WASHINGTON DC: Human Rights Watch an American human rights group has criticized the Clinton administration for misinforming US Congress on human fights in India and creating an impression that international human rights groups have access to Kashmir.

Holly Burk halter Washington Director of Human Rights Watch in a testimony before the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the US House of Representatives suggested that Assistant Secretary of State Robin Raphel had withheld information on human rights abuses in India from Congress in a hearing on March 10. She praised the State Departments country report on India for speaking frankly about egregious abuses of human rights including extra-judicial executions by Indian forces in Kashmir and Punjab She also noted that the report also provides detailed information about appalling methods of torture in these Areas and others. However she said that Robin Raphel testifying before the Asia Pacific Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee on March 10couldn (bring herself to even mention the human rights information contained in the (State Departments) country reports.

Thus Burk halter said She left members of the Committee with the impression that international human rights groups have access to Kashmir.

Article extracted from this publication >> May 20, 1994