WASHINGTON D.C: Congressman David Dreier (R-CA) and Congressman Vic Fazio (D-CA) have released a Congressional report outlining human rights abuses in India. The report offers “significant evidence of a tragic and ongoing problem of human rights abuses against Civilians by Indian security forces” Dreier said. “We hope the report will intensify efforts to communicate our concerns to the Indian govt.”
Prepared by the Congressional Research Service at the request of Dreier Fazio the report notes that “separatism and civil strife have played a significant role in the growing fragmentation of Indian politics”. In response “normal constitutional guarantees have been suspended in Kashmir Punjab and the Northeast” by the Indian Govt “The report indicates that the overall human rights situation has deteriorated rather than improved in the past year” Fazio pointed out.
According to the report “The government reaction to the rising violence in Punjab has led to violations of fundamental human rights. Security forces have often overreacted to incidents by using excessive force preventive arrests detention torture ‘encounter’ killings and other means of repression”. The situation in Kashmir has also deteriorated.
The report notes that “In December 1990 a delegation from Amnesty International met with senior officials from New Delhi but was denied access to Punjab Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast on grounds of inadequate security conditions”.
Tracing the roots of the problems the report says that “the harsh tactics and actions by police are understood to lie at the heart of much of the growing alienation of moderates” in both the Sikh and Kashmiri communities. Suspension of local Govt’s and the extensive use of laws which suspend constitutional protections have also contributed to a sense of alienation and resentment among the populace.
The final section addresses the possibility of a resolution to the spiraling violence facing India including discussions of increased decentralization implementation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution (which provides for a quasi-autonomous status for Kashmir) and a possible plebiscite in Kashmir.
The purpose of the study was to evaluate the credibility of the continuing reports of rights abuses as well as to provide an in dependent analysis of the situation for Congress which is facing a number of bills and amendments addressing U.S. aid and relations with Indira.
A copy of the study can be obtained in 411.
Cannon of the House office Buildings Amnesty International Asia Watch and the U.S. Department of State have also released reports during the past several months addressing rights violations in India.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 16, 1991
