Issue Brief on “Homeless in Home – Kashmiris in IIOJK Face Eviction”

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The never-ending plight of the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) has turned the lives of ordinary Kashmiris into a nightmare. Each day, a new misfortune befalls the hapless Kashmiri people. The 5 August 2019 unilateral and illegal steps of the Indian Government were aimed at altering the internationally recognized “disputed” status of IIOJK and changing the demographic structure of the occupied territory. These steps were in clear violation of the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute and international law, including the 4th Geneva Convention.

Following the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A, a number of laws were introduced that aimed to fulfil the agenda of turning Muslim majority into a minority. On 31 March 2020, through an Executive Order “Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization (adaptation of state laws) Order 2020″[1] enacted new domicile law which envisaged that Indians who have resided in IIOJK for 15 years, students who have spent seven years and appeared for class 10 or 12 examinations, and children of Central government officials who served in IIOJK for 10 years will all be considered permanent resident of IIOJK. Few months down the lane, on 26 October 2020, the BJP Government announced new land laws which removed the condition of domicile or being a permanent subject of the state for purchasing land in IIOJK.[2] A delimitation commission was also formed in March 2020 with the aim to politically dispossess and disenfranchise the Muslim majority of IIOJK.

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