IAKF commends U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown for pleading Kashmiri Pandit cause with President Obama
- 05 November 2010
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. IAKF agrees with Senator Brown’s position that “it is imperative that the minority community of Kashmiri Pandits be included in any regional dialog concerning the future of Jammu and Kashmir.”
IAKF wishes to remind the Government of India and President Barack Obama 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 regarding the return of Kashmiri Pandits or engage them in any serious dialogue to ensure their timely return to the homeland.
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 Indian citizens and practice their fundamental rights.
IAKF requests the Honorable President Obama to impress upon the Indian government 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
