Washington, October 19, 1987 – A congressional study, released today by Rep. Vic Fazio, D-California, criticized the government of India’s Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi for systematically violated the human rights of thousands of India’s 16 million Sikhs and for failing to seek a political solution to the Sikh crisis which grips the economically and strategically important state of Punjab.
“The report is an indictment of Prime Minister Gandhi’s refusal to seek a political, peaceful solution to the crisis in Punjab,” declared Fazio. “Gandhi’s government has routinely violated the basic human rights of the Sikh minority, and, in so doing, has given impetus to the extremist elements in the Sikh community; the ranks of the militant Sikhs have swollen rather than declined in response to the Gandhi government’s tactics.”
According to the report, prepared by Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress. “Although the Gandhi government faces severe difficulties dealing with what has become a violent secessionist movement, the methods employed by the Indian government have raised serious allegations of human rights abuses. Most widely criticized by groups such as Amnesty International and Indian human rights advocates is the imposition of a legal regime that facilitates the indefinite holding of suspects without trial, secret trials in which the burden of proof is on the accused, and severely limited appeal rights. In addition, there is evidence that Indian law itself is frequently violated by security forces, notably the centrally controlled Border Security Force, through wrongful arrests and torture, staged killings under the guise of encounters between terrorists or border infiltrators and police, and other abuses of authority.”
Said Fazio: “President Reagan should use the visit of the Prime Minister as an opportunity to stress that all parties, denied the opportunity to visit Punjab. Just 3 months ago, the Indian Government dissolved the state government of Punjab. This city is now ruled directly from New Delhi.
Two weeks prior to the July bus killings, police and security forces raided the Golden Temple and surrounding residential districts. Homes were searched, hundreds of people were arrested and a curfew was clamped on the citizens of Amritsar if the so-called extremists go ahead with a planned meeting. Why didn’t we read about this in the newspaper?
Mr. Speaker, India claims to be a democratic nation. If this is true, I implore the Indian Government to respect the fundamental freedoms of their citizens and of the rest of the world. Prime Minister Gandhi must halt the violations perpetrated against the Sikh minority and allow the rest of the world to see the real situation in the Punjab.
“The only settlement which can have any lasting meaning is one that is achieved through peaceful, political negotiations conducted in good faith between the Sikh community and the Indian government.
“There is no room for violence and terrorism — including state-sponsored violence and terrorism — in such a process. These can only serve to undermine a true and lasting peace between all the people of India.
“With this in mind, I urge Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and his government to strengthen their efforts to reach a negotiated settlement to ensure that the rights of the Sikh minority are fully protected.
