WASHINGTON D.C. The Congress unanimously passed an amendment introduced by Congress man wally Herger (R-CA) censuring India for its violations of the human rights in the Punjab and Kashmir which have included rape torture detention without charge or trail summary execution disappearances and so called encounter killing. In another development 182 members of the U.S. Congress voted June 20 in support of Congressman Dan Burton’s (R-IN) amendment to the Foreign Aid package designed to eliminate assistance to India due to human rights abuses in Khalistan and Kashmir Intense lobbying efforts by the Indian Embassy and its campaign of disinformation however managed to secure a 182-229 vote against the amendment with the help of long time Indian government crony Congressman Stephen J. Solarz (DNY).

The Burton amendment called for the discontinuation of U.S. aid to India until the Indian government allows internationally recognized human rights monitors within its borders to investigate atrocities. Amnesty International for instance has been denied entry since 1978. Though Congressman Stephen J. Solarz ardently supports revoking China’s Most Favored Nations trading status because of its human rights abuses he defended the Indian government and its chronic violations of ‘FRR wee human Fights committed against the Sikhs and Kashmiris which is sheer numbers of deaths exceeds by 50 times China’s Tiananmen Square incident two years ago.

Congressman Burton will again bring this amendment before the Congress in the form of The Human Rights in India Act (H.R.953). Before the vote The Human Rights in India Act already had the bipartisan support 48 representatives. It is expected that the 181 representatives voting in favor of cutting off aid to India will support the Burton bill and help to pass it through the Congress later in the session.

On June 14 the Congress voted to eliminate U.S. aid w India under an amendment introduced by Robert Lagomar Sino (R-CA) and Charlie Wilson (D-TX) which calls on India to cease its nuclear development program Two days of intense debate ended with a 242 to 141 vote in favor of cutting aid to India

Though recent concern has been focused on Pakistan’s nuclear program India’s nuclear weapons are now understood as a primary threat to regional stability. As early as 1974 India Exploded a nuclear device and the recent posture of the Congress (I) party and the BJP indicates a clear intention to intensify its nuclear weapons program risking an escalation in South Asian nuclear arms race.

In the area of human rights the Indian government is now considered one of the worst violators of human rights in the world at this time. According to a May 10 Amnesty International report entitled Human Rights Violations in Punjab: Use and Abuse of Law over 4000 political killings were committed in Punjab last year alone.

Attempts by the Indian government to discredit the Sikh freedom movement by staging terrorist attacks for the purpose of blaming the Sikhs are being exposed Though the Indian government blamed so-called Sikh terrorists for the killing of at least 76 was in passengers last week the New York Times was careful to note that no separatist group has acknowledged involvement and there is no independent evidence. Another article in the same paper revealed that while many Sikhs died in the shootings religious animosity did not seem to be a factor although it may have been designed to give that appearance.

Assassination attempt on Indian Home Minister Subodh Kant Sahay was also blindly blamed on Sikh Terrorist though another New York Times article revealed gangs working for the Congress Party could have been responsible for the attacks.

Just recently the Punjab Human Rights Organization revealed that Indian army men committed gang rape and molestation of woman and young girls on May 26,1991 in the Amritsar district after security forces and the C.R.P.F. laid siege to the Sanghe village to allegedly search for Sikh military. — It is never wise to seek for another’s misfortune. 1f malice or envy were tangible and had a shape it would be the shape of a boomerang.

-Charley Reese

Article extracted from this publication >> June 28, 1991