Washington, D.C.: The House subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Affairs will focus on the human rights Violations in Punjab at a hearing on October 25. The recent reports of gross human rights violations in the state have given the impetus for the hearing at which Congressmen Ben Blaz of Guam, Robert Toricelli of New Jersey, Robert Lagomarsio of California and Eni Faleomayaega of American Samoa are expected to quiz Richard Schifter the Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights and John Kelly the Assistant Secretary of State for near eastern and South Asian affairs. Lobbying efforts of Sikh organizations like the World Sikh Organization and leaders including Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh provided the impetus to the efforts of Congressman Ben Blaz, and Wally others to press for human rights violations in Punjab being discussed in the hearing. A number of Congressmen like Herger, Dan Burton, and Norman D.
Shumway, who are not members of the subcommittee had also pressed their colleagues to discuss Punjab. The recent reports of torture of women which were published in the World Sikh News and other reports of mistreatment, torture and extra judicial killings published elsewhere, as well as the attempt by the Indian government to stop retired high court judge Ajit Singh Bains, who is also the president of Punjab Human Rights Organization, from addressing the United Nations Human Rights Organization in Geneva by seizing his passport (WSN. Sept 1) also kept the focus on the issue. D.S. Gill the Secretary of Punjab Human Rights Organization is also in the capital. He is likely to attend the hearing and meet and address a number of Congressmen after the hearing Gurcharan Singh Dhillon President of the World Sikh Organization and Dr. Gurinder Singh Grewal the Presi dent of the World Sikh News are also scheduled to attend the meeting.
The Oct 25 hearing will also discuss Pakistan nuclear stance and the role of the Indian Army in Sri Lanka, The Indian army has been accused of killing civilians and of other human rights violations in that country. Congressman Steve Solarz of New York is the chairman of the Subcommittee. He had lead the efforts to oppose an amendment proposed, on June 30, by Congressman Wally Herger and others to cut aid to India till it allowed Amnesty International to investigate cases of human rights violations in Punjab, punished police officials guilty of crimes against women in Punjab, and lifted the economic blockade of Nepal. The amendment was narrowly defeated by a vote of 212 against, 204 for and 16 abstentions, largely due to Congressman Solarz’s intense lobbying for India.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 27, 1989
