VIRGINIA: In an unprecedented action the U.S. House of Representatives voted 219-200 in favor Of cutting aid to India by $24 million in response to India’s Persistent human rights abuses against Sikhs and Kashmiris. Now the bill will go before the Senate.

We need your help. Allow us to first explain in detail the backgrounds of this achievement and the required process for the bill to pass the Senate.

On June 25 the House of Representatives passed an amendment to the Foreign Aid Appropriations Act. The amendment was sponsored by Congressman Dan Burton. The Burton Amendment cuts U.S. aid to India by $24 million from $126 million to$102 million. In the coming weeks the Senate will pass their version of the Foreign Aid Appropriations Act. This bill is primarily written up and voted on by the Senate Subcommittee on Foreign Operations which belongs to the full Senate Appropriations Committee. The subcommittee consists of 13 Senators. We must make sure the Senate subcommittee on foreign operations does not remove the amendment passed in the House to cut U.S. aid to India when it marks up the bill. Thus we must make the Senators in this subcommittee aware of our plight. The whole process is very complex as you can see.

Here is a list of the names addresses and telephone numbers of the Senators from your home state. Please write to them as soon as you can using the sample if you wish. When the time comes we will being a phone drive. At this time each of your state’s Senate offices must be given a phone call. We will let you know when this project is put into action. For now just get those letter out as soon as possible the subcommittee will probably review the bill between July 18 and August 13.

A great victory was achieved days ago in the House of Representatives. We Sikhs in America have a historic opportunity. We have the chance to expose and embarrass the entire Indian government before the world community for their brutal treatment of innocent Sikhs and Kashmiris. For the first time we can create tangible results in the U.S. Congress and make a real difference. This is our chance to make a change. We must work hard With Waheguru grace the U.S. Senate will hear our cause in these coming weeks.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa

Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.

Sample Letter

Dear Senator

We are writing in regards to the Burton Amendment to the Foreign Aid Appropriations Act. On behalf of the Sikhs and other Indian minorities in your district and their loved ones in India we want your support to cut the Developmental Aid to India

Government supported human rights abuses which are well documented by such esteemed organizations as Amnesty International and Asia Watch may be curtailed with your vote.

It is an established U.S Developmental Aid policy not to fund such countries that use the funds for military and para military forces. Those forces are used to suppress the rights of minority communities and in many documented cases use Rape Torture False Imprisonment and Faked Encounters as a reason for a summary execution.

A country which claims to e a democratically of the U.S. has no excuse for such actions Nor should those actions be rewarded with US. Aid.

Until such time that India allows such investigative agencies like Amnesty Int. Asia Watch and Independent News Organizations such as Reuturs to travel and report freely U.S. support of the Indian govt. is unconscionable.

Please give us your support in the name of freedom and justice for all.

Sincerely Now is the time to act.

The pen is mightier than the sword is an old American saying.

You have the opportunity to prove this true by taking a pen in hand and writing to these members of the Senate responsible for foreign appropriations

Does your part as U.S. citizens expatriate Punjabis members of the community of Sikhs or as an individual of the Sangat devoted to the Khalsa panth and the future of Sovereign Khalistan take this opportunity to help those friends and relatives held under the oppressive thumb of the Brahmin rulers in India .

Slap the outstretched hand of the country which denies basic human rights to the citizens of its most productive states.

Claim your heritage and your dignity. Deny the greedy Brahmins U.S Aid and approval.

If you have further questions about what you can do or the progress that is being made you can contact: The United Sikh Assoc. 1211 S. Eads St. #306 Arlington WA 22202

Phone'(703) 553-5718 _

Article extracted from this publication >> July 31, 1992