IAKF Commends U.S. Senator Brown for Pleading Kashmiri Pandit Cause with Secretary Hillary Clinton
- 06 October 2009
Boston, Massachusetts
Source: Indo-American Kashmir Forum (IAKF)
For Immediate Release:
Indo-American Kashmir Forum (www.iakf.org) commends US Senator Sherrod Brown from Ohio for taking up the Kashmiri Pandit cause with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. IAKF welcomes and supports Senator Brown’s contention that Kashmiri Pandit culture is at the verge of extinction and can prosper only in its native land of Kashmir valley. It should be recalled that it was at then Congressman Brown’s insistence that the plight of Kashmiri Pandits was included in the annual U.S. State Deaprtment’s Human Rights report.
IAKF wishes to remind the Government of India and Secretary of State Madame Hillary Clinton that the plight of Kashmiri Pandits, who were forced to flee from Kashmir during the armed insurgency two decades back, remains unchanged with no economic, religious, social and political rights in their native land of Kashmir. It is an unfortunate fact that there has been no concerted effort by the Central Government in New Delhi to develop a specific policy or plan regarding the return of Kashmiri Pandits or engage them in any serious dialogue to ensure their timely return to the homeland. After all Kashmiri Pandits did not leave their homes and hearths on their own accord, but were subjected to ethnic cleansing.
IAKF believes that the Government of India needs to go beyond the promises of token employment and housing subsidies and instead implement policies that create an environment where Kashmiri Pandits can live and breathe as free citizens of the nation and practice their fundamental rights like other Indians in the country.
IAKF requests the Madam Secretary, to discuss this important issue with India’s Honorable Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh during his upcoming state visit and impress upon him the need to commit to protect Kashmiri Pandits’ fundamental rights of economic, social, religious and political freedom in their homeland Kashmir. Preservation and protection of these rights alone will guarantee the preservation of Kashmiri Pandit culture and community.
IAKF Board of Directors
