The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has condemned India’s news domicile law in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IoK), calling it a violation of UN Security Council resolutions.
The official statement from the OIC reads: “The General Secretariat of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has been following with deep concern the unilateral actions of 5 August 2019 and subsequent measures to alter the demographics of and undermine the rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir”.
OIC termed the Domicile Certificate (Procedure) Rules 2020’ as ‘baseless’ and against the international laws, stressing upon the importance of complying with international law and UNSC resolutions.
The organisation also urged the international community to gear up its efforts to resolve the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and as per the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
Pakistan also condemned and rejected the introduction of “Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Order 2020” – terming an attempt to illegally change the demographic structure of Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK).
In a press release, the Foreign Office of Pakistan had said that the order was another illegal step by India to settle non-Kashmiris in the occupied territory by changing the domicile laws.
“This is a clear violation of international law, including the 4th Geneva Convention”, said the Foreign Office.
What is ‘Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Order 2020’?
On 5 August 2019, PM, Modi’s Government revoked Articles 35 A and 370 of the Indian constitution, which ended Kashmir’s special status (limited autonomy granted earlier vide Article 370), and removed the restrictions for the Indians to buy and own properties in occupied Kashmir.
The Indian Government also divided the state into two union territories, to be governed by the Federal Government, by appointing a Lieutenant Governor as the Administrator of each union territory.
Now, a new law, termed as, ‘the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Order, 2020’, has been enacted in the occupied Jammu and Kashmir, which makes the Indians, who have resided for a period of 15 years in the occupied region or have studied for a period of seven years and appeared in Class 10/12 examinations there, eligible for domicile of the state.
This action is aimed at illegally changing the demographic status of the occupied Jammu and Kashmir territory as non-Kashmiris will become its citizens to diminish its Muslim majority status.
As the order grants domicile rights to Indian citizens in the region, the foreign affairs experts fear that it will alter the demographic status of the Muslim dominated territory.
The order comes nearly eight months after the Indian government stripped the region of its limited autonomy that had protected the region for decades from demographic changes.
