Open Letter
The White House Washington
Dear Representative Pombo:
Thank you for your letter concerning the human rights situation in the Indian state of Punjab and U.S. assistance to India.
Human rights issues are an important part of our dialogue with the Indian government; we regularly raise our human rights concerns including the issue of access for international human rights and humanitarian organizations and the need for India to fully implement the protections in its Constitution. These issues were part of my discussions with Prime Minister Rao when he visited the White House on May 19.
We deplore the violence and abuses committed by both the security forces and the armed militants in Punjab. We are, however, encouraged that the level of violence has dropped dramatically in the past two years as control of the state returned to an elected government in 1992.
I also do not believe that it would be the right course to cut our development assistance program to India which is aimed primarily at helping poor women and children throughout the country.
Thank you for sharing your concerns with me.
Sincerely, Bill Clinton
Sent to:
The Honorable Richard W, Pombo
House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 2051S
Article extracted from this publication >> June 17, 1994
