Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Thursday saidthe Jammu and Kashmir issue “is close to our hearts” and “linking it withterrorism is a violation of international law”.
“The Jammu and Kashmir crises is close to our hearts and isone of the most important issues on the agenda of the organization of IslamicCooperation, and therefore our commitment to the Jammu and Kashmir cause hasbeen and will remain firm,” said OIC Secretary General Dr Yousef bin AhmadAl-Othaimeen.
He said Kashmir movement is a “legitimate struggle” of thepeople for the realization of their rights and independence and fully inconformity with the resolution of the United Nations and international law.
“Attempts to suppress or degrade it by linking it toterrorism are, therefore, futile and in violation of United Nations resolutionsand International law,” he said during his speech to the MinisterialContact Group on Jammu and Kashmir on the sidelines of the 14th Islamic Summitin the holy city of Mecca.
Batting for a dialogue to resolve the issue, the OICSecretary General said: “I hope that a genuine dialogue between Pakistan andIndia will resume, which will be the best framework for addressing alloutstanding issues, particularly the Jammu and Kashmir dispute,” he said.
Calling Kashmir as an important agenda of the OIC, Dr Yousefalso asked India to “cease” using force against unarmed Kashmiri people.
Highlights of the OIC Secretary General’s speech to the Ministerial Contact Group on Jammu and #Kashmir on the sidelines of the 14th Session of the Islamic Summit Conference. #OICMakkahSummit #OICSummit 1/ pic.twitter.com/MtlmOSM9Kp
— OIC (@OIC_OCI) May 29, 2019
“The OIC General Secretariat has continued to highlight inall its engagements in the international forums that it is necessary to ensurethat India ceases to use force against innocent and defenseless civilians inKashmir and stop its disregard for human rights laws,” he said.
The General Secretary said that OIC will continue to worktowards a peaceful solution to the Kashmir conflict.
“The OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission willalso continue to monitor serious violations of human rights in Kashmir and willcontinue to raise it with other international human rights bodies.”
He said that they are following with deep concern the bloody events against the security of the people of the Jammu and Kashmir, the developments in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, the conditions of the Rohingya, the Muslim peoples in Turkish Cyprus, Bosnia and Kosovo and the situation of Muslim societies in the rest of the world.
India has in the past asked the OIC not to make referencesto Kashmir, saying it was an internal matter.