“A people may be silenced by force, but their yearning for freedom cannot be buried with their dead.”

Johannesburg, South Africa — 27 October 2026

As the world marks the 79th anniversary of Kashmir Black Day, the South Africa Kashmir Action Group (SAKAG), under the chairmanship of Salman I. Khan, solemnly remembers the lives lost, families shattered, disappearances unresolved and generations of Kashmiris who continue to await justice, dignity and the fulfilment of their fundamental right to self-determination.

On 27 October 1947, Indian troops landed in Srinagar, an event that Kashmiris and their supporters commemorate as the beginning of a prolonged and deeply contested chapter in the history of Jammu and Kashmir. Seventy-nine years later, the Kashmir dispute remains unresolved, and the international community faces a serious question:

How long can the suffering of an entire people remain on the margins of global conscience?

“Seventy-nine years is not merely a passage of time. It is 79 years of unanswered questions, broken families, unfulfilled promises and a people's continuing demand to determine their own destiny. Kashmir must not become a forgotten tragedy in the archives of international diplomacy,” said Salman I. Khan, Chairman of SAKAG.

A HUMANITARIAN CRISIS THAT DEMANDS ACCOUNTABILITY

For decades, human rights organisations and investigative bodies have documented grave concerns relating to killings, enforced disappearances, torture, arbitrary detention, restrictions on civil liberties and allegations of sexual violence in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.

Reports concerning unidentified and unmarked graves have raised urgent questions about the identities of the dead, the circumstances of their deaths and the need for independent, credible forensic investigations. Human rights organisations have also documented allegations of abuses against detainees and the use of restrictive security legislation.

Estimates of deaths over the decades vary considerably among official sources, human rights organisations and advocacy groups. SAKAG calls for transparent, independently verifiable records of those killed, disappeared, detained or otherwise affected by the conflict.

“Every unidentified grave represents a question that humanity has a duty to ask. Every disappeared person represents a family denied closure. Every allegation of torture, rape, unlawful killing or arbitrary detention deserves an impartial investigation. Justice cannot be selective, and human dignity cannot be conditional upon nationality, religion or political allegiance.” The continued suffering of civilians must never be dismissed as an inevitable consequence of conflict. Allegations of serious violations must be investigated independently, evidence preserved, victims protected, and any individual found responsible held accountable through due process.

UNITED NATIONS RESOLUTIONS MUST NOT REMAIN ON PAPER

The United Nations Security Council has adopted multiple resolutions concerning Jammu and Kashmir, including Resolutions 47 (1948), 91 (1951) and 122 (1957), addressing the dispute and the question of its final disposition.

SAKAG calls upon the United Nations and its Member States to revisit the continuing failure to achieve a peaceful and just resolution, strengthen efforts to protect human rights, and pursue a credible political process that respects the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

“The authority of the United Nations cannot rest solely on the resolutions it adopts; it must also be reflected in the determination to pursue their implementation. International law loses public confidence when commitments endure on paper while human suffering continues on the ground.”

SAKAG further urges the international community to support independent monitoring, access for credible human rights mechanisms, accountability for substantiated violations and meaningful engagement towards a peaceful resolution consistent with applicable international law.

The organisation believes that the absence of a final resolution after nearly eight decades is a profound failure of international diplomacy and a continuing source of insecurity and human suffering in South Asia.

SOUTH AFRICA MUST TURN ITS PRINCIPLES INTO DIPLOMATIC ACTION

SAKAG calls upon the Government of South Africa, particularly the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), to place the human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir firmly on its diplomatic agenda.

South Africa's history of resistance to oppression and its constitutional commitment to human dignity, equality and freedom provide a powerful moral foundation for principled engagement wherever fundamental rights are at risk.

We call upon the South African Government to:

1. Engage diplomatically with relevant governments and multilateral institutions to promote the protection of civilians and an end to alleged human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir.

2. Support independent investigations into allegations of unlawful killings, enforced disappearances, torture, sexual violence, arbitrary detention and abuses connected with unmarked graves.

3. Advocate for the implementation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions and renewed international efforts towards a peaceful, credible and just resolution of the Kashmir dispute.

4. Support lawful accountability mechanisms, ensuring that credible allegations of international crimes are assessed by competent authorities on the basis of admissible evidence and applicable law.

5. Raise concerns about property and land rights, including allegations of unlawful dispossession, and call for transparent safeguards against arbitrary deprivation of homes, land and livelihoods.

6. Mobilise multilateral engagement through the United Nations and other appropriate international forums to ensure that the people of Kashmir are not excluded from discussions concerning their future.

   
   

SAKAG also calls upon South African civil society, human rights organisations, universities, faith communities, trade unions, journalists and the legal profession to speak out against impunity and stand in solidarity with all victims of serious human rights violations.

THE MODI DOCKET: A CALL FOR LAWFUL INVESTIGATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY

SAKAG reiterates its concerns regarding allegations of serious human rights violations and international crimes associated with the situation in Kashmir, including allegations raised in submissions concerning Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

SAKAG has publicly advocated for legal accountability and has called for the relevant South African authorities to consider allegations and supporting material through appropriate legal channels. The organisation maintains that credible allegations must be assessed impartially, without political favour or prejudice.

Any reference to arrest warrants, criminal complaints or proposed prosecution must be distinguished from a warrant issued by a competent court or a finding of guilt. SAKAG therefore calls for transparency regarding the status of any submissions made to the South African Police Service, the National Prosecuting Authority and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation.

“Accountability is not vengeance; it is the foundation of justice. No public office should provide immunity from lawful scrutiny, and no individual should be condemned without a fair process. The same principles must apply to everyone.”

SAKAG urges the South African authorities to examine any properly submitted evidence within their jurisdiction and to determine, independently and in accordance with South African law and applicable international obligations, whether further investigative or prosecutorial action is warranted.

The organisation further calls for the competent international institutions to consider matters falling within their respective jurisdictions. International accountability must be pursued through lawful processes, not political expediency.

LAND, PROPERTY AND THE RIGHT TO LIVE WITH DIGNITY

SAKAG expresses serious concern about allegations of land appropriation, property dispossession and changes affecting the rights and livelihoods of Kashmiris.

Land is not merely an economic asset. It carries the memories of families, the inheritance of generations and the cultural identity of a people. Any allegation of unlawful dispossession demands transparent examination, effective remedies and protection against arbitrary deprivation of property.

“You may fence the land, change the laws and silence the streets, but you cannot erase a people's memory of home.”

SAKAG calls upon relevant international bodies and human rights institutions to scrutinise credible reports concerning property rights, demographic changes and the impact of legal and administrative measures on the population. It urges that the rights, safety and dignity of all affected communities be protected.

A MESSAGE TO THE WORLD: SILENCE IS NOT NEUTRALITY

Kashmir Black Day is not a call for hatred against the people of India. It is a call for justice, accountability, peace and the protection of human dignity.

The people of Kashmir deserve a future in which children can grow without fear, families can seek answers about their missing loved ones, journalists and human rights defenders can work without intimidation, and communities can preserve their homes, culture and identity.

The international community must not allow geopolitical interests to eclipse universal human rights. Civil society across the world has a responsibility to demand credible investigations, defend peaceful advocacy, support victims and insist that international commitments be honoured.

SAKAG calls upon the United Nations Secretary-General, the UN Human Rights Council, relevant Special Procedures, international human rights organisations and civil society networks to renew their engagement with the Kashmir question and press for measurable progress.

We urge the international community to support a peaceful process that gives meaningful effect to the aspirations and rights of the Kashmiri people, in accordance with applicable international law and relevant United Nations resolutions.

A POEM FOR KASHMIR

O Kashmir, land of mountains high,Where silent graves still question the sky;Where mothers wait and children mourn,And hope survives each wounded dawn.

Seventy-nine years, yet justice waits,While history stands before closed gates;But truth will rise, and voices remain,Like rivers flowing through valleys of pain.

No land finds peace where rights are denied,No lasting freedom where truths must hide;Let justice speak, let conscience awake,And let no more innocent hearts break.

For Kashmir's future must not be decreedBy fear, by force, or by power's greed;Let peace be built where justice is sown,And let the people determine their own.

By: Salman Khan

OUR RESOLVE: JUSTICE, DIGNITY AND PEACE

As we observe Kashmir Black Day 2026, SAKAG renews its commitment to peaceful advocacy, international engagement and lawful accountability.

“The struggle for justice does not expire with time, and the responsibility to protect human rights does not end at a nation's borders.”

Kashmir must not remain a permanent footnote in international diplomacy. Its people deserve meaningful protection, credible accountability and a peaceful future in which their rights and aspirations are taken seriously.

Justice delayed is justice denied. Kashmir cannot wait another generation.

Issued by: Salman I. KhanChairmanSouth Africa Kashmir Action Group (SAKAG)Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa

www.kashmirglobalmovement.com

ENDS

Media enquiries: South Africa Kashmir Action Group (SAKAG)email: salkhan1@yahoo.com Whatsapp 082 691 6048