We, the undersigned, are dismayed over the ongoing crisis in Kashmir. We have watched in horror and shock the repetitive cycle of state aggression leading to violence, deteriorating state of civil liberties, violation of fundamental rights and ever escalating loss of human life and dignity in Kashmir. In the last 115 days, we have lost over 100 lives in Kashmir. More than 15,000 civilians have been injured, out of which 4500 persons have suffered grievous injuries due to pellet-guns, 4664 have been injured by bullets. Over 8000 people have been arrested out of which 434 people have been detained under the Public Safety Act (toll as on October 30, 2016).

The immediate response of the Indian state to the recent uprising in Kashmir was the imposition of curfew, which is continuing till date. A media gag where newspaper offices have been raided, copies confiscated and editors threatened with dire consequences, accompanied it. Journalists reporting the situation have been attacked, intimidated and threatened with violence by those supposedly responsible for protecting them. Most recently the government banned the publication of Kashmir Reader, a daily newspaper published from Srinagar.

Pursuant to this, a complete communication blockade was imposed and Internet services were cut down. Even voices outside Kashmir that spoke of the ongoing failure of state were targeted on social media, their posts deleted and accounts blocked. The means of communication and information flow from and into Kashmir are severely disrupted. Accompanying the communication blockade is an economic blockade in which the supply of food, medicines and other basic necessities are also affected, standing crops being burnt and orchards damaged.

It is unconscionable on the part of the Indian state to exacerbate the situation by choking the lifeline of people in Kashmir. There are reports of vandalism and violence during raids by the police and security forces. As the pillars of a modern democracy are wrecked with the media gag, the abuse of the impunity accorded to the law enforcement agencies is bound to escalate. There have been instances of harassment, abuse and baseless arrests of Kashmiris working and studying, not only in Kashmir but also in different parts of India, for having voiced their political views.

A blockade on the channels of non-violent protest by the arrests of human rights defenders, legal activists and even volunteers supplying aid in hospitals on baseless grounds has aided the creation of spaces for violent protests. The wanton use of force along with the lack of accountability has contributed immensely to the crisis prevailing in Kashmir.

Intense militarization of the valley has left deep scars on the social, economic and psychological well being of every life in Kashmir. Laws such as Public Safety Act (PSA), Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), Disturbed Areas Act (DAA) etc., are draconian and are not conducive to contributing to a solution. Irrespective of what the situation is, whether we agree with what the Kashmiris are demanding or not, there is no law in India which allows the Indian armed forces to use their position to ransack people’s houses, decimate their food grains, crops and livestock.

It is disturbing to witness the Indian media pumping up jingoistic fervor in the minds of people in India. The propagation and glorification of state aggression and war mongering by the government, media and almost every political party has led to a lethal form of pro-state fanaticism. The success of the state machinery in realizing this propaganda also highlights the failure of the Indian civil society.

We therefore call on all readers and human rights organisations to unequivocally condemn the siege of Kashmir.

The situation in India is increasingly becoming claustrophobic, making it difficult to have any political discussion on Kashmir. Voicing any opinion divergent from the popular ‘pro-state’ narrative is now a cause for slapping charges of sedition. In such an environment even a peaceful non-violent discussion to understand the nature of problems that Kashmir faces becomes impossible. Without such understanding any solution proposed would only be a repetition of the cycles seen over the last 70 years, which have not led to any tangible solutions. We urge the government to allow an open discussion so as to facilitate the understanding of the legitimate demands and concerns that the people of Kashmir have been raising over the course of last 70 years.

We believe that national integrity at the cost of life and dignity of our own citizens would not amount to integration but colonialism. The political crisis in Kashmir cannot be resolved by being oblivious to the problem at the heart of the conflict, which is the demand for freedom. Any attempt to resolve the issue is bound to fail unless the state accepts the Kashmir conflict as a ‘political issue’ and not merely one pertaining to territory. The government must acknowledge Kashmiris as primary stakeholders in the dispute and consult them rather than considering it as a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan.

Whatever the stand of the Government of India on the demand of Kashmiri people for independence, it is imperative to create an environment of understanding and openness and initiate a purposeful and sincere dialogue with all the stakeholders for an amicable settlement.

We therefore urge the government to:

1. Immediately lift the curfew and stop violence against civilians in Kashmir.

2. Open channels for political dialogue in consultation with all stakeholders and explore every possible solution including – complete autonomy or pre-1953 position and even plebiscite.

3. Stop the crackdown on media and lift the ban on Kashmir Reader.

4. Immediately drop all charges against activists, human rights defenders and civilians booked under the PSA and release them.

5. Grant unfettered access to United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) to investigate allegations of Human Rights violations.

6. Work forcefully to demilitarize both sides of the Line of Control between India and Pakistan. Further, to demilitarize all of Kashmir and immediately revoke impunity laws such as the AFSPA, PSA, and DAA etc.

7. Create credible mechanisms for accountability and justice, (such as an international criminal tribunal), for human rights abuses in Kashmir over the past three decades, including extra-judicial killings, torture, sexual and gendered violence, enforced disappearances and unknown and mass graves.

List of Endorsements 

Individuals 

1. Aabha Muralidharan, Student
2. Aditya Nigam, CSDS
3. Ajmal Khan, Radical Study Circle, TISS, Mumbai
4. Ajayan Adat
5. Akanksha, activist
6. Akhila Vasan
7. Alpana Jain
8. Amar Jesani, Independent Public health and Bioethics Consultant
9. Amla Pisharody
10. Amlendu Upadhyay, senior journalist
11. Ammu Abraham, member, FAOW(Forum Against Oppression of Women)
12. Amrita Howlader, member, FAOW(Forum Against Oppression of Women)
13. Anand Mazgaonkar,
14. Anand Patwardhan, filmmaker
15. Anand Teltumbde, General Secretary, CPDR (Committee for Protection of Democratic Rights)
16. Anannya Bhattacharjee, Garment and Allied Workers Union
17. Angana Chatterji, Feminist Scholar
18. Anjali, student
19. Anjali Singh, student
20. Anil Sinha
21. Anindita Mukherjee, Lawyer
22. Antony Samy, activist, Jagrut Kamgar Manch
23. Anuradha Banerji, research scholar
24. Anuradha Bhasin, Executive Editor, Kashmir Times
25. Anuradha Kapoor
26. Aquila Khan, member FAOW (Forum Against Oppression of Women)
27. Archee Roy, student
28. Aritra Bhattacharya, Journalist, The Statesman
29. Arundhati Dhuru, National Alliance of People’s Movements
30. Arun Ferreira, member, CPDR
31. Arya Raje, Lawyer
32. Aswathy Senan, Delhi University
33. Ayesha Kidwai, Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University
34. Murlidhar Reddy, Senior Journalist
35. Baljeet Kaur, Radical Study Circle, TISS, Mumbai
36. Bernard D’Mello
37. Binayaka Sen, activist (PUCL)
38. Binu Matthew, Editor, http://www.countercurrents.org
39. Chayanika Shah, member, LABIA and FAOW(Forum Against Oppression of Women)
40. Brinelle D’souza, Academician
41. Chetan Priyadarshi, Lawyer
42. Chhaya Datar
43. Chinu Srinivasan, SAHAJ/LOCOST
44. Cubbykabi Sherman, member FAOW (Forum Against Oppression of Women)
45. Cynthia Stephen, Founder, DAWNS(Dalit Women’s Network for Solidarity)
46. Debalina, activist
47. Deepa Venkatachalam, Social Scientist
48. Deepti Gopinath, Indian Airports Employees’ Union
49. Devika Shetty, Disability Rights Advocacy
50. Dibyesh Anand, Professor, University of Westminster, UK
51. Divya Kalanthingal, Radical Study Circle, TISS, Mumbai
52. Divya Trivedi, journalist
53. Dolphy A. D’souza, Convenor, Police Reforms Watch
54. Fatima N, Member, Tamil Nadu Women’s Forum
55. Freny Manecksha, independent journalist
56. Gautam Bhan, activist and author
57. Geeta Seshu, independent journalist
58. Gouranaga Mohapatra, Jan Swasthaya Abhiyan, Odisha
59. Gouri Patwardhan, filmmaker
60. Harsh Mander, activist, writer
61. Hartman de Souza, Writer
62. Hasina Khan, member, Bebaak Collective and FAOW(Forum Against Oppression of Women)
63. Heer Ganjawala, filmmaker
64. Heidi Pereira, student, Ambedkar University
65. Hussain Indorewala, Teacher
66. Illina Sen, author and activist
67. Irfaan Engineer, CSSS(Centre for Study of Society and Secularism)
68. Jagdish John Menezes, Lawyer
69. Jairus Banaji, Professor and Historian
70. Jashodhara Dasgupta, Sahayog, India
71. Javed Anand, Co-editor, Communalism Combat
72. Jayashree Velankar, NAMHHR (National Alliance for Maternal Health and Human Rights)
73. Jenny Sulfath, student, TISS
74. Jhelum Roy, researcher
75. Jinda Sandbhor, researcher
76. Juhi Bansal, Lawyer
77. Jyoti Punwani, independent journalist
78. Kalpana Mehta, Activist
79. Kalyani Menon, feminist researcher and writer
80. Kamal KM, filmmaker, teacher
81. Kamayani Bali Mahabal, feminist and human rights activist
82. Karuna D W, researcher, Chennai
83. Kavita Krishnan, Secretary AIPWA (All India Progressive Women’s Association)
84. Kavita Pai
85. Khateeja Talha, member, Space Theatre Ensemble
86. Kochurani Abraham, Kerala
87. Kokila Mitra, research scholar
88. Koyel Ghosh, school teacher
89. Koyel Majumder, student
90. Kranti LC, Lawyer
91. Kritika Aggarwal, GLC, Mumbai
92. Kulajit Maisanam, Radical Study Circle, TISS, Mumbai
93. Labanyendu Das, Lawyer
94. Lalita Ramdas, peace, human rights and anti-nuclear activist and Founder, Greenpeace, India
95. Lara Jesani, Lawyer
96. Lina Mathias
97. Madhavi Kuckreja, women’s’ rights activist and founder, Vanangana
98. Madhurima Ghosh, student
99. Mahtab Alam, Activist, Journalist
100. Malini Parthasarthy, former Editor, the Hindu
101. Malobika, activist
102. Manisha Sethi, Activist, Professor – Jamia Millia Islamia
103. Manoj Jha, teacher, activist
104. Mary Antony, activist, Jagrut Kamgar Manch
105. Mary E John, CWDS
106. Medha Patkar, activist, Narmada Bachao Andolan
107. Meena Gopal, member FAOW (Forum Against Oppression of Women)
108. Meena Kandasamy, Poet, Writer, Activist
109. Meena Saraswathi Seshu, SANGRAM, Sangli
110. Mihir Desai, Senior Advocate
111. Milind Champanekar, activist, CPDR
112. Mirza Saaib Beg, Lawyer
113. M J Pandey, Journalist
114. Monica Sakhrani, Lawyer
115. Monisha Behal
116. Mubashira Zaidi, Institute of Social Studies Trust, New Delhi
117. Mukta Srivastava, activist (NAPM)
118. Murali Karnam, Faculty, School of Law, Rights and Constitutional Governance, TISS
119. Vasudevan, Convenor, Trade Union Solidarity Committee, Mumbai
120. Nandini Manjrekar, Professor, TISS
121. Nimisha
122. Niranjan Takle, Principal Correspondent, the Week
123. Nisha Biswas, Kolkata
124. Nitish Nawsagaray, Dalit Rights activist
125. Nivedita Menon, JNU
126. Norma Alvares, Senior Advocate and environmental activist
127. Omar Rashid, journalist
128. Pallavi Gupta
129. Pamela Philipose, journalist, writer and editor
130. Paramita Banerjee, Activist and Development professional
131. Paranjoy Guha Thakurta
132. Paromita Chakravarty
133. Poushali Basak, member FAOW (Forum Against Oppression of Women)
134. Pranita Kulkarni, Journalist
135. Preenita Banerjee, Lawyer
136. Preeti Mehra
137. Purnima Rao, writer
138. Srivatsan, Social Scientist
139. Rachana Johri
140. Rahul Singh
141. Rajashree Gandhi
142. Raj Merchant, member, LABIA
143. Admiral Ramdas
144. Ramesh Awasthi, PUCL, Maharashtra
145. Ram Puniyani, activist, writer, teacher
146. Ranjani Srinivasan, student
147. Ranjit Biswas, Psychiatrist and Research-activist
148. Ratnapriya, student
149. Ravi Duggal, independent health researcher and activist
150. Ravi Kadam
151. Rhea Bose
152. Richa Minocha, member secretary, Jan Abhiyan Sanstha, Shimla
153. Ritika Ramasuri
154. Ritu Dewan, Author, Professor, Director – CSSS (Centre for Study of Society and Secularism)
155. Rohini Hensman, Independent Scholar, Writer and Activist
156. Rohit Prajapati, trade union and environmental activist
157. Rukmini Sen, academician
158. Sabina Basha
159. Sagari Ramdas, veterinary scientist
160. Sakina Bohora, member FAOW (Forum Against Oppression of Women)
161. Samir Dass, Jan Swasthaya Abhiyan, Jharkhand
162. Sampa Dasgupta, Development Professional
163. Sandeep Pandey, Socialist Party (India)
164. Sandhya Gokhale, member, FAOW(Forum Against Oppression of Women)
165. Sanjay Ranade, Professor, University of Mumbai
166. Sanober Keshwaar , lecturer and activist
167. Saranga Ugalmugle, Lawyer
168. Sarojini N, Health Researcher
169. Saswati Ghosh, Sociologist, women’s rights activist
170. Satarupa Santra, academician
171. Satnam Singh, Convener, Jan Swasthaya Abhiyan, Haryana
172. Satyam Shrivastava, (SRUTI)
173. Satyen Bordoloi
174. Seema Azad, journalist, activist
175. Setu
176. Shabana Khan, activist, CPDR
177. Shabnam Hashmi, Activist, ANHAD
178. Shakeel, Convener, Jan Swasthaya Abhiyan, Bihar
179. Shals Mahajan, writer
180. Sheetal, student, College of Law, University of Saskatchewan, Canada
181. Shefali Saini, TISS, Mumbai
182. Shinzani Jain
183. Shoma Sen, Joint Secretary (CPDR)
184. Shraddha Chatterjee, research scholar
185. Shreosi Ray, researcher
186. Shruti Chakravarty, member FAOW (Forum Against Oppression of Women)
187. Shuddhabrata Sengupta, Raqs Media Collective
188. Shujaat Bhukari, senior journalist and editor, Rising Kashmir
189. Siddharth Chakravarty, Oceans Policy and Law
190. Simpreet Singh
191. Smita Gandhi, Academician
192. Srabasti Majumder, research scholar
193. Sreejith Murali, Ambedkarite Students Association-TISS
194. Suchitra Thapar, independent researcher
195. Sujata Gothoskar, member FAOW (Forum Against Oppression of Women)
196. Sukanya Shantha, independent Journalist
197. Sukla Sen, Peace Activist
198. Sumita, Activist and Development Professional
199. Surabhi Sharma, filmmaker
200. Suresh Sawant, activist
201. Susan Abraham, Executive Committee member, CPDR
202. Sushmita Verma, member, CPDR and Bastar Solidarity Network
203. Swapna Banerjee-Guha
204. Swarnima Bhattacharya, Women’s Feature Service
205. Swati Singh, Lawyer
206. Swathi Seshadri, Bangalore
207. Swatija Paranjpe, member FAOW (Forum Against Oppression of Women)
208. Tanieem, student
209. Tarun Bhartiya, filmmaker and writer
210. Teesta Setalvad, Journalist, activist
211. Tejas Harad, Economic and Political Weekly
212. Trina Mukhopadhyay, research scholar
213. Ujwalla Mhatre, Head of School, Vanita Vishram High School
214. Ulka Mahajan, Activist
215. Uma Chakravarty, Historian
216. Uma V Chandru
217. Usha Iyer, Assistant Professor, Stanford University
218. Vani Subramaniam, member, Saheli
219. Varda Dixit
220. Varun Agarwal, Lawyer
221. Vasanth Kannabiran, Activist and Writer
222. Veena Gowda, Lawyer
223. Vibhuti Patel, Academician and Activist
224. Vidya Subramaniam, Senior Journalist
225. Vikas Urs
226. Vinitha Ramchandani, author
227. Virginia Saldanha, activist
228. Vrijendra, Lecturer and Human Rights Activist
229. Vrinda Grover, Lawyer and Activist
230. Wilfred D’Costa , INSAAF
231. Yashasvi Mishra
232. Zakia Soman, BMMA(Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan)

Organisations

1. Aaghaaz Magazine
2. All India Secular Forum
3. Amrita Wilson on behalf of South Asia Solidarity Group
4. Bastar Solidarity Network
5. Centre for Development Research and Action
6. Centre for Study of Society and Secularism, Mumbai
7. Feminism in India
8. Fem Positive
9. Forum Against Oppression of Women
10. LABIA — A Queer Feminist LBT Collective, Mumbai
11. Radical Study Circle- TISS
12. Rihai Manch, Lucknow
13. Sabrang India
14. Saheli, Delhi
15. Tamilnadu Women’s Forum