It is a crying shame India is being allowed to get away with murder for so long. Remember how the world allowed Hitler to become a monster before it woke up to the reality. But for a few friends in the U.S. Congress, the plight of the Sikhs may never be taken seriously in the west.
A little over a year ago Congressman Wally Herger introduced HR1067 with the same intent and purpose as HR4641. Soon after the Indian Govt mobilized the Hindus in this country and got them going with several million dollars. They also hired a lobbyist at considerable expense. Truth needs no such help.
The introduction of the bill H.R. 4641 by Representative Dan Burton (RIN) on April 27 to “terminate United States development assistance for India if the government of India is implementing a policy which prevents representatives of human rights organizations from visiting India in order to monitor human rights in that country, focus the attention of the second session of the 101st Congress squarely on the violation of human rights of minorities in India.
The bill has wide bipartisan support. Its 25 cosponsors include 11 members of the committee on Foreign Affairs, which will discuss the bill. They include such stalwarts of the Congress as Rep Wally Herger (RCa), Rep Vic Fazio (DCa), who were amongst the sponsors of the HR 1067 last year, as well as Rep Joseph Kennedy (DMA).
The Sikhs and freedom loving people elsewhere have to hail the fact that the Republicans, the Democrats, the conservatives and the Liberals from different parts of the United States have got together to send this message to India. They have in effect said that violations of the basic fundamental rights of minorities will not be tolerated.
Sikhs and Kashmiris have been the targets of repression by the state, there have been a number of reports by concerned individuals and organizations, which have documented them. In his letter to colleagues in the Congress Rep Dan Burton quotes the report of Hon Max Madden a British Member of Parliament which was serialized in the World Sikh News, which poignantly describes his meetings with the families of the victims of police atrocities on Punjab. It is the same story in Kashmir now, extrajudicial killings, midnight knocks and police interrogations.
By banning Amnesty International and other International human rights organizations, as well as the international press, India seeks to limit the knowledge of what goes on, people it can control and manipulate. It thus concedes its guilt.
India accepts the aid given to it by the US while voting against it even more than the Soviet Union and it commits unfair trade practices by blocking its own market to the US through protectionist policies.
What has India to hide butts guilt recently it allowed a British MP a conducted tour. And Mr. Max Madden put on the record of the House of Commons his concern for Punjab and Kashmir,
The appreciation of the Sikhs and the gratitude and the esteem and honor for the friends who are raising their voice in the US legislature will be remembered with reverence in the history of a nation.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 4, 1990
