Geneva: Prominent rights activist and chairman Kashmir Institute of International Relations Altaf Hussain Wani has sought a deeper engagement and a consistent advocacy on the part of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) for an unhindered access to Kashmir to effectively report on human rights issues in the region.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Wani, during his brief meeting with High Commissioner Volter Truk, raised his serious concerns about the absence of references to the Kashmir situation in the OHCHR’s updates.
While apprising Mr. Turk about the prevailing political and human rights situation in Kashmir, he reiterated the importance of vocal advocacy for observer access to the restive region and termed it crucial for a comprehensive understanding and response to the situation.
The High Commissioner, on the occasion, acknowledged that while the OHCHR was monitoring the situation, the lack of access to the region posed significant challenges.
Wani, who along with an eight-member Kashmiri delegation is present in Geneva to attend 57th session of the UNHRC, urged the commissioner to impress upon the government of India to allow human rights groups to visit the region.
The High Commissioner assured him that the OHCHR was in contact with both the Indian and Pakistani governments to address these complexities.
During the meeting duo discussed the ongoing challenges in monitoring human rights in the Indian occupied territory of Jammu and Kashmir that has been turned by India into a no-go-area for outsiders particularly the rights bodies.
It may be recalled here that apart from global rights groups’ demands to have direct access to the region, the United Nations on several occasions had sought observer access to Kashmir given the precarious situation that has deteriorated further following the abrogation of article 370 and 35A by the Indian government in 2019.
-KMS
