introduced House Concurrent Resolution 32, calling for self determination for the Sikh nation of Khalistan. Khalistan was declared independent on October 7, 1987, but remains under Indian occupation.
The timing of the resolution is appropriate because Sikhs are celebrating the 296th birthday of the Sikh nation on Vaisakhi Day. On April 13, 1699, the Sikh nation came into being. The resolution expresses “the sense of Congress that the Sikh nation should be allowed to exercise the right of self-determination in their homeland, Punjab, Khalistan.” It points out that “freedom is universally recognized as the birthright of all nations,” that “self-determination is enshrined in Article 1 of the United Nations Charter;” and that “the Sikhs ruled Punjab from 1765 until it was annexed by the British in 1849.”
As the Sikh nation’s birthday approaches, former Member of Parliament Simranjit Singh Mann remains in an Indian prison. Mann, the most popular Sikh leader in Punjab, Khalistan. was arrested in January after a December 26 speech in which he asked a crowd of 50.000 Sikhs to raise their hands if they supported a peaceful, democratic, nonviolent movement to liberate Khalistan. All 50,000 raised their hands. For that, Mr. Mann was charged under India’s repressive “Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act” (TADA), a law which has been described by the South Asia Human Rights Documentation Center as “not a law at all, but a tool of absolute repression. TADA permits the summary arrest of anyone arbitrarily deemed to be a “terrorist.”That person can be held for up to a year without charge, trial, or access to legal counsel. TADA is only part of a patter of Indian atrocities against the Sikh nation and others. Since 1984, over 120,000 Sikhs have been murdered by the Indian regime. Indian newspapers have recently reported that 25.000 bodies have been emerald and listed as unclaimed by the Indian regime since 1990. Records from 1986 to 1994 show 1135 unidentified bodies at the Patti cremation grounds 1915 at the crematorium in Taran Taran and 2967 in Amritsar city, for a total of 6017 in the Amritsar district. This is just one of 13 districts. These Sikhs were brutally tortured and murdered by the Indian police, then cremated to hide the evidence. In addition, the State Department report on India says that between 1991 and 1993, more than 41,000 cash bounties were paid to police officers for killing Sikhs,
Sikhs are not the only ones who have suffered from brutal oppression. Just recently, 16 Christian missionaries were arrested by the Indian regime. A nun in Madhya Pradesh was stabbed 36 times by a Hindu fundamentalist, apparently with the encouragement of the local authorities. The Indian regime has murdered over 150.000 Christians. in Nagaland since 1947, over 43,000 Muslims in Kashmir since 1988, and tons of thousands of Assamese, Manipuris, and other tribal people. These groups also seek their freedom from India.
Sponsors of the bill, in addition to Rep. Geren, include Rep. William O Lipinski (D-IL). Rep. Michael O. NANI (DNY Ren Car Condit (D-CA). Rep Dan Burton (R-IN), Rep. Charles Wilson (DTX). Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (RCA), Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA), Rep. Jack Fields (R. TX), Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-NY). Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN), Rep. Philip M. Crane (R-IL), Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham (R-CA), Rep. Ileana RosLehtinen (R-FL), Rep. Wally Herger (R-CA), Rep. Richard Pombo (R-CA). Rep. Scott Klug (R-WT), Rep. John action for Vaisak
Doolittle (RCA). Rep. Amory Houghton (R-NY), Rep. Peter King (RNY), Rep. Floyd Flake (D-NY). Rep. Enid Greene Waldholtz (R-UT), Rep. Walter Tucker (D-CA), Rep. Christopher Cox (R-CA), Rep. James Moran (D-VA). Rep. James Traficant (D-OH). Rep. Mel Reynolds (D-TL.), Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD).and Rep. Mat Salmon (R-AZ). More sponsors are signing up every day
“We are very pleased that these enlightened members of Congress have decided to cosponsor this bill. This is a wonderful gift for the birthday of the Sikh nation. These Congressmen understand that freedom is universal and that freedom for the Sikh nation,
Khalistan, is in the best interests of the Sikh nation, India, and the United States. The support of these outstanding members of Congress brings freedom for Khalistan closer.”
Dr. Aulakh pointed out that no Sikh has ever signed the Indian constitution. He mentioned reports in India Abroad that only 4 percent of the Sikhs in Punjab, Khalistan, participated in India’s 1992
state elections there. “The Sikh nation has made its desire for independence very clear.””A free Khalistan will bring peace, stability, and prosperity to South Asia,” “the Sikh nation will celebrate its 300th birthday in 1999 in a free and independent Khalistan.”(Information courtesy. Council of Khalistan).
Article extracted from this publication >> April 14, 1995
