The winding Jhelum river after 30 months of carnage has turned red with the blood of the people of Kashmir, Successive Indian governments have used the military with great brutality to crush the freedom struggle and silence the Kashmiri’s into submission and servitude. While the Camage has gone unabated, and the Kashmiri’s have been slaughtered by the Indian troops, America has looked to the other side. This callous American attitude has fuelled the Indian tyrants appetite for vengeful torture, massacres and gang rapes to break the will of the Kashmiri men and women for freedom, No people have suffered so much for the attainment of their right of self-determination, and are continuing to pay an extremely heavy price for freedom, as the people of Kashmir.
Should India continue its Camage and massacres in Kashmir? Should the Indian Army be allowed to continue the torture, daily killings and rape? Should India be allowed to throttle and silence the urge for self-determination freedom, for which the people of Kashmir have paid such a heavy price? Should the people of Kashmir be forced to live in permanent fear of their life, honor and property? The wall of bayonets and bullets erected by India around Kashmir surely is not more permanent than the Berlin Wall. While Rep Stephen J. Solarz boasts and gloats over successfully sabotaging the Burton Amendment, which demands the right of self-determination for Kashmir; it is the moral duty of every US Congressman to ponder and reflect. US Legislators, please think of your own sacred constitution, please think of the Charter of the United Nations and the State of the International Court of Justice. The Kashmiri men and women groaning under the heels of the Indian Security Forces are crying for their fundamental right they want to live in dignity, honor, peace and freedom. The people of this great country who cherish their own democracy and freedom, should step out and help the groaning people of Kashmir to break the shackles of Indian bondage and slavery. And save a highly cultured and freedom loving community from permanent Subjugation and extermination.
US Congressmen have moved individually and collectively, but their efforts have been neutralized by Indian mavericks and collaborators within the house. On Sept 25,1992 the Congress Human Rights Caucus held a briefing, during which it became clear that overtime the residents of Kashmir have been subjected to systematic human right abuses, because of their quest for self-determination. Based on this briefing, the reports of journalists and human right monitors and the stories carried by the New York Times of massacres and large scale arson, 44 US Congressmen addressed a letter to Hon James A Baker III expressing their deep concern about the carnage. in Indian held Kashmir. In this letter the 44 Congressmen asked for an investigation, and pleaded that the US government should take a lead to ensure protection for the Kashmir people. In the end paragraph the 44 Congressmen reiterated, “We believe that the Government of India must be held to the terms of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We request an investigation into alleged human right violations committed by the Indian government. The United States must play an instrumental role, in securing respect for human rights in Kashmir.”
But efforts to end Indian carnage and virtual holocaust in Kashmir have been neutralized by paid Indian agents like Rep Stephen Solarz (D-Brooklyn) a nine-term Congressman. This foremost Indian collaborator has stoked India to continue with its policy of death in Kashmir. Recently at a fundraising dinner hosted by Indian doctors for him, Rep Solarz gleefully announced that he had redoubled his efforts to sabotage any possibility of the implementation of UN Resolutions for a peaceful settlement of the Kashmir dispute. Solarz as chairman of the powerful House Foreign Affairs Committee in effect is indirectly responsible for the slaughter of 32000 Kashmiri’s. By obstructing a settlement under UN auspices, maverick Solarz must account for the torture and permanent maiming of 50000 students and ordinary citizens. He must be held responsible for the disappearance of 60000 residents of Kashmir, as well as for the gang-rapes of 3000 Kashmiri women and girls by the depraved Indian military of occupation.
Indian rulers fondly call Rep Stephen J. Solarz (D-Brooklyn) “Our ambassador in Washington.” Reportedly the Indian community in New York, helped by the government of India amassed an election campaign fund of USS two million for his re-election, By law Solarz could convert $1.4 million to personal use if he retired, So it is Indian bribes and Indian money that makes Solarz parrot the Indian line on Kashmir i.e keep Kashmir under Indian jack-boots, and crush and exterminate the Kashmiri’s if necessary to maintain Indian strangle hold on this internationally recognized disputed territory. Earlier in a letter to his supporters Solarz stated, “Just weeks ago one of the most pernicious Amendment was introduced, designed to tear India apart. The Burton Amendment called for plebiscite to be held in Kashmir. I stood in the well of the house and urged my colleagues to defeat the Burton Amendment, which had called for the grant of the right of self-determination through a UN supervised plebiscite to the people of Kashmir.” Solarz mischievously added,” what concerns me most is the growing number of US Congressmen working overtime to derail Indo-US relations. I am happy to boast that I have successfully frustrated several efforts of Congress Dan Burton to bring about a Congress Resolution in favor of a plebiscite in Kashmir, The passage of such a bill would have a chilling effect on Indo-US relations,” On June 19,1992 Congressman Dan Burton of Indian (Republican) introduced an Amendment calling on the US Congress to show its concern to end gross human right violations by India in Kashmir and Punjab. Rep Dan Burton said Chairman, the atrocities being perpetrated upon the people of Kashmir and Punjab by India are unbelievable, and the world is truing a blind eye to them.”
US Congressman Dan Burton pleaded that, “the Kashmiris and the Sikhs need to be heard. Their cries need to be heard. And the best way for them to be heard is for the Congress to send a very strong message to the Indian Government. That implies cutting-off $200 million in developmental assistance, until India improves its human rights record, India’s inhuman actions and activities in Kashmir and Punjab cannot be tolerated, I urge my Colleagues to Support this Amendment,” Rep Congressman Burton said, “People in Kashmir are being tortured, and raped. Kashmiri children are being shot. And the world has turned a blind eye to it, We need to send a
Besides the horrific rapes, le are being burnt alive, bala Pictures of people burnt all over their bodies, tortured until they died, their limbs and Senitals cutoff, The world is unaware of this torture, because India will not allow Amnesty International, and the International Red Cross into Kashmir and Punjab. For God’s sake, think about it”
Congressman Fazio supporting Congressman Dan Burton said, “Mr. Chairman, I rise in Support not the Burton Amendment and in opposition to the Feighan Solarz substitute. Amnesty International documented 4000 political killings last year alone in India. Killings of ordinary people have been exacerbated by the continual ethnic and communal conflict between government security forces and minority groups. In a recent CRS report Congressman Drier and requested that, “In Kashmir and Punjab the troops and the paramilitary forces are composed of non-indigenous people, and have little regard for the life and honor of the local people.
In addition to the massacres, thousands more are in jails, who will never see a trial. At least five Indian states are currently under martial law, To suppress dissent Government of India has resorted to violence, bludgeoning the principles of democracy upon which India was founded. Government of India must renounce the use of force, stop human right abuses, and honor its commitments for self-determination for the Kashmiri’s. As progress in these areas has not been realized, Congress can no longer stand aside, but should condemn Indian actions, by conditioning developmental assistance on improvement of the human rights situation in India.” Congressman Fazio said, “Mr. Chairman, I believe that the Burton amendment most effectively and clearly sends that message to the Government of India.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 18, 1992
