Toronto, Aug 22: World Kashmir Diaspora Alliance held a protest in front of Indian Consulate in Toronto against the continued human right abuses and unbridled use of force by troopers in the Kashmir Valley.

Addressing the Kashmiri Diaspora living in Canada Farooq Siddiqi (Farooq Papa) said that the world community must be made aware that Indian democracy is using garrisons of its armed forces to impose its authority in cities, towns and hamlets as a matter of its daily routine of governance through occupation.

Farooq Siddiqi said that, democracies empower people to make decisions and realize there aspiration. They offer opportunities for people to even secede and determine their future through concept of self determination, the concept that every civilized country has agreed to, by signing the UN charter of political rights of indigenous people.

Real democracies don't use endless “draconian laws” like the Special Arms Act, the Public Safety Act  as a tool to suppress the voice of popular dissent for decades and endlessly

 In a working democracy, countries do not kill innocent unarmed protestors in such wanton way as is seen in Kashmir where 62 young protestors were killed within a span of less than two months by using brutal force indiscriminately.

Farooq Siddiqi who also heads the World Kashmiri Diaspora Alliance said that in truth, it is the fear of democratic verdict of people of Kashmir of which India is nervous and scared and hence tries to evade.

“It is in the interest of India, if it wants to play a role in the globally interdependent world of the 21st century, that it accepts that Kashmir is not an integral part of its territory, so that mechanism for a peaceful settlement can be initiated,” he added.

 There are some Indians who are realizing that India needs to change its policy on Kashmir for larger strategic reasons. Given its economic rise in Asia, India must also re-evaluate its commitment to democratic principles so that its political and moral place in the world community is not further eroded.

Spokesman of WKDA Habib Yosuf Zai thanked the Sikh community in Canada and the organization of United Front of Sikh for showing the solidarity with Kashmiri people. He also thanked Mueen Hakak of  Students International League of Kashmir a student’s organization of university of Toronto for their support to the cause of Kashmir’s struggle.

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