[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 57 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 57

 Expressing the sense of Congress supporting the Government of India's 
     efforts to hold free and fair elections in Jammu and Kashmir.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 5, 1995

Mr. Brown of Ohio (for himself and Mr. Stearns) submitted the following 
     concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                        International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of Congress supporting the Government of India's 
     efforts to hold free and fair elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

Whereas the militant-inspired violence in the Kashmir Valley has claimed more 
        than 10,000 lives during the last 5 years;
Whereas terrorist acts committed by religious militants have devastated 
        Kashmir's infrastructure through the destruction of such civilian 
        facilities as schools, hospitals, roads, bridges, and power stations;
Whereas more than 250,000 Kashmiri Pandits and almost 50,000 Muslims have fled 
        their ancestral homes and have been forced to become refugees within 
        their own country due to arson, violence, and death threats;
Whereas the Government of India has taken the following tangible steps to revive 
        the democratic political process in Jammu and Kashmir--

    (1) the government has released several prominent military leaders, 
enabling them to participate in free and fair elections;

    (2) India's Chief Elections Commissioner has revised and simplified 
electoral registration procedures in Jammu and Kashmir;

    (3) the Government of India has established a National Human Rights 
Commission to investigate incidents of human rights violations perpetrated 
by Indian security forces;

    (4) the Government of India is pursuing a policy of greater 
transparency under which foreign journalists, diplomats, and parliamentary 
delegations have been permitted complete and unimpeded access to the state;

    (5) the Indian security forces have exercised judicious restraint in 
coping with the Hazratbal crisis, following a month-long siege of the 
sacred mosque by militants; and

    (6) the Government of India welcomed a visit to Jammu and Kashmir by 
the International Red Cross in 1994; and

Whereas Pakistan's leaders continue to oppose elections in Jammu and Kashmir: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That--
            (1) Congress supports India's efforts to hold free and fair 
        elections in Jammu and Kashmir and that such elections are 
        imperative to end the cycle of violence that has plagued the 
        Kashmir Valley for more than 5 years;
            (2) Congress urges all political parties to participate in 
        such elections and democratically elect their representatives; 
        and
            (3) Congress urges the Government of Pakistan to work 
        together with the Government of India to adopt a constructive 
        and joint approach to resolve the Kashmir problem, which should 
        include the commitment of the Government of Pakistan to support 
        free and fair elections.
                                 <all>