WASHINGTON: Cutting across party lines, two hundred and four Congressmen voted in the House of Representatives on June 29 for an amendment to cut $25 million in U.S. aid to India. The amazingly high number of votes for the bill sent a very forceful message of the Congress concern at the human rights violations by the authorities in India. The amendment by Congressman Wally Herger sought to condemn the inaction of the Indian government cases documented by the International Human Rights Organization Amnesty International of rape and torture of women by the police. It also condemned the Indian refusal to allow Amnesty International representative to investigate such cases in Punjab and other places.
It sought to identify, charge with the appropriate offenses and imprison those individual responsible for these actions; that Amnesty be allowed to investigate into the incidents of the human right abuses; and the withdrawal of the economic blockade of Nepal by India.
Till such time that the President certified to the Congress that this was done, the amendment sought to cut $10.4 million, the U.S aid to India by $25 million.
The amendment lost because 212 Congressmen voted against it.
Congressman Herger in his speech said “the reason I am offering this amendment is quite simple. India has a serious problem of Officially tolerating human rights abuses against religious and ethnic minorities and the Indian government is presently doing nothing to correct this problem.
He referred to Amnesty International’s and London’s Sunday Time’s charges of female detainees being raped by law enforcement personal and no action being taken against them.
In one Indian province according to Amnesty International, over a 15 year period more than one woman per week was raped in police custody,” the Congressman said.
He referred to India voting 93 percent of the time against the United States, not condemning the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan or the downing of Korean Air Lines flight 007 by Soviet fighter planes.
India has been a bully to its neighbors as well, economic blockade on Nepal, landing some 95,000 troops in Sri Lanka and refusing to remove them at that nation’s request,” he added.
Congressman Stephan Solarz said he was “in strong opposition to the amendment” which he said would have a “chilling” effect on the U.S. Indian relations.
“There is no comprehensive or total embargo or blockage which is imposed by India against Nepal” he said.
Solarz said “There are human right abuses in Punjab… 90 to 95 percent of them are due to Sikh extremists..”
“I would like to defend a country which identifies with democratic values,” he added.
Aney vidently well briefed Congressman Solarz referred to the cosmetic changes of the release of Jodhpur detainees (who had been incarnated without any charges against them for 5 years and most of who were rearrested after a much publicized release) soon after Congressman Wally Herger introduced (on Feb. 21) the bill to stop the “most favored nation” trade status to India.
“The government of India has released political prisoners. It is moving in the right direction. If inspite of that this amendment is adopted the chances we are that it will bring the progress in Punjab to, an end,”
Congressman Dan Burton said India had not condemned the shooting of Korean flight 007, neither had it condemned the Russian invasion of Afghanistan.
“They took $10.4 million of our money. Mr. Solarz and gave it to Daniel Ortega when he went to India and they support that nation. They support the government in Kabul. Friends of ours Mr. Solarz? I do not what you have been reading,” he added.
“The fact of the matter is that there have been atrocities in the Punjab perpetrated on the people up there by the Indian government.”
“They are in bed with the Soviet Union up there Mr. Solarz. So when they say they are good friends of the United States, I think we should take that with a gram of salt, maybe with a whole box of salt, Congressman Burton said, “Mr. Chairman, let me just say very quickly that woman have been raped and mistreated in the Punjab. People have been tortured in the Punjab. Sikhs have been tortured in the Punjab. Sikhs have been tortured by the police authorities by the government authorities in India. So there is a reason for this amendment.
Let us read what this amendment says. It says that we are going to hold off that aid until the individuals responsible for these incidents are brought to justice. What is wrong with that?
It says we are going to hold off this aid until Amnesty International can go in the investigate these alleged atrocities and human rights violations. What is wrong with that?
And itsays we will hold off until the economic blockade of Nepal is lifted. What is wrong with that?
I think this is a very well thought out amendment. I thinkitisa good amendment one that we should all embrace and support. I think we should set the record straight and I believe we have done a little bit of that just now. India is a very Close friend of the Soviet Union, and they are friends of ours only when they need our money.”
Congressman Walsh said, “The people of Nepal exist at the mercy of the Indian government, Schools are closed, businesses are closed. This is not only a regional issue. It is crucial to the rest of the world that India lift the blockade,” he added.
Congressman Donald E. Buz Lukens in his speech said, “There are enough real problems that have risen now and that have ‘been addressed now in India to Raise very real questions about their sincerity in solving their human rights problems. We know that a human rights situation does exist. If there is any way. to get the attention of the Indian Government I think that is the quickest and most effective way.”
Article extracted from this publication >> July 7, 1989
