For Immediate Release

July 5,2011

USHA Strongly Condemns the Action of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation

July 5, 2011 - Atlanta - The US Hindu Alliance strongly condemns the resolution adopted by the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation on the status of Jammu and Kashmir, a province of the Republic of India, on June 30, 2011.

The OIC, an umbrella body of 57 countries, including Guyana and Suriname which are not Muslim majority countries, adopted a resolution on Kashmir during the body’s Conference of Foreign Ministers of member states, which was held in Kazakhstan towards the end of last month. The resolution accused India of “using indiscriminate force and gross violations of human rights being committed against innocent Kashmiris”. The body also urged India to allow an OIC Fact Finding Mission to visit “Indian Kashmir”.

The interference of OIC in India’s internal affairs is totally unwarranted. In our opinion, it will only make peace a more elusive goal for all the people living in the State of Jammu and Kashmir, an integral part of India, including the populations living in territories occupied by Pakistan and China. Hindus around the world are shocked to learn about a highly biased resolution on Kashmir adopted by the OIC at the behest of Pakistan. The resolution omits innumerable historical facts about Kashmir and its people and bestows sanctity to Pakistan’s 6 decades old propaganda. The State of Jammu and Kashmir will always remain an integral part of India. Any one who dreams of separating the province from India is living in fantasy land. Actions of the OIC, such as the recent resolution, will only weaken the relations between the Islamic and Dharmic Worlds.

At a time when there is significant friction between the Muslim World on the one side and the Jewish and Christian Worlds on the other side, the OIC’s statement will only result in strong negative feelings about Muslims in the Dharmic world of Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains as well. It will help in the complete alienation of all Muslims around the world. The OIC should shed its romantic embrace of the Kashmir issue and focus on repairing its image in the world through credible actions. If “indiscriminate force” and “gross violations of human rights” are to be examined in today’s world, the member states of the OIC, with the exception of Guyana and Suriname, will be found guilty of these practices more than any other country in the world. In a democracy like India, both practices are rare exceptions than the rule unlike in all Islamic Countries. Rather than adopting such provocative resolutions, it may be more beneficial for the OIC to apologize to the Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains for the countless atrocities committed on them since the birth of Islam on behalf of all Muslims in the world. That will herald a new beginning in Hindu-Muslim relations. The Vatican, United States and Britain have apologized for past wrongs committed on peaceful religions. The OIC can perhaps take a cue from the Christian World and act in a spirit of genuine reconciliation.

We applaud the decision of the Government of India to deny permission to the OIC for visiting Kashmir. It is a wise decision in keeping with the democratic and secular ideals of the Indian Republic. We urge India to do more in persuading the OIC that its Kashmir policy desperately needs a total make over, especially in the context of India’s growing bilateral relations with all OIC member states.

Note: The United States Hindu Alliance (USHA) is a national, non profit, non partisan advocacy organization of Hindus to protect and promote the interests of Hindus worldwide. For more information, please visit  www.ushaonline.org .