[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 656 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 656

     Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the 
Government of India should take immediate steps to end the human rights 
     abuses by government forces in India, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 26, 2000

Mr. Towns submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                  Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
     Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the 
Government of India should take immediate steps to end the human rights 
     abuses by government forces in India, and for other purposes.

Whereas significant human rights abuses exist in India despite extensive 
        constitutional and statutory safeguards;
Whereas these human rights abuses involve political killings by government 
        forces, including the deaths of persons being held in custody, and the 
        manipulation of physical evidence to provide false justifications for 
        the use of lethal force;
Whereas human rights abuses are particularly evident in the state of Jammu and 
        Kashmir and several northeastern states in India;
Whereas the human rights abuses include the disappearance, torture, and killing 
        of people by government forces;
Whereas, although the Constitution of India provides for freedom of religion, 
        violence and intolerance are perpetrated against many religious groups 
        in India, including Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, and Hindus;
Whereas such violence and intolerance occur in many parts of India, particularly 
        at the state and local levels;
Whereas the failure of the Government of India to protect these religious groups 
        has abridged their right to religious freedom;
Whereas during the last 18 months Christians, in particular, have been attacked 
        or killed and have had their houses of worship destroyed;
Whereas extensive legal and societal discrimination as well as violence, 
        including female bondage and forced prostitution, occur against women in 
        India; and
Whereas the use of child labor in India remains a serious human rights problem: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that--
            (1) the Government of India should take immediate steps to 
        end the human rights abuses perpetrated by government forces in 
        India;
            (2) the Government of India should enforce the 
        constitutional right to freedom of religion by protecting the 
        people of India from religiously motivated violence and 
        intolerance;
            (3) the Government of India should develop policies to end 
        the discrimination and violence faced by women in Indian 
        society;
            (4) the Government of India should develop policies to end 
        the use of child labor in India; and
            (5) the United States should consider the extent to which 
        the Government of India has acted in conformity with the 
        principles expressed in paragraphs (1) through (4) as a factor 
        in future decisions regarding the allocation of foreign 
        assistance.
                                 <all>