Geneva
Speakers at a virtual conference held on the sidelines of the 45th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva emphasizing that implementation of self determination is as vital as right to life have called for settlement of the Kashmir dispute as per UN Security Council resolutions.
The event was organized by the Organisation of Kashmir Coalition (OKC) under the umbrella of its partner International Human Rights Association of American Minorities (IHRAAM) and was moderated by Barrister Abdul Majeed Tramboo under the theme – Self-Determination, Conflicts and Geneva Conventions.
The panelists included former Independent Expert on the Promotion of Democratic and Equitable International Order Professor Alfred de Zayas, Professor Nazir Ahmad Shawl, Madam Daniela Donges, Ambassador Ronald Barnes, Professor Joseph Wronka, former Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Frank Schwalba-Hoth and former MEP Julie Ward.
Referring to the conflict of Jammu & Kashmir, Professor Alfred de Zayas recalled that there are specific Security Council resolutions on the issue including the very recent reports on the gross violations of human rights by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights together with reports from various special rapporteurs; all these reports relate to Kashmiris’ right to self-determination. He emphasised that there are various UN instruments on recognising the peoples’ rights to self-determination and this directly linked with the concert of dignity, cultural and social identity.
Opening the conference Professor Alfred de Zayas provided a legal analysis of the theme in that he submitted a comprehensive report on the issue of self-determination. He referred to people’s aspirations for self-determination which are frustrated including that of the Kingdom of Hawaii and Alaska and asked to annul the GA resolution 1469.—KMS
