring Jammu & Kashmir issue at the heart of British political debates during 2015 General Election. We are very optimistic about the prospects of getting commitment from candidates across the political spectrum as a concrete expression of their support for the British Kashmiri community manifesto for social justice in the UK and just peace in Jammu Kashmir.”
British Kashmiris and KDF volunteers are asking candidates from ten major political parties to signup firm commitment to support the Kashmiri community and the institutions in their efforts for:
Recognition and inclusion of Kashmiri national/ethnic Identity and most commonly spoken community language: Pahari in all the ethnic monitoring systems at local and national level in the UK to eliminate unlawful discrimination, socio-economic deprivation and inequality that exists within British Kashmiri Diaspora community as compared to other minority ethnic communities in the UK.
Extending direct humanitarian aid for the victims of natural disasters and violent conflict in Jammu Kashmir.
Investing in the development of infrastructure for peace, conflict transformation and decentralised and democratic system of governance in all the regions of Jammu and Kashmir by calling upon UK Government to continue to support indigenous peacebuilding and conflict transformation initiatives in Jammu and Kashmir by to facilitate peaceful settlement of one of the deadliest conflict in South Asia through dialogue and peaceful means; and specifically, ensuring that 30% of the UK International Aid given to Pakistan should be invested directly in Pakistan administered Azad Jammu Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan.
Empowerment of the voices of the people of Jammu and Kashmir in the dialogue process as a principle stakeholder in any negotiations between India and Pakistan and international community to transform the conflict and the realisation of their inalienable right of self-determination.
Call upon UN, EU and International Community to impress upon Indian and Pakistani governments;
a) to respect fundamental human rights of the people in their respective administered parts of Jammu and Kashmir by further enhancing confidence building measures (CBMs) to facilitate more free movement of civilians, humanitarian aid and Intra- Jammu & Kashmir trade and tourism across Line of Control (LOC).
b) Free all political prisoners and allow international humanitarian organisation to work across LoC to help in relieving poverty, advancing education, and health and wellbeing of the people within all the regions of former princely State of Jammu and Kashmir.
Haji Akram Sattar, Chairman Kashmir Development Foundation Said: “We are very optimistic about the outcome of this indigenous British Kashmiri community initiative and for the first time we would have some firm commitments signed up by upcoming members of Parliament from all major political parties. We will follow up with all those MPs as soon as the new parliament sits in to take British Kashmiri manifesto forward and putting Kashmir on the next UK Government agenda.”
KDF is asking volunteers to join the campaign. For further details please visit on-line at: http://www.kdfajk.org/pledge-to-support-bkm-2015 and to read British Kashmiri Manifesto 2015 please see, http://www.kdfajk.org/british-kashmiri-manifesto