Image: The Federal

Faizel Patel – 05/08/2021

The Red for Kashmir campaign coordinator says there is a quiet diplomacy surrounding the Kashmir issue as Kashmiris wait for independence after 73-years.

Claire Bidwell was speaking to Radio Islam about the Red for Kashmir campaign on 5 August.

The initiative is a social media campaign aimed at raising international awareness on the ongoing plight of Kashmiri’s and their struggle for independence.

Kashmiri people in the diaspora turn their profiles red, which signifies the colour of blood and history of the country’s struggle.

Bidwell says the world has been largely silent on the Kashmiri issue.

“There’s so many different reasons for that, one is that it isn’t known. It’s closest status quo to the western world to not interfere and keep it there and for India and Pakistan to just continue as it is. The other thing we’ve found in our work is most like a kind of rule and divide. There’s a lot of differences of thinking within political ideologies.”

Bidwell the Red for Kashmir campaign is draw people to the Kashmiri cause.

“It’s about the solidarity, standing in solidarity with the Kashmiri’s letting them know they are not alone and there are people out here. It’s very much about their course as well, their driving a lot of this because they are silenced and since the lockdown of the 2019, the situation has actually gotten worse.”

While a United Nations Security Council Resolution 47 was adopted on 21 April 1948 to help prepare for a plebiscite to decide the fate of Kashmir through a referendum by the people of the region, until today, this has never happened.

(Twitter: @FaizelPatel143)

Listen to the interview with Claire Bidwell