- Rao’s dull arguments of foreign states opposing, terrorism in Kashmir to counter Mis. Bhutto’s passionate, persuasive and articulate plea to the world lead set the UN’s a 50th anniversary celebrations to step in to resolve the 50 year ‘old lingering Kashmir dispute by ordering a plebiscite appeared meritless. At beet, India’s own more recent record in Bangladesh, SriLanka and Afghanistan ‘of abetting terrorism or direct invasion appeared contradictory to Mr. Rao’s statements.
By ignoring the issues, P.M. Rao sounded ‘evasive as with the unsolved problem of Punjab from the last decade. These problems are not going to go away on their ‘own if not addressed in democratic fashions or by holding orchestrated elections.
Indian forces openly trained the Mukti Bahini forces of Bangladesh, invaded East Pakistan and liberated Bangladesh in 71, India trained the LTTE militants of Sri Lanka on Indian soil and supplied them With arms who later used the same arms against Indian soldiers and killed over 12,000 of them, India supported the Russian occupation of Afghanistan for 10 years before they were kicked out with ‘American aid, India was silent on Iraq’s ‘occupation of Kuwait, the list goes on, so how can the P.M. complain foul when Pakistan uses the same alleged tricks against India to get even? Perhaps the P.M. needs to be reminded that people in glass houses should not throw stones and India is getting a taste of its own medicine from Pakistan in Kashmir and Punjab.
The menace of alleged terrorism in Kashmir and Punjab can be checked in more democratic fashion by holding a plebiscite and letting the people of these states decide what is best for them. Quebecers in Canada will be holding a second referendum in 15 years on self-determination on 10/31/95, did the Canadian government goon rampage killing, incarcerating and suppressing all French Canadians in fake ‘encounters who support an independent Quebec? The two rouge states (India & Pakistan) are both exploiting the people of these ethnically diverse states for their own selfish interests and it is time for UN to intervene and protect the people of the Indian subcontinent from further gross human rights violations.
The threat of British imperialism has receded in the world, the primary reason for which the independent Indian states and communities banded together in 17th and 18th centuries to demand the present glow of freedom which the majority population is experiencing. Indian and Pakistan of states has failed since 1947 as both countries are mercilessly involved in suppressing Communities Who went to break away. Indian media in US particularly India abroad which boasts of standing up to Indian government s pressure of no playing ball with them and losing money should also indulge in more factual reporting on these issues, e.g. coverage was given to Mohajirs protesters raising slogans against Mrs, Bhutto but no coverage was givent9 hundreds of Sikhs protesting Rao’s continued harsh policies towards the Sikhs in Punjab or Kashmir,
Harbir Singh Paramus, NJ
Article extracted from this publication >> November 10, 1995
