It was twenty years ago on the 20th of June 2001 when the Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) was formed. Many people and organisations in Jammu and Kashmir came together to discuss the idea of a coalition, which eventually became the powerful platform that is JKCCS. Over these past years, this people's initiative along with solidarity groups from the outside the region, has undertaken several efforts that not only brought together the people of Jammu and Kashmir but also gave them hope, courage and confidence to live through oppression and fight the forces of occupation.
The battle for political rights and civil liberties has never been easy in any part of the world, least of all in J&K. The JKCCS lost many friends to violence. Many friends have been injured during election observation to reporting from the ground. Many more were persecuted, arrested and incarcerated. Through all these difficult times, the initiative has stayed strong to form one of the most significant people's platforms from J&K.
Documentation produced by the Indian state in J&K has always eclipsed truth with distortion. This is more so in our current post-truth era of blatant manipulation in the name of security and governance. It is within this context that JKCCS has built a body of work of reportage from the ground that has been significant in holding the government accountable for its actions. This evidence has also become an important resource to activists and scholars alike.
Reminding the perpetrators of violence and their communities that this is not just about human rights violations but about the struggle for self-determination is an important task the JKCCS has performed in history. It has helped in keeping alive a brave resistance that the state wants to suppress at all costs.
There can never be peace without justice, and no justice without resistance. The Pakistan India Peoples’ Forum for Peace and Democracy salutes the JKCCS and each and every individual and organisation behind the consistent work that JKCCS has put together. Members of PIPFPD hope and wish that the JKCCS takes forward it’s mission of keeping together the people of Jammu and Kashmir in the pursuit for justice, human rights and peace.
#KashmirCaged
#StandWithKashmir
#Restore4G
#ReleasePoliticalPrisoners
#EndOccupation
Ref: www.jkccs.net
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