Caravan News
DETROIT — US Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib on Friday has called on India to end communication blockade and to lift restrictions in Jammu and Kashmir while condemning the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A.
In a press release issued on Friday Tlaib said, “While I have deep respect for India and its important relationship with the United States, I condemn the Indian government’s revocation of Articles 370 and 35A, the communications blockade it has imposed, its suppression of life-saving medical care, and the reports of widespread violence, torture, and other human rights violations being carried out in Jammu and Kashmir.”
Tlaib, who is among a group of progressive US congresswomen said: “India must afford due process to the thousands of people it has detained without charge, and ensure hospitals have the necessary access to life-saving medicine.
“The United States government should support a United Nations-backed peaceful resolution that restores autonomy and ensures self-determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. We cannot lose sight of the millions of Kashmiri people yearning to live in peace and dignity. ”
Tlaib is not the only US lawmaker who has condemned India’s action in occupied Kashmir. Fellow congresswoman Ilhan Omar had earlier called for “de-escalation” and an “immediate restoration of communication” in India administered Kashmir. Both congresswomen are outspoken political opponents and critics of US President Donald Trump.
Tlaib urged India to lift the communications blockade and all curfew restrictions immediately to shed light on what is happening in Jammu and Kashmir.
“India must afford due process to the thousands of people it has detained without charge, and ensure hospitals have the necessary access to life-saving medicine,” said the Congresswoman.
“Multiple reports indicate that over 3,000 people have been indefinitely detained without charges by the Indian government under the Public Safety Act, including children, lawyers, doctors, religious leaders, and opposition political leaders,” Tlaib said in the press release.
“People should not have to fear unjust detention, rape, or torture because of who they are and what they believe. I have met with residents in Michigan who cannot even call their families in Kashmir to ensure they are safe – a truly unimaginable situation as violence, militarization, and occupation continues. Jammu and Kashmir is already one of the most militarized regions on Earth, and India’s recent actions create more instability and heighten the potential for accelerating violence,” she added.
