WASHINGTON: Last week WSN published the story of the THRO briefing to Congress, including a speech by D.S.Gill here follows further excerpts from the THRO. Photos of the occasion accompany this story.

Speech of D.S. Gill given at the function for congressman Fascell as follows Editor

Since the approval of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights the international community established laws and procedures to help guarantee internationally recognized human rights, But unfortunately some democratic governments in the recent past have preferred trade contracts more than human life. However, we appreciate the concern shown by the U.S. Congress about the human rights situation in Punjab and Kashmir.

The International Human Rights Organization (IHRO) stands for restoration of rule of law and human rights, and it is opposed to the authoritarian ways of the Government of India and some of its provincial governments. India has become a Police State where martial law has been introduced in number of Indian provinces on the pretext of aiding civil administration.

Thousands of Sikhs have been killed in blatant violation of laws. Dreaded laws have been enacted and made applicable to Punjab and other minority regions; Much has been said by Amnesty International and Asia Watch in this regard. It is pity that the Indian judiciary generally thought it expedient to live with these laws, Similarly we observe that the right to life and liberty of the Kashmiris, Moslems, Dalits (low caste), Assamese and the people living in Northeastern provinces in India, has been under violation for a long time, Indian government has always used state force to suppress the people wherever they demanded more political and economic rights or have spoken against the unjust policies of the Central Government.

The state violence is either directed against political opponents Or against those who organized themselves to oppose the arbitrary and unjust use of force by the state. Many are arrested, harassed, and detained in jails only because of their activities as lawyers, journalists, leaders of political groups or religious organizations.

Summary executions, torture, detention without trial, mass harassment and rape are a routine affair in India. Suppression of the press and judiciary to  another indication of state repression, Imposition of dreaded laws and trial of political activists in special courts are also violations of U.N, Charter and international norms and standards,

IHRO has investigated a series of reports suggesting innocent killings by government sponsored death squads. These squads have wiped out the families of Sikh activists struggling for Khalistan, their relations and suspected sympathizers. The IHRO also reported on mass rape in Punjab and Kashmir. We have song evidence on how women have been made to suffer abuse in custody or during crackdown operations by the security forces.

Because of the unabated state repression, Sikhs in Punjab and Moslems in Kashmir have totally been alienated from New Delhi. The recent boycott of Assembly elections in Punjab and the subsequent enmasse resignations by village councils’ mayors and council members are indicative of the fact that the Sikhs are fed-up with the present political set-up.

Reports by Amnesty International, Asia Watch and other human rights groups show beyond doubt that violation of human rights at the hands of the law enforcement agencies are rampant in Punjab. We in IHRO therefore view Punjab conflict not as a law and order problem as is being wrongly propagated by New Delhi, but as a political crisis. It needs to be solved politically, The people of Punjab should be allowed to determine their political status according to provisions enshrined in the U.N. charter on human rights.

We therefore call upon the American nation, the U.S. Congress and the Bush administration to exert their pressure on India to put an end to state repression and help find political solution to the Punjab Crisis.

Article extracted from this publication >> Aug 21, 1992