New Delhi has reinforced security measures for the upcoming G20 tourism officials meeting scheduled to take place in the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir. Reports on Friday indicated that both China and Turkey are likely to abstain from participating in the talks.
As the G20 consists of the world’s largest economies, its presidency rotates among member states each year, with India taking charge in 2023. Analysts suggest that India intends to utilize the G20 meeting as an opportunity to normalize what Pakistan refers to as a military occupation of the contested territory. Furthermore, India aims to create an impression of international approval for its actions since August 5, 2019, which violate the UN Security Council resolution regarding the disputed status of Kashmir.
While Pakistan has already voiced its opposition to the meeting in Srinagar, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin stated during a press briefing on Friday, “China firmly opposes holding any kind of G20 meetings in disputed territory and will not attend such meetings.”
In light of the concerns surrounding the meeting, security in the occupied city of Srinagar has been heightened by Indian authorities. The event, scheduled for May 22-24, has drawn criticism from Fernand de Varennes, a UN human rights expert, who claims that it serves to create a façade of normalcy while significant human rights violations persist in the region.
De Varennes, the special rapporteur on minority issues, emphasized that the Indian government is attempting to normalize what some perceive as a military occupation by utilizing the G20 meeting as a means to obtain international validation. He expressed concerns over the escalation of arbitrary arrests, political persecution, restrictions on freedom of the press, and violations of human rights defenders’ rights.
Mehbooba Mufti, the former top elected official of the region, alleged that hundreds of Kashmiris had been detained ahead of the meeting. She highlighted an “unprecedented surge in arrests, raids, surveillance, and persecution” targeting the local population.
Indian authorities justified the heightened security measures, stating the need to safeguard vulnerable locations and prevent potential terrorist attacks during the G20 meeting.
However, critics argue that India’s efforts to shape a “Naya Kashmir” (new Kashmir) have resulted in stifling the voices of the territory’s people and press. The UN high commissioner for human rights, Volker Türk, recently expressed concerns about the human rights situation in Kashmir, which seemingly contradicts India’s portrayal of normalcy.
Fernand de Varennes asserted that the G20 is inadvertently providing a semblance of support for a veneer of normalcy while significant human rights violations, including illegal and arbitrary arrests, political persecutions, and media restrictions, persist. He emphasized the importance of upholding international human rights obligations and the UN Declaration of Human Rights, urging organizations such as the G20 to denounce and condemn the situation in Jammu and Kashmir rather than ignore it.
India responded to the expert’s statement by labeling it as “baseless” and “unwarranted” in a response shared by India’s mission at the UN on Twitter.