Mr.Paxon speaking in the US House of Representatives on Oct.30 decried the violence and terror unleashed by the Government of India on the people of Kashmir.
He called for an end to violence and said it was high time the people of Kashmir a chance to vote on independence which had been promised to them long ago. He said: “the violence in Kashmir that I spoke about earlier this year continues unabated. On Friday, 1,000. Indian troops surrounded the Hazratbal mosque in the capital city of Srinagar, trapping approximately 100 Kashmiri separatists inside,”
The seize of the mosque was an attempt to strike at the heart of the Kashmiri separated movement and as reminder of the Indian Army’s attack on the Golden Temple in 1984. He stated: “Unfortunately, this is all too reminiscent of the Indian Government’s 1984 siege of the Golden Temple of Amritsar in which over 1,200 people were killed.
This attack is but the latest round of violence and terror against the Kashmir people by the Indian Government since the uprising began in January 1990, Over7,500 Kashmiris have been killed, with thousands more beaten, raped, and detained without charge, accord ing to international human rights organization.”
Mr.Paxon said “It is high time for the United States and all nations to press India to stop the violence in Kashmir, remove their troops, and give the people of Kashmir the vote on independence long ago promised.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 5, 1993
