{EOP}Europe’s Parliaments Are Impressed By Kashmiri Girl Aneesa

Her Ordeal Resonates In Europe; Invitations Pile Up

SPECIAL REPORT | Wednesday | 16 March 2011WWW.PAKNATIONALISTS.COM

GENEVA, Switzerland—Last Friday, Kashmiri girl Aneesa Nabi, 17, whose parents were killed by Indian soldiers, landed in Geneva to tell her story. Even Indian delegates were shocked and empathized as NGO activists rushed to console her; several embassies sent observers to witness her testimony, including US government’s permanent mission to Geneva which is traditionally averse to discussing the tragedy of Kashmiris.

[Read the original inspiring story of how United Nations in Geneva received Aneesa.Click here to read the full report.]

But now Aneesa’s story is gaining more attention. A senior UN official, whose name is withheld, has met Aneesa and offered to take up the case of her father, abducted by Indian Army in 1996 and ‘disappeared’ ever since.

But more interestingly, parliamentary standing committees in several European countries are emailing requests to Aneesa inviting her to speak in their coming hearings.

Human rights activists do not expect Indian diplomats to launch a counteroffensive to control damage from Aneesa’s revelations about Indian Army tactics in Kashmir. Many Indians rights activists are angry at the genocide conducted by Indian military in the internationally disputed territory.

Aneesa Nabi returned to Azad [Free] Kashmir this week, where she took refuge since escaping from Indian-occupied Kashmir in 2008.

Before her departure to Azad Kashmir, she gave a brief video statement to PakNationalists.com. Shagufta Ashraf, from KIIR, the Kashmiri NGO that helped her escape danger and come to Geneva, also shared her thoughts about how the two worked together to ensure Aneesa can handle the glare of media, NGOs and diplomats as they took interest in her ordeal. [Click here to see the video in Urdu, and click here for the video in English.  Click here for a clip of Aneesa’s first appearance in Geneva on 11 March.]

Another landmark event followed when this teenager became the youngest person ever to address country and NGO delegates at UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, established in 2006.

On 15 March, Aneesa Nabi entered the Council hall and addressed the president of the council and delegates.

“My name is Aneesa,” she told the meeting. “I am here in search of my father and punishment for those who killed my mother. I was only 4-year-old when my father was taken away by the Indian Security Forces on 24 July 1996 and did not return till date […] all others who were arrested were released after short interrogations and torture but my father did not return. For some time [Indian] army officers gave assurances that he will be released soon […] “Mr. President, I request you, all human rights defenders and decent nations to help me. I thank you, Mr. President.”

[Click here to read the full story ] of Aneesa’s amazing first appearance at UN Geneva on 11 March 2011].