Special to W.S.N

WASHINGTON: In a move that slaps the outstretched hand of the repressive Rao regime and its Congressional apologist Stephen Solarz Congress on June 25 passed Dan Burtons controversial “Justice in India Act”

Congressman Dan Burtons amendment to the Foreign Aid Appropriations Act June 25 terminates $24 million in U.S. Development Aid from the Appropriations Committee recommendation of $1.037 billion for FY 1993. The $24 million represents the Administration request of $24 million in Development Aid to India. Burtons move is in response to India’s refusal to repeal laws which violate human rights in Kashmir Punjab and other areas.

For example Burton pointed out two of five Indian laws which empower security forces to search homes without warrant make arrests without warrant destroy the “hideouts” of suspected terrorists and shoot-to-kill with immunity from prosecution.

Burton who is a member of both the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Congressional Human Rights Caucus filed a similar bill The Justice in India Act on May 21 along with a bipartisan group of 22 original cosponsors.

“Freedom Houses annual human rights report marked the failure of democracy in India by rating the country as only Partly Free” said Burton. “Indian repression of Kashmiris Sikhs and other groups continues unabated. Amnesty International reports that several thousand political prisoners are being held without charge or trial and that torture and ill-treatment of prisoners have resulted in scores of deaths in police custody.

“It is time to stop rewarding Indian repression with U.S. dollars” continued Burton “All groups inside India must be allowed the basic freedoms for which people all around the world are striving. If the so-called world’s largest democracy needs oppressive laws to repress its people then it is no democracy and its certainly unworthy of American aid.” The Sikh community deserves to celebrate as years of effort come to fruition The controversial bill which many felt would not leave the foreign affairs committee passed on the — House floor by a small majority219 to 200 but still is a Win.

In a call to WSN  S. Didar Singh Bains WSO Int President congratulated all who had worked so hard for the passage of this bill. Adding their congratulations and appreciation in calls were S.Gurcharan Singh Dhillon W.S.O. Dr.Rajwant Singh: P.H.R.O. and Dr.Amarjit Singh; Khalistan Affairs Center who speaking for the Panthak Committee said in a statement “We congratulate the Congressmen who have voted in favor of cutting developmental aid to India. We express the hope that keeping in line with the U.N Charter of human rights the right to self-determination of the Sikhs will be recognized using that right they have declared an independent sovereign state of Khalistan which will be acknowledged by Congress in due course and India will be forced to vacate the occupied territories of Khalistan. ”Countless others expressed appreciation to Dan Burton and all other Congressmen who voted for the Burton Bill. An exultant Dr. Gurmeet Singh Aulakh Council of Khalistan expressed his enthusiasm for this win which represents years of lobbying and arm twisting from many Sikh leaders. Moments before the vote he had stood on the steps of the capital passing out literature. Grateful for the work of Congressmen like Wally Herger Vic Fazio and now Dan Burton the Sikh community should express their gratitude and appeal to their local congressional and state representatives to join in the vote against the aid.

Earlier in the day Stephen Solarz Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Mathew F.McHugh Bill McCollen and Jim Bacchus had urged their colleagues to reject the Burton Bill. In a letter from the four they said: “Even if this amendment was an appropriate vehicle through which to express displeasure at India it would fly in the face of efforts to build a more cordial relationship between India and the United States and the amendment is strongly opposed by the Bush administration.” Solarz and his colleagues said: “We are not aware of any case in which the Congress has enacted legislation to reduce or eliminate development aid to a country that is a constitutional democracy.”

“The amendment ignores recent significant improvements in U.S India relations and threatens to cast a chill over the bilateral dialogue that could threaten progress in a number of important areas.

“India for example has undertaken extraordinary steps to liberalize its economy and make it attractive to U.S. investors. In fact the U.S. which was single largest trading partner last summer emerged as the largest investor in India. The first ever U.S.-India joint naval exercises were held and the Indian government has begun bilateral discussions with the U.S. on regional weapons proliferation.

“Without any discernible benefits the Burton amendment would introduce serious tensions into this developing relationship and threaten continued progress on these issues” ended the letter.

Still this is a great day for the Sikhs. Recognition of India’s human rights abuses as well as their failure to allow groups like Amnesty International and Asia Watch will get greater scrutiny. Lets hope President Bush signals his displeasures on these issues as he did so recently on the missile technology issue. He cannot fail to see the tie between India’s increasing militarization and repression of its own people.

Article extracted from this publication >> July 3, 1992