[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 76 (Thursday, June 5, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1130]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 IN MEMORY OF THE GOLDEN TEMPLE MARTYRS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. PETER T. KING

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 5, 1997

  Mr. KING. Mr. Speaker, on this 15th anniversary of the massacre of 
over 20,000 Sikhs at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, I join many of my 
colleagues in rising to remember and condemn that terrible act.
  How could anyone not condemn such a brutal act?
  It is ironic that June 6, the last day of this military assault, was 
the 40th anniversary of D-day, the day on which the Allies began the 
invasion of Europe which ultimately destroyed the Nazi empire. The 
Golden Temple massacre, called Operation Bluestar, kicked off a 
campaign of state terror against the Sikh Nation which is still going 
on.
  According to estimates from the Punjab State Magistracy and a 
coalition of human rights groups and journalists, more than a quarter 
of a million Sikhs have died at the hands of the Indian regime since 
1984. Christians in Nagaland, Kashmir's Muslim community, and many 
others have also been subjected to this brutality.
  American support for freedom in South Asia is essential. The best 
thing that this country can do to honor the victims of the Golden 
Temple massacre is to use our strength to see to it that the people of 
South Asia can live in freedom. We can do this by cutting United States 
aid to India, and declaring our strong support for the people of 
Khalistan. These are reasonable measures that will induce India to 
begin observing the basic principles of democracy and human rights so 
that freedom and stability can reign all through South Asia. We should 
move now to enact these measures in memory of the Golden Temple 
martyrs.

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