Dear Friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding regular shelling between India and Pakistan at the Line of Control (LoC) near villages in border areas of Jammu and Kashmir. In recent days, dozens of unarmed civilians have lost lives and many more have been injured, with some disabled for life. Several houses on both sides have been destroyed. The house of a prominent human rights defender and writer has been targeted with mortar shells; four civilians have been injured.
CASE NARRATIVE:
Due to Cross-Line of Control (LOC) shelling between Indian and Pakistani forces in Jammu Kashmir, life has been crippled in many areas. Dozens of unarmed civilians have lost their lives, many more injured. Schools are closed and the poor people are fleeing the area. At the time of the drafting of this appeal, cross-LOC shelling continued from both sides at the LOC in Jammu Kashmir. Due to this indiscriminate shelling, village properties on both sides have been badly damaged, leaving many poor families with no shelter as winter approaches.
On 7 November 2016, mortar shells were exchanged in Poonch sector, Pakistan, where three civilians were killed when mortar shells fired by Indian troops hit their houses in Village Mandhole of Pakistani administered Kashmir. The very same day, the Indian Army also targeted civilians in village Dharamsal, District Poonch, Pakistani administered Kashmir, where the parental house of a US-based Kashmiri writer and human rights and peace activist Nayyar Niaz Khan was amongst those targeted with mortar shells by the Indian army. This resulted in four civilians being injured.
On 19 November 2016, two girls, aged 5 and 10, along with their brother, died when mortar shells fired by Indian troops hit their house in Kotli District along the Line of Control (LOC).
Similar news about civilian casualties are coming from Mendhar and Poonch sectors of Indian-administered Kashmir where civilians are becoming the targets of shells fired by Pakistani army.
BACKGROUND:
Recent tensions across the long-disputed Himalayan country reached dangerous levels in September 2016, when India blamed Pakistani armed groups for a raid on an army base that killed 19 soldiers. India said it had responded by carrying out “surgical strikes” across the heavily militarized border, sparking a furious reaction from Islamabad, which denied such strikes had taken place.
There have since been repeated outbreaks of cross-Line of Control firing in Jammu Kashmir, with both sides reporting deaths and injuries including of civilians. Heavy weapons are killing innocent civilians and destroying homes and other public and private property, and civilians are being forced to flee on both sides of the LOC.
The United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) is present in the mission area (Jammu Kashmir State) since January 1949 to supervise, in the State of Jammu and Kashmir, the ceasefire between India and Pakistan; and to assist the Military Adviser to the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP), established in 1948 by Security Council resolutions 39 (1948) and 47 (1948).
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write the letters to the following authorities calling on them to immediately stop the mortar shelling at the villages on both the sides of Jammu and Kashmir border, in India and Pakistan. The peace mission on the LOC must be activated and allowed to take serious actions to stop the alarming situation from escalating into a cross border war kind of situation.
Please also urge the Secretary General of the UN to intervene in the killing and injuring of innocent villagers and also the destruction of houses of the people residing along the borders of both the countries. Please also call upon the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) with regard to this appalling situation created by India and Pakistan along both sides of the LOC in Jammu Kashmir, to monitor, to report the severe violations, and to take necessary steps to save civilians across the LOC in Jammu Kashmir.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear ___________,
PAKISTAN: Stop madness at LOC that cripples life on both sides, as dozens killed and many injured daily
Name of victims: Villagers residing at the Line of Control on both sides of Jammu and Kashmir
Names of alleged perpetrators:
The governments of India and Pakistan
Date of incident: Recent months of 2016
Place of incident: Villages around the Line of Control on both sides of India and Pakistan
I have received information regarding regular shelling between India and Pakistan at the Line of Control (LoC) near villages in border areas of Jammu and Kashmir. In recent days, dozens of unarmed civilians have lost lives and many more have been injured, with some disabled for life. Several houses on both sides have been destroyed. The house of a prominent human rights defender and writer has been targeted with mortar shells; four civilians have been injured.
I am appalled to know that due to Cross-Line of Control (LOC) shelling between Indian and Pakistani forces in Jammu Kashmir, life has been crippled in many areas. Dozens of unarmed civilians have lost their lives, many more injured. Schools are closed and the poor people are fleeing the area. At the time of the drafting of this appeal, cross-LOC shelling continued from both sides at the LOC in Jammu Kashmir. Due to this indiscriminate shelling, village properties on both sides have been badly damaged, leaving many poor families with no shelter as winter approaches.
It is a barbaric act on the part of the governments that on 7 November 2016, mortar shells were exchanged in Poonch sector, Pakistan, where three civilians were killed when mortar shells fired by Indian troops hit their houses in Village Mandhole of Pakistani administered Kashmir. The very same day, the Indian Army also targeted civilians in village Dharamsal, District Poonch, Pakistani administered Kashmir, where the parental house of a US-based Kashmiri writer and human rights and peace activist Nayyar Niaz Khan was amongst those targeted with mortar shells by the Indian army. This resulted in four civilians being injured.
It is shocking for me that On 19 November 2016, two girls, aged 5 and 10, along with their brother, died when mortar shells fired by Indian troops hit their house in Kotli District along the Line of Control (LOC).
In my opinion the madness on both the sides prevails, the similar news about civilian casualties are coming from Mendhar and Poonch sectors of Indian-administered Kashmir where civilians are becoming the targets of shells fired by Pakistani army.
Recent tensions across the long-disputed Himalayan country reached dangerous levels in September 2016, when India blamed Pakistani armed groups for a raid on an army base that killed 19 soldiers. India said it had responded by carrying out “surgical strikes” across the heavily militarized border, sparking a furious reaction from Islamabad, which denied such strikes had taken place.
There have since been repeated outbreaks of cross-Line of Control firing in Jammu Kashmir, with both sides reporting deaths and injuries including of civilians. Heavy weapons are killing innocent civilians and destroying homes and other public and private property, and civilians are being forced to flee on both sides of the LOC.
The United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) is present in the mission area (Jammu Kashmir State) since January 1949 to supervise, in the State of Jammu and Kashmir, the ceasefire between India and Pakistan; and to assist the Military Adviser to the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP), established in 1948 by Security Council resolutions 39 (1948) and 47 (1948).
I therefore, urge you to immediately stop the mortar shelling at the villages on both the sides of Jammu and Kashmir border, in India and Pakistan. The peace mission on the LOC must be activated and allowed to take serious actions to stop the alarming situation from escalating into a cross border war kind of situation.
I also urge the Secretary General of the UN to intervene in the killing and injuring of innocent villagers and also the destruction of houses of the people residing along the borders of both the countries. I call upon the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) with regard to this appalling situation created by India and Pakistan along both sides of the LOC in Jammu Kashmir, to monitor, to report the severe violations, and to take necessary steps to save civilians across the LOC in Jammu Kashmir.
Yours Sincerely,
……………….
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1.Department of Peacekeeping Headquarters:
United Nations / DPKO (Rm S-3630A)
Ney York NY 10017
Country:
USA
Phone Number: (212) 963-8079
Fax Number: (212) 963-9222
2. Maj. Gen. Guido Dante Palmieri
Head of Mission / Chief Military Observer
United Nations Military Observer Group In India And Pakistan (UNMOGIP)
1 A B, Purana Qila Road
New Delhi-110001
Phone=+91-11-2338 5084, 2338 6661
Fax=+91-11-2338 4052
Email: unmogip-delhi@un.org
3. Major. General Moonhwa KIM
Chief Military observer /HOM
United Nations Military Observer Group In India And Pakistan (UNMOGIP)
Plot #5-11, Diplomatic Enclave, P.O. Box 1350
Islamabad
Phone: +92-51-2600881+92-51-2600882
Fax: +92-51-2600887
Email: unmogipregistry@un.org
4. Mr. Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif
Prime Minister, and Minister of foreign affairs
Prime Minister House
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 922 1596
Tel: +92 51 920 6111,
E-mail: secretary@cabinet.gov.pk, pspm@pmsectt.gov.pk
5. Ms. Sushma Swaraj
Minister for External Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
New Delhi
Phone numbers: + 91 11 23011127 +91 11 230 11165
FAX: +91 11 23011463 + +91 11 23013254
Email: eam@mea.gov.india
