50 EU Parliamentarians call for ban on using pellet guns against Kashmiris

LONDON: A cross-party group of Members of the European Parliament (EP) have called for a ban on the use of pellet guns on civilians in Indian-occupied Kashmir (IoK) via a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Wajid Khan, a Labour Member of the European Parliament representing the North West of England, authored the letter. He has been championed the cause of Kashmir in the EP since his appointment two years ago and was the person behind securing the historic hearing on the disputed region in the human rights committee last February.

Speaking to Geo News, Khan said the letter demands an end to the use of pellet guns against civilians — one of the many cases of abuse of human rights in the IoK — by Indian forces.

The letter particularly points out that using pellet guns is against international human rights law and that the immunity that the Indian military currently enjoys is untenable and cannot continue.

The EP member said: “I am delighted that so many of my colleagues from different countries, different backgrounds and different political opinions have come together to condemn human rights abuses in Kashmir.

"The use of pellet guns on innocent women, men, and children is completely barbaric and, for too long, it has been ignored by the international community.

"I sincerely hope that Mr Modi ensures that this terrible procedure ends soon.”

On the prospect of a better future for Kashmir, he commented: “A new future is dawning for Kashmir. I sincerely hope that everyone can work together to build a free and prosperous Kashmir.

"At one point, peace in Northern Ireland seemed a distant dream. We can do this if we work together. I really hope Mr Modi takes our letter into account and acts to ban pellet gun usage, as a first step.”

The letter

We, the undersigned, in our capacity as elected Members of the European Parliament, are writing to you to express our grave concern about the past and ongoing human rights violations against people in Kashmir, as reported in a recent OHCHR1 report. We are particularly concerned about the usage of pellet shotguns, responsible for blinding, killing and traumatizing hundreds of people in Kashmir. We particularly note the tragic case of 19-month old child who was gravely injured by a pellet gun (BBC report).

We are concerned that The Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act 1990 (AFSPA) and the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act 1978 (PSA) give security forces virtual immunity against prosecution for any human rights violation. Therefore, we, the undersigned MEPs, urge the Indian government to: immediately end the use of pellet-firing shotguns in Jammu and Kashmir and bring all relevant Indian laws into compliance with international human rights standards; urgently repeal the Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act, 1990 and amend the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978 to ensure its compliance with international human rights law; provide full and effective reparation and rehabilitation to those who have been injured by pellet-firing shotguns, and to the families of those killed; establish independent and impartial investigations into all accidents where the use of pellet-firing shotguns led to deaths or serious injuries.

Signatories

Wajid Khan MEP

Alex Mayer MEP

Amjad Bashir MEP

Sajjad Karim MEP

Julie Ward MEP

Jonathan Arnott MEP

Theresa Griffin MEP

Helga Stevens MEP

Jean Lambert MEP

John Howarth MEP

Derek Vaughan MEP

David Martin MEP

Margrete Auken MEP

Baroness Nosheena Mobarik MEP

Liliana Rodrigues MEP

Rory Palmer MEP

Anthea McIntyre MEP

Maria Arena MEP

Arndt Kohn MEP

Ana Gomes MEP

Siôn Simon MEP

Bart Staes MEP

Soraya Post MEP

Ilhan Kyuchyuk MEP

Elena Valenciano MEP

Julie Girling MEP

Tunne Kelam MEP

Jose Inacio Faria MEP

Lucy Anderson MEP

Richard Corbett MEP

Jude Kirton-Darling MEP

Maria Gabriela Zoană MEP

Barbara Lochbihler MEP

Mary Honeyball MEP

Csaba Sógor MEP

Momchil Nekov MEP

Linda McAvan MEP

Jakop Dalunde MEP

Klaus Buchner MEP

Edouard Martin MEP

Josef Weidenholzer MEP

Eva Kaili MEP

Eugen Freund MEP

Brando Benifei MEP

Paul Brannen MEP

Fabio Massimo Castaldo MEP

Jordi Solé MEP

Andrejs Mamikins MEP

Claude Moraes MEP

Caroline Nagtegaal MEP