- BURTON of Indiana: Mr., Speaker, on September 10, 1987, four of the five chief priests of the Sikh religion declared support for the Sikhs fighting for a separate Sikh nation in India’s Punjab State, The announcement from the Golden Temple, seat of the Sikh religion, called on Sikhs worldwide to give “tan, man, dhan,” or body, soul and wealth, to the Sikh’s “decisive war for liberation”. They said the Indian government was oppressing Sikhs all over India,
This statement was the strongest. Yet by Sikh religious authorities. I urge the Indian government to use restraint in resolving this dispute, Most Sikhs want a peaceful solution in the Punjab and the Indian government should respect their human rights and freedoms. There is evidence that the Indian authorities are currently suspending basic freedoms in the Punjab and that increasingly harsh police tactics are only aggravating the situation. Sikhs around the world will never submit to oppression.
‘The United States State Department refuses to recognize the systematic and routine suppression of human rights in the Punjab. I would like to submit for the Record recent articles from the Christian Science Monitor, the Economist, the Tribune, and a statement by the President of International Sikh Org., Dr. Gurmit S. Aulakh, and These articles shed light on the problems Sikhs are encountering in India. I hope the international community, especially — the UN Human Rights Commission, will put pressure on India to bring a fair and’ peaceful solution to the problems in the Punjab.
M R. DWYER of New Jersey: Mr., Speaker, on several occasions over the last several months, [have taken to the floor of this Chamber to call the attention of this body to the tragic situation which exists in the Punjab region of India. As you! Now, Mr. Speaker, the Punjab is dominated by Sikhs, who have been involved in a long running and deteriorating battle with the Indian government.
It is difficult to report precisely what is happening in the Punjab. The Indian government has imposed a virtual news blackout and limited traffic in and out of the region. But the reports which have filtered out are not good.
There are reports of fighting, riots and killings in this region, the violence which is ongoing in the Punjab should be of concern to all freedom loving people. It is a tragedy which shows no signs of improvement. To the contrary, there is reason to suspect it could get worse
In the face of this tragedy, the Indian government has seen fit to continually crack down on the Sikhs, to not respond to their grievances and to intensify political and martial pressure on them.
Responding to this four year siege, the high Sikh priests have now declared their independence from India, Yet, because of the major role which the Punjab region plays in the economy of India — it seems unlikely that the government could allow such a secession to occur it is able to prevent it, The prognosis can only be more oppression, more bloodshed, more death, Each time that I have come before the House to discuss this issue, Mr. Speaker, I have called for a laying down of arms and a greater dialogue between the Sikhs and the Indian government, That has not happened and the situation ‘has gotten progressively worse,
As a representative of a congressional district in which both Sikhs and Hindus are making valuable contributions to the political, ‘economic, and cultural life, again urge my colleagues to be aware of this tragic civil war, of the death and destruction which has already occurred and to join with me in urging both sides to seek a negotiated statement — one which will bring a lasting peace and freedom to this troubled region.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 25, 1987
