Rep Dan Burton offered also the following amendment (Page 657, insert after line 25). Section 927 Freedom for Kashmir (a) Findings: The people of the state of Jammu and Kashmir have been denied the plebiscite that was promised them by resolutions adopted in 1948 and 1949 by the UN Commission for India and Pakistan.

(2)Those resolutions were agreed to by the Government of India and the Government of Pakistan, with the firm support of the United States of America.

(3)The United States as the world’s most powerful democracy, has supported the principle that the status of the state of Jammu and Kashmir should be decided by the democratic method of a plebiscite under impartial control and supervision,(4)Despite these UN resolutions, during the past 40 years the people of the state of Jammu and Kashmir have suffered through three wars, and continuous suppression and unrest, while being denied the right of self-determination by the Government of India.

(5)The inevitable frustration of a people being governed without their consent have resulted in an upsurge of conflict and violence in the State of Jammu and Kashmir,

(6)The Government of India has responded to this situation by isolating the state of Jammu and Kashmir from outside world.

(7)And subjected the people to unwarranted use of deadly force torture, rape, beatings, restriction of medical services, and other violations of basic human rights.

(8)The Government of India has continued to refuse the requests of Amnesty International and the International Committee of the Red Cross, to enter the State of Jammu and Kashmir to investigate and evaluate the situation.

The Government of India has refused to respond to the offers by the International Committee of the Red Cross to provide humanitarian assistance, to the victims of Indian Camage in Jammu and Kashmir,

(10)The United States of America supports the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the internationally recognized right of freedom of speech, assembly and press, and due process of law.

(b)Policy Declaration: The Congress of the United States of America:

(1)Deplores the excessive use of force and violence  including torture by the security forces of the Government of India, against civilians in the State of Jammu and Kashmir.

(2)Demands that the Government of India opens the borders of the state of Jammu and Kashmir to Amnesty International and the International Committee of the Red Cross, to permit an accurate assessment of the human rights situation in the State of Jammu and Kashmir.

(3)The Congress of the United States of America reaffirms that the question of the future status of the State of Jammu and Kashmir be decided through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite.

(4)The Congress of the United States of America calls on the President of the United Nations and the international community to use all measures at their disposal to establish the conditions necessary for a free and impartial plebiscite in the State of Jammu and Kashmir.”

The above Amendment was brought to the attention of the House, human right violations by India, documented in some detail by Asia Watch in a pamphlet tided “Human Rights in Kashmir, India, under siege.”

Article extracted from this publication >> September 18, 1992