Oh dear. Well, it was never going to be an easy road for the 94-year-old Malaysia Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad after he used his time at the UN General Assembly last week to address the on-going conflict along the India and Pakistan border in Jammu and Kashmir.
In a video clip from the speech, Mahathir told delegates:
https://twitter.com/pak__fauj/status/1177798178680328192
“Now, despite UN (United Nations) resolution on Jammu and Kashmir, the country has been invaded and occupied. There may be reasons for this action, but it is still wrong. The problem must be solved by peaceful means. India should work with Pakistan to resolve this problem. Ignoring the UN would lead to other forms of disregard for the UN and the Rule of Law.”
If you’re game for a quick history lesson, the disagreement over the north-western territories goes back to even before partition in August 1947, where both regions contested rule over the multi-ethnic mountainous region.
Under the Indian Independence Act, Kashmir was free to decide whether they were to join India or Pakistan, with the maharaja at the time deciding first for total independence, but under threat of invading Pakistani tribesmen, decided to join India.
War quickly ensued, with the UN intervening and offering the suggestion of a plebiscite to decide the area’s future. Well, they couldn’t even get past agreeing on how to demilitarize the region, let alone even hold a referendum on the matter.
In July 1949, India and Pakistan finally agreed to a ceasefire, and the region became divided, each individually administered by the two nations.
Since then, the region has heated up with wars – first in 1965, then in 1999 when both had become nuclear powers. Unrest remains, with both countries claiming the areas in full, and tens of thousands having died along the way.
Just how contentious is the conflict still? Well, this year EA Sports found themselves in hot water with some netizens after their FIFA 20 showed a map of India omitting the contentious northern regions altogether, something they have elected to do since 2017.
Turns out EA screwed up the map of India yet again. No Kashmir. #FIFA20 pic.twitter.com/NIlzLiRm4G
— rishi alwani (@RishiAlwani) September 26, 2019
According to Indian law, any map produced of the region must show what India has decreed is their land. Reproductions of anything less could result in criminal action, and some news outlets just blur the area like a slipped nipple to avoid any legal headaches.
hasan minhaj *pointing at blurry blob*: we couldnt show a map of kashmir because we were told that if we did without using indian approved borders we'd get sued by india
me: lmao
hasan: joke's on u india americans couldn't even find kashmir if it WERE on a map
me: OOF
— arshia (@arshia__) March 17, 2019
Now, with all of this in mind, we’ve got a nonagenarian statesman telling both India and Pakistan that the area was “invaded” and remains “occupied,” and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.
Oh, earlier this week, Mahathir also held a meeting with Pakistani PM Imran Khan, and Turkish PM Erdogan, and while the speech wasn’t technically related — maybe some folks already had their feathers ruffled at the trio.
In true modern-day form, anyone bothered to tune in to a UN General Assembly address is probably online, and they’ve taken their rancour to Twitter, where Dr. M’s please for giving peace a chance have been lambasted, and instead people are urging other disgruntled netizens to #BoycottMalaysia.
We’re not about to wade into the cesspool that is Twitter, but you’ve got a lot of people mad that Tun M would dare slight India without ever calling China out for its Uighur indiscretions.
You don't have the capacity to confront China on Uighur Muslims, but how willingly and openly you support Pakistan against Indian action on Kashmir!! Bravo !#BoycottMalaysia pic.twitter.com/gUYub7WKzN
— Chandresh Dedhia (@chandreshd) September 30, 2019
Others feel that yet again our PM has taken a bold move to speak out against a superpower.
He just suggested the right way to solve the problem between two countries…
And why the #BoycottMalaysia appear ???
Just because of this issue…?
😂🤝 https://t.co/6IhlGCmrD7— Stand With Palestine 🇵🇸 (@uchihauden) October 1, 2019
And then you’ve got a bunch of less informed folk just spouting hate.
#BoycottMalaysia??? You guys shit on the street. Gang rape women and children. Supports child marriage. Islamophobes. Should be #BoycottIndia.
— EryAzmiFX #Penander #RSITrader (@eryazmi) October 1, 2019
Just another day in Twitterjaya!
Reader Interactions