WASHINGTON: A broad cross section of Congressman introduced a bipartisan bill to deny the “most favored nation” trade status to India unless it stops the Human Rights Violations there was introduced in the 101st Congress by Representative Wally Herger (Republican California). It is cosponsored by 17 Congressmen including Representative Tony Coehlo (Democrat California) on February 21.

The other Congressman who cosponsored the bill were: Bill McCollum (R. Florida), Les Aspin (D. Wisconsin), Bob McEwon(R. Ohio), Robert Torricelli (D. N. Jersey), Helen Delich Bentley (R. Maryland), Vic Fazio (D. California), Christopher Shays (R. Connecticut), Major Owens (D. New York), Norman Shumway (R. California), Jim Moody (D. Wisconsin), Donald Lukens (R. Ohio), Esteban Torres (D. California), Dan Burton (R. Indiana), Kweisi Mfume(R. Indiana), Bob Doran (D. Maryland), David Dreier (R. California).

Coehlo is the whip of the Democratic congressional caucus and his support to the bill is seen as a significant step towards its passage in the Congress. Both Coehlo and Herger represent congressional districts which have significant Sikh constituents who have been supporting the Congressmen in their election campaigns.

A resolution introduced by Representatives Dan Burton (Republican Indiana) last year, which condemns human rights violations in India, especially in Punjab. It also got strong bipartisan support.

The Indian embassy official has been feverishly trying to forestall the legislation. They have been meeting Congressman, mobilizing Hindu constituent to put Pressure on their representatives, and mobilizing their “friends” in the Congress to keep the “most favored” status while continuing to violate the civil and human rights of the Sikhs.

Commenting on the introduction of this bill in the congress, Doug Riggs a spokesperson for Congressman Wally Herger told the World Sikh News, “The number and variety of the cosponsors testified to the importance of this bill.

Ten of the Congressmen are Republicans and eight are Democrats.”

Speaking on behalf of Congressman Herger Riggs said, “The Congressman is hoping that the bill will send a message that the Congress is serious about Human Rights and expects the trading partners to respect that point.”

The following is the text of the Bill

SECTION 1. FINDINGS

The Congress makes the following findings:

(1) Amnesty International, in August 1988 report, confirmed that it had received reports that dozens of prisoners being held in Indian prisons across the country had died in police custody after being tortured. That the most persistent allegations of torture of political prisoners have come from the Punjab, and that such allegations have been confirmed by an official commission of inquiry.

 (2) Amnesty International attributed police excesses, arbitrary arrests, and prolonged detention without trial to the removal of legal safeguards in security laws and “official failure to clamp down on lawlessness by India’s national and State security forces.”

(3) Amnesty International has urged the Indian Government to investigate “persistent allegations that political activists have been killed in staged “encounters” with the police, especially in the Punjab.

(4) The New York Times and India Today have reported on the use of pro-government death squads in the Punjab and the practice of hiring vigilantes to kill Sikhs.

(5) Hundreds of Sikhs have been kept in prison for years without charge or trial, including over 300 held in the Jodhpur Jail since 1984 many of them women, children, and pilgrims caught up in the attack on the Golden Temple in June 1984.

(6) Records of deaths in prisons in India are frequently not kept.

(7) Amnesty International observers have not been allowed inside the Punjab to investigate these and other allegations of human rights. Abuses.

(8) The majority of the Sikh people still support a peaceful resolution of the difficulties in the Punjab.

SEC. 2 DENIAL OF MOST FAVOURED NATION TRADE STATUS TO INDIA.

Nondiscriminatory (most favored nation) trade treatment shall not apply with respect to articles that are the product of India and that are entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, in the customs territory of the United States on or after the date of the enactment of this Act SEC.

3 RESTORATION OF MOST FAVOURED NATION TRADE STATUS TO INDIA.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the President is authorized to restore nondiscriminatory trade treatment to articles that are the product of India if the President makes a determination and certifies to the Congress at least 30 days prior to the date on which such restoration takes effect, that

(1) There are no individuals presently being detained in the jail in Jodhpur, India, who have not been charged with a specific crime and given a fair and impartial trial by the courts;

 (2) Internationally recognized human rights groups (such as Asia Watch and Amnesty International) are being allowed to visit the Punjab and compile a complete report on the human rights situation of that region, and

 (3) The Government of India has taken significant steps to curb human rights abuses by local police and paramilitary forces.

Earlier Congressman Herger had written a “Dear Colleague” letter in the Congress in which he said,

“Throughout our history, the United States has demonstrated an admirable concern for groups and individuals who have suffered from human rights abuses. Whether Jewish. Ethiopian. or Cuban we have always been willing to lend a helping hand in times of need,

During the past several years, concern has mounted in the Congress about the Human Rights situation in India. At first, only sporadic reports of prison tortures, disappearances, and jailing of innocent victims leaked out of India. More recently, however, international attention has been focused on this situation. Last year, the House unanimously supported an amendment to the Foreign Aid bill that expressed the sense of Congress that the Indian government should respect the religious and human rights of its peoples, and should work towards a peaceful solution to the troubles in the state of Punjab.”

The Congressman referred to the Amnesty International Report which details numerous allegations of human rights abuses on the part of the Indian government and said that these were the reasons for which he and Congressman Tony Coehlo wanted to introduce the legislation.

Article extracted from this publication >>  February 24, 1989