ISLAMABAD, 27 October — Once again, the oppressed people of Kashmir will mark Oct. 27 as Black Day, for that was the day in 1947 when India sent its forces to Srinagar to occupy the state. This followed the accession of the Hindu Maharaja of the state to India.

This step unleashed a history of forcible occupation of the state by India, accompanied by repression, violence and abuse of human rights, which has continued to this day.

Not only have the people of Jammu and Kashmir paid a high price in terms of suffering and sacrifices but the entire region of South Asia has been held back in terms of development and progress owing to the tension and confrontation that resulted due to the occupation of Kashmir by India.

Though over 50 years have passed, the people of Kashmir have not accepted this forcible Indian occupation, and have demonstrated exceptional stamina and resolve in the struggle for their right to self-determination.

They waited for four decades for India to honor its commitment to the UN to allow them to exercise the right to self-determination. Finally, in 1989, which became known as the year of democracy all over the world, they launched a popular indigenous movement to secure this right.

India responded with genocidal repression as a result of which close to 80,000 Kashmiris have been killed.

India’s policy toward Kashmir is rooted in its rejection of the two-nation theory that was the basis of the emergence of Pakistan.

Over the years, India has justified its control over the state of Jammu and Kashmir on the basis of the accession by the Maharaja.

What has been forgotten by the world is that India had rejected accession as a basis for joining Pakistan in the case of the state of Junagarh, conducted a referendum among the largely Hindu population, and then annexed the state on the basis of their decision to join India.

The situation obtaining in Kashmir was identical, and both Governor General Mountbatten and Prime Minister Nehru had pledged to consult the people before making the accession final.

As such there is no legal or moral basis for India’s claim over Kashmir on the ground of accession, especially as the UN has clearly laid down the modalities for a decision.

India resorted to brutal repression after the Kashmiris launched an indigenous popular movement in 1989, and committed massive violation of human rights in order to suppress that movement.

As these tactics failed to overwhelm the struggle, India has sought to ascribe its continuation to “cross-border terrorism” from Pakistan.

No mass movement can last for 13 years without popular support. Pakistan has followed the policy of preventing any open attempt to cross the Line of Control (LoC), while extending moral, political and diplomatic support to the people of Kashmir. Pakistan has also repeatedly suggested the strengthening of the UN observers along the LoC to monitor movements across it, which have been ignored by India.

India has intensified its efforts to crush the Kashmiri struggle for self-determination by characterizing it as a terrorist movement.

However, the people of Kashmir have continued to demonstrate their rejection of the so-called accession by the Maharaja and will again mark the date of accession, Oct. 27, as “Black Day”.

This will serve to reiterate their resolve to carry on the struggle for the right to self-determination that was promised to them by India, Pakistan and the United Nations.