Tag:GS2||International Relations||International Organizations||OIC

Why in news?

• The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) asked India to “rescind” its actions in Kashmir and abide by the relevant UN Security Council resolutions following Govt’s decision to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.

 About OIC:

• The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) (formerly Organization of the Islamic Conference) is the second-largest inter-governmental organization founded in 1969 after the United Nations which has membership of 57 states spread over four continents with a collective population of over 1.8 billion as of 2015.
• The Organization is the collective voice of the Muslim world and
• To ensuring to safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony among various people of the world.
• Some countries have observer status:
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina (1994)
  • Central African Republic (1996)
  • Kingdom of Thailand (1998)
  • The Russian Federation (2005)
  • Turkish Cypriot State (1979)
• The official languages of the OIC are Arabic, English, and French.

India relationship with oic:

• India is neither a member nor an observer of OIC.
• But, first time, India was invited as ‘guest of honor’ to OIC meet on February 2019.

OIC and its views on Kashmir:

• Repeal its unilateral illegal actions: Calling on India to “rescind” its actions revoking Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, Saudi Arabia joined Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Niger to issue a statement on behalf of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Kashmir contact group, criticizing the government’s actions there. The Contact Group reaffirmed that Jammu and Kashmir was an internationally recognized dispute, pending on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council.
• Abide by UN security resolutions: After a ministerial meeting on the sidelines of the UNGA, the group asked the government to “rescind its unilateral illegal actions and reiterate its commitment to abide by the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.
• Demographic composition: India will have to provide assurances that it will not change the occupied territory’s demographic composition and not allow non-Kashmiris to acquire property or residency in J&K.
• Other demands of OIC: Such as:
  • halt its human rights violation,
  • repeal its draconian emergency laws, and
  • withdraw its heavy military presence.
• The Contact Group urged India to allow access to the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) and other international rights bodies in Jammu and Kashmir to independently verify the human rights violations.

 India’s stance:

• 2nd largets Muslim population: Islam is the second-largest religion in India, with 2% of the country’s population of approx. 200 million people identifying as adherents of Islam (2018 estimate).It makes India the country with the largest Muslim population outside Muslim-majority countries.
• The Minister of external affairs (MEA) did not respond to the statement from the organization that represents 57 member states.
• Internal matter: As regards the resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir, our stand is consistent and well known. India has routinely dismissed any comments on what it considers India’s “internal matter”.It also pointed to the fact that several major Muslim community groups including the Jamaat ulema-e-Hind had backed the government’s moves in Kashmir.

About the OIC Contact Group on Jammu & Kashmir:

• The Contact Group on Jammu & Kashmir was formed in 1994 to coordinate the policy of the OIC on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. Azerbaijan, Niger, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey are its members.

 Why Did India Ignore?

• India feeled that the statement was issued by the OIC contact group on J & K to please Pakistan
• National importance: currently, oic has 57 members and india has doubted that whether the statement issued at present reflects the national interest of all these 57 members or a statement is released by few countries nearly to just please Pakistan.

 Way Ahead:

• If we see the staement it would serve no useful purpose.
• Pakistan should change its policy on terrorism, it will improve Indo- Pakistan relations.
• India must demonstrate to the world that its new Kashmir policy will provide benefits to the peoples of J & K such as : to give peoples flourishing opportunities for employment, each child would get right of education and each patient would get free health care under Ayushman Bharat, it will promote external investment in the state etc.

References:

• https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kashmir-issue-rescind-action-on-article-370-organisation-of-islamic-cooperation-tells-india/article29522112.ece
• https://www.news18.com/news/india/organisation-of-islamic-cooperation-on-jk-calls-modi-govts-decision-to-revoke-article-370-illegal-2260783.html
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organisation_of_Islamic_Cooperation