Remembering Decades of Denial, Defiance and Determination

KASHMIR BLACK DAY

Remembering Decades of Denial, Defiance and Determination

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." - Martin Luther King Jr. 

The map of South Asia was redrawn during the partition of 1947 which gave birth to new nations and ignited hopes of freedom for millions. This partition affected the princely states, and among the most affected was Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIoJK), a land subject to competing claims, while the people living there simply wanted the basic right to choose their own future. Kashmiris were once promised this choice, but history took a darker turn. Instead of liberty, the shadows of occupation spread heavily. Instead of ballots, bayonets arrived. A decision that was meant to be democratic instead led to a decades-long tale of oppression, loss, and resilience. This tale began on a single day, October 27, 1947, now remembered as Kashmir’s Black Day.

 

By Samra Khaksar

This day, October 27, remains a reminder of broken promises, unending struggles for dignity, and shattered dreams, a day etched in the memories of millions. The tale began when Maharaja Hari Singh, fearing the collapse of his rule amid a massive public uprising, sought military assistance from India. New Delhi agreed to send its forces only after the Maharaja signed the so-called Instrument of Accession, a document whose authenticity and timing remain deeply disputed. Historians such as Alastair Lamb have argued that Indian troops had already entered Srinagar even before the document was supposedly signed, turning the act into a post-facto justification for invasion rather than a legal accession.

 

What was presented as an act of protection swiftly became an assertion of control. The Indian government promised that the accession was provisional and that the people of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir would later determine their future through a plebiscite supervised by the United Nations. However, that promise was never honored. Instead, the region was gradually absorbed into the Indian Union through constitutional manipulation, militarization, and systematic repression.


The United Nations Security Council resolutions of 1948 and 1949 reaffirmed the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination, yet those words remain unfulfilled. Today, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and suppression of freedoms testify that October 27 is not a memory, it is an ongoing tragedy.

 

This day stands out as a stark reminder of the contradiction between India’s democratic ideals and its actions in Jammu and Kashmir. India proudly presents itself as the world’s largest democracy, yet in IIoJK, democracy has been distorted into a means of domination and control. People who speak out for justice face charges of sedition, journalists are silenced and even mourning is viewed as rebellion.


The abrogation of article 370 and 35A in August 2019 made things worse as it took away Kashmir’s special status, ending its autonomy and opening the door for policies the change the population under the guise of bringing everyone together. The so-called development narrative pushed forward since 2019 rings hollow in the face of ongoing militarization and human rights violations. Months after the removal of these articles, thousands of leaders, activists and ordinary people were detained. Internet shutdowns, random arrests and a complete media blackout have become the new normal.

 

Yet, amid the darkness, the people of IIoJK remain strong. From young people who keep speaking out even with the risk of being jailed to mothers of the disappeared who march with pictures of their sons, the spirit of resistance never dies. Burhan Wani, a young man, who became a symbol of resistance through social media, shows how the struggle is now seen not just as a political issue, but as a fight for identity and survival.


The pain of  IIoJK doesn’t stop at its borders; it’s a moral challenge for the world; a reflection of how international institutions have failed to live up to the principles they were built on. The United Nations, which once stood for justice, has let this issue become just another bureaucratic matter. Meanwhile, global powers that talk about human rights have chosen their own interests over doing the right thing.

 

As the world remembers this day, it can't ignore the truth that the people of IIoJK keep living under one of the most heavily armed regions in the world. Every curfew, every protest and every silent tear show a people who won’t give up their right to decide their own future. Kashmir’s black day is not just about remembering the past, its about facing the present and demanding the future, where justice replaces oppression and where promises are kept instead of broken.


The world has to decide if it will keep ignoring the voices of Kashmiris or finally stand with those who have been unheard for generations. Black day is not just about mourning it is about resistance, memory and the hope that the International community will finally live up to its responsibility. As we mark October 27, the question remains; How long will the cries of IIoJK go unheard in the conscience of the world? 

 

 

The writer is a research intern at the Kashmir Institute of International Relations (KIIR) and serves as a member of the HEAL Pakistan Organization.

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