US-based non-profit organization International Commission for Human Rights and Religious Freedom (ICHRRF) has officially recognized the Kashmiri Hindu genocide in Jammu & Kashmir. The ICHRRF declared its recognition of the genocide of Kashmiri Hindus after a hearing on the issue.
According to a press release, on March 27th, 2022, the ICHRRF convened a special public hearing on the topic of the Kashmiri Hindu genocide (1989-1991), during which a number of victims and survivors of ethnic and cultural cleansing spoke under oath and provided evidence.
The ICHRRF was deeply moved by the occurrence. Several Kashmiri Hindus who were victims of genocide, ethnic cleansing, and exile from their country bravely told their harrowing experiences of endurance, survival, and rehabilitation from atrocious human rights crimes at the hands of radical Islamic terrorists, which resembled the Jewish Holocaust.
“Thousands of homes and temples were destroyed. Over 400,000 Kashmiri Hindu men, women, and children were forced into exile by Islamic terrorists at gunpoint, ejected from their homes and everything they’ve known. Women were gang-raped, cut into two pieces with a saw and killed in the most brutal manner. Now, this culture is on the brink of extinction after self-advocacy over the course of 32 years, has been unsuccessful. Those who chose to remain in their homeland did so in faith believing in the goodness of their neighbours. The victims and survivors affirmed hope, peace, nonviolence, and safety, and found themselves raped, tortured, and executed by radical Islamic terrorists. Abused corpses were denied cultural funeral traditions and desecrated in psychological warfare to intimidate and control the remaining masses,” the press release said.
When politicians, neighbours, friends, students, and local police turned a blind eye and deaf ear, the ICHRRF noted that it was terribly painful. Despite this, the Kashmiri Hindus have no desire for violent retaliation or the propagation of anti-Muslim rhetoric, the group observed.
“Having lived peacefully for thousands of years as an indigenous religious minority, the cry for help from these Kashmiri Hindus fell on deaf ears globally. While it was expected to a degree that each nation and media outlet chooses what and how much they report pertaining to global events, it was excruciatingly painful when politicians, neighbours, friends, classmates, and local police turned blind-eyes and deaf ears. Feeling repeatedly ignored, dismissed, and invalidated, the world remained silent as victims were blamed instead of condemning those who committed barbaric crimes against humanity. Despite all of this, they neither want violent revenge nor to spread Anti-Muslim rhetoric. Rather, they respectfully request togetherness for the betterment of truth, justice and humanity, while they peacefully engage a spiritual, psychological, and emotional journey to heal intergenerational traumas and advocate to prevent future atrocities,” the press release further added.
The hearing concluded with ICHRRF urging the Government of India and the Government of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir to identify and recognise the atrocities against Kashmiri Hindus in 1989-1991 as genocide.
“The Commission exhorts other human rights organizations, international bodies and governments to step up to the plate and officially acknowledge these atrocities as an act of genocide. The world must listen to these profoundly moving stories, seriously introspect on the impact of their past silence and inaction out of political expediency and make proper recognition,” the statement said.
International Commission for Human Rights and Religious freedom
The International Commission for Human Rights and Religious freedom (ICHRRF) is a non-profit organisation established in the United States that promotes human rights, religious and philosophical freedom, and a polycentric worldview via continuous monitoring, education, policy research, and collaboration.
According to their website, they are focused on educational, scientific, legal, and human rights advocacy, as well as charity objectives, and they endeavour to be an advocate for the human rights and religious liberties of under-represented people worldwide.
The genocide of Kashmiri Hindus
Kashmiri Hindu genocide began in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when lakhs of Hindus, particularly Pandits, were tortured and forced to forsake their land and property. According to estimates, around 100,000 of the valley’s total 140,000 Kashmiri Pandit inhabitants fled between February and March 1990.
On January 19, 1990, Kashmiri mosques issued a warning to Kashmiri Pandits, referring to them as Kafirs. They were given three choices: leave Kashmir, convert to Islam, or be murdered. It’s been more than 30 years, yet the anguish, suffering, and tears of tens of thousands of Kashmiri Pandits can still be heard across the valley. According to reports, Islamists slaughtered around 219 Kashmiri Pandits.
According to some estimates, the number of displaced Kashmiri Pandits might be as high as 300,000. During that time, not only were Hindus driven out of Kashmir, but temples were demolished, residences were burned to the ground, and millions were alienated.
