[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 344 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 344

Expressing the sense of Congress that the Government of the Republic of 
    India and the State Government of Jammu and Kashmir should take 
  immediate steps to remedy the situation of the Kashmiri Pandits and 
should act to ensure the physical, political, and economic security of 
                       this embattled community.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 15, 2006

   Mr. Pallone (for himself and Mr. Crowley) submitted the following 
     concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                        International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of Congress that the Government of the Republic of 
    India and the State Government of Jammu and Kashmir should take 
  immediate steps to remedy the situation of the Kashmiri Pandits and 
should act to ensure the physical, political, and economic security of 
                       this embattled community.

Whereas the Pandits constitute the Hindu minority that has lived in Kashmir for 
        over 5,000 years;
Whereas the population of Pandits in Kashmir has dwindled from 400,000 in 1989 
        to about 8,000 today, with others having fled to refugee camps in Jammu 
        or dispersed in northern India;
Whereas the Pandits have been under constant threat from Islamic militants 
        operating in Kashmir and crossing the Line of Control from Pakistan into 
        Kashmir;
Whereas the Kashmiri Pandit community has been targeted by Islamic militants who 
        are promoting an agenda of ethnic cleansing;
Whereas since military and terrorist infiltration and ethnic cleansing campaigns 
        began in 1990, Pandits have been forced to flee Kashmir for their own 
        safety;
Whereas hundreds of civilians and officials from the Pandit community, a 
        sizeable number considering their small population, have been killed and 
        innocent lives continue to be subject to insecurity and uncertainty with 
        an ongoing danger for unprovoked attacks;
Whereas almost two decades later, the conditions for Pandits stay unchanged and 
        the situation in Kashmir remains volatile;
Whereas the Government of India and the State Government of Jammu and Kashmir 
        must discuss practical solutions in order to improve the situation for 
        Pandits in Kashmir today and create the necessary conditions under which 
        Pandits may begin to return to their rightful land;
Whereas the Government of India and the State Government of Jammu and Kashmir 
        must engage in comprehensive dialogue with the Kashmiri Pandits both 
        residing in Kashmir, as well as in refugee camps, to address their 
        security concerns as well as their economic and political concerns; and
Whereas in the interest of humanity and stability in the South Asia region and 
        throughout the world, the United States and the international community 
        must recognize the plight of the Pandit community and urge India to take 
        immediate steps to restore peace to the Pandits: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That--
            (1) Congress condemns the human rights violations committed 
        against Kashmiri Pandits in the strongest terms;
            (2) it is the sense of Congress that the Government of the 
        Republic of India and the State Government of Jammu and Kashmir 
        should take immediate steps to remedy the situation of the 
        Kashmiri Pandits and should act to ensure the physical, 
        political, and economic security of this embattled community; 
        and
            (3) Congress supports mutual discussions between the 
        Government of India and the State Government of Jammu and 
        Kashmir to achieve a peaceful and equitable solution to the 
        Kashmiri conflict that is acceptable to the Kashmiri Pandits 
        while ensuring that they are a part of the ongoing dialogue.
                                 <all>