LETTERS: Joint declaration on Kashmir and Palestine for freedom and self determination
COGNIZANT of the fact that Kashmiris and Palestinians have had to endure more than 70 years of occupation, oppression and denial of human rights by the occupiers – India and Israel; and the close collaboration developing between them to the level of military cooperation,
And knowing well that this cooperation is also tied to their mutually shared extremist, militant ideologies of Hindutva and Zionism which in turn are geared towards the destruction of Kashmiri and Palestinian religion and culture
Fully aware that the UN has passed resolutions that affirm the status of both Kashmir and Palestine as occupied and disputed lands, hence the Kashmiri and Palestinian struggles against occupation are legitimate and supported by the international community as evidenced by the growing solidarity expressed from many countries and communities around the world
Reasserting the Kashmiri right to self-determination and the Palestinians’ right to their own state, despite the growing India-Israel alliance to continue occupying the territories where such occupations have been always extremely brutal and have brought untold suffering to the Kashmiris as it has to the Palestinians,
We therefore
On Kashmir:
Demand that all Indian troops withdraw from Kashmir and return the territory to normalcy and reinstate Article 370; end the security lockdown and restore the right to free movement.
Condemn the savage response of the Indian state to the popular people's movement by using pellet guns, banned in other countries that has blinded and maimed hundreds, from a year-old child to the elderly, while the numbers of the dead and injured continue to rise on a daily basis.
Strongly demand that India immediately end the torture, rape, sexual violence, enforced disappearances, and extra-judicial killings in Kashmir.
Demand all political detainees including 13,000 youth be released immediately.
Salute and stand in solidarity with Kashmiris in their protest against the Indian state, and we fully recognize the political sovereignty and call for Azadi (freedom) for Kashmiris.
On Palestine, we:
Demand that the right of return for all Palestinians be rendered unconditionally and all Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails be released.
Demand that the Zionist settlements on all Palestinian lands be dismantled and the lands returned to the Palestinians as well as all destroyed properties compensated.
Insist that after decades of oppression under former Israeli leaders and now Benjamin Netanyahu, be held responsible and accountable for the destruction of Gaza, the oppression in the occupied West Bank , intrusions and violence on the Al Aqsa mosque and for the atrocities committed on the Palestinians.
Strongly resist and condemn the agenda to Judaize Baitul Maqdis and Masjid Al Aqsa by Zionist Israel, and we call upon all Muslim countries to unite to oppose this agenda. All Israeli troops in the Al Aqsa mosque compound and in East Jerusalem must be withdrawn immediately.
Denounce the Deal of the Century by the US as a peace deal for the Palestinians. There can be no compromise on the right of return for Palestinians.
Demand that East Jerusalem be declared the capital of a future Palestinian state and no foreign mission to the Israeli regime be established in Jerusalem as confirmed by UN resolutions.
Demand specifically, the siege on Gaza be immediately removed and the necessary resources including financial needs to rehabilitate and rebuild Gaza guaranteed.
Recommend that the UN Inquiry team firmly lay the charge of war crimes on Israel in line with the laws on human rights and crimes against humanity.
Endorsed by:
Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organization
Alliance of World Mosques In Defence of Al Aqsa
Secretariate for the Assembly of Ulama Asia
Palestine Cultural Organization of Malaysia
Malaysian Kashmir Youth Forum
Muslim Minority Affairs Center
SEJAGAT Malaysia
Justice and Development Organization of Cambodia
Al Aqsa Working Group Indonesia
Council for Humanitarian Network Syekhul Islam Thailand
SALIMAH Malaysia
IReach Malaysia
Oct 14, 2019