[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 118 (Wednesday, September 9, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1679-E1682]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 PUNJAB GOVERNMENT TRIES TO SHUT DOWN PEOPLE'S COMMISSION FOR EXPOSING 
                                GENOCIDE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 9, 1998

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I was disturbed to learn recently that the 
Chief Minister of Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal, and many political 
leaders there are trying to outlaw the Punjab People's Commission, 
which is exposing the genocide against the Sikhs by the police and 
security forces.
  The Punjab government tried to prevent the commission's first meeting 
by canceling the meeting space that the commission had reserved. 
However, one of the local Gurdwaras in Chandiagarh offered its meeting 
space and the meeting was held anyway.
  During that meeting the People's Commission issued citations in more 
than 90 cases against police officers who have committed atrocities 
against the Sikhs of Punjab, Khalistan. It took up more than 3,000 
other cases. This shows the pattern of repression, terror, and genocide 
against the Sikhs in Punjab, Khalistan. That is why the Badal 
government and the political leaders there want the commission closed 
down.
  We cannot sit idly by while this vital commission is destroyed. It is 
the only group within Punjab, Khalistan that is exposing the genocide. 
The Council of Khalistan has issued an excellent Open Letter on this 
issue. I urge my colleagues, especially those who are always lecturing 
us about how wonderful Indian democracy is, to read it carefully.
  In light of the facts presented in this letter, I call on my 
colleagues to maintain sanctions against India and to support an 
internationally-supervised plebiscite in Punjab, Khalistan so that the 
Sikhs of that troubled state can vote on whether they should chart 
their own course separately from Indian tyranny.
  I would like to insert that Open Letter into the Record.

                     Open Letter to the Sikh Nation

                     (From Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh)


    Support the People's Commission--Attacks on Commission by BJP, 
Congress, and CPI Show Who Is Behind Sikh Genocide and Deepen the Sikh 
                            Nation's Wounds

       To the Khalsa Panth:
       The BJP, Congress, and CPI have finally exposed themselves. 
     They have revealed their own involvement in the genocide 
     against the Sikh Nation. They don't want the truth to come 
     out because it will show their immoral deeds. That is why 
     they want to shut down the Peoples' Commission. Even the 
     Badal government seems to agree. It made every effort to 
     prevent the commission's first meeting from occurring. It is 
     no wonder. The commission issued 90 citations against police 
     officers and received 3,000 more cases. Evidently it is 
     making the political leaders of all stripes nervous. They are 
     now shivering with fear that their part in supporting the 
     genocide against the Sikh Nation will be exposed.
       Do not let these corrupt leaders succeed in their effort to 
     shut down the Peoples' Commission. The work that it is doing 
     is too important to the Sikh Nation and all of humanity. The 
     Armenians will not let the genocide against them 80 years ago 
     be forgotten; the Jews will not let the world forget the 
     Holocaust 50 years after it happened. How can the

[[Page E1680]]

     genocide against the Sikh Nation, which occurred during the 
     last 15 years, be forgotten, even by so many Sikh leaders? On 
     March 20, the BJP promised a ``transparent'' government. That 
     is not what they have delivered. As Ram Narayan Kumar of the 
     Coordination Committee on Disappearance in Punjab asked, 
     ``How can the Government ignore the necessity to determine 
     the facts?'' The truth will come out; the government's effort 
     to suppress it is futile.
       When Badal was running the Punjab state election, he 
     promised to appoint a commission of inquiry into the 
     genocide. He has broken that promise. Not only has he not 
     appointed the commission, he has boasted that his government 
     has taken no action against the police officials who were 
     responsible for the genocide. He has sat idly by while 
     plainclothes police continue to patrol the Golden Temple and 
     thousands of Sikh youth are still sitting in jail. It is no 
     surprise that such a corrupt leader would oppose the Peoples' 
     Commission.
       The human-rights community in Punjab, Khalistan tried to 
     give Badal time. They wrote him a letter asking him to keep 
     his promise. When de did not, the Coordination Committee on 
     Disappearance in Punjab, comprised of all the human-rights 
     groups and the World Sikh Council, appointed the People's 
     Commission.
       The effort to shut down the Peoples' Commission show that 
     there is no place for Sikhs in Indian democracy. As U.S. 
     Congressman Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.) has said, ``The mere fact 
     that Sikhs can choose their oppressors does not mean that 
     they live in a democracy.'' Whether the government is run by 
     Congress or by the BJP, Sikhs and other minorities continue 
     to be abducted, tortured, raped, and murdered. How can our 
     Sikh leaders turn a blind eye to the genocide.
       We recite every day the words ``Raj Kare Ga Khalsa,'' the 
     Khalsa shall rule. Yet our Sikh leaders join Hindustan in its 
     effort to stop the exposure of the genocide. Yet the Sikh 
     Nation can never forget the genocide that Hindustan has 
     inflicted upon us. It is time for the Sikh Nation to reclaim 
     its freedom.
       It is only when Khalistan is free will the Sikh Nation be 
     free of India's genocide and tyranny. The effort to suppress 
     the People's Commission shows that it is time to begin a 
     Shantmai Morcha to liberate Khalistan by peaceful, 
     democratic, nonviolent means.
       India is destined to break up; their genocide and tyranny 
     will not keep their corrupt, tyrannical empire together. The 
     Sikh leaders who collaborate with their effort to escape the 
     consequences of their actions will be remembered by the Sikh 
     Nation as traitors to the Panth.
       The Sikh Nation is disgusted by the continual betrayals of 
     the Khalsa Panth by Indian chimchas Badal, Tohra, and their 
     allies. In 1984 Tohra and Badal told us that anyone who 
     attacked the Golden Temple would have to walk over their dead 
     bodies. Yet we saw Tohra with his hands in the air 
     surrendering to the Indian troops. We know whose side these 
     people are on. Even Tohra is now supporting the People's 
     Commission. I hope he realized that the Guru will not forgive 
     him for his betrayal of the Khalsa Panth.
       South Africa's Truth Commission exposed the evils of 
     apartheid to the world. We must support the People's 
     Commission to expose the genocide against the Sikh Nation.
       The work of the People's Commission must continue so that 
     those who have collaborated with the genocide can be brought 
     to justice. It must continue so that India's genocide against 
     the Sikhs can come to light. It must continue so that our 
     Sikh brothers and sisters can finally live in freedom. The 
     Sikh leaders and grassroots Sikhs must speak and work in 
     support of the commission and its efforts.
       The leadership must speak out forthrightly for a free 
     Khalistan. It must commit itself to achieving this most 
     important goal through peaceful resistance to India's brutal 
     tyranny and by means of an internationally-supervised 
     plebiscite so that our future can be determined 
     democratically. That is the only way that the dignity of the 
     Sikh Nation will be restored.
       Only in a free Khalistan will the Sikh Nation finally live 
     in peace, freedom, prosperity and dignity. Only when 
     Khalistan is free will the rights of all people be ensured.


           In Service to the Panth,
                                          Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh,
                                  President, Council of Khalistan.


[[Page E1681]]



                       SENATE COMMITTEE MEETINGS

  Title IV of Senate Resolution 4, agreed to by the Senate on February 
4, 1977, calls for establishment of a system for a computerized 
schedule of all meetings and hearings of Senate committees, 
subcommittees, joint committees, and committees of conference. This 
title requires all such committees to notify the Office of the Senate 
Daily Digest--designated by the Rules Committee--of the time, place, 
and purpose of the meetings, when scheduled, and any cancellations or 
changes in the meetings as they occur.
  As an additional procedure along with the computerization of this 
information, the Office of the Senate Daily Digest will prepare this 
information for printing in the Extensions of Remarks section of the 
Congressional Record on Monday and Wednesday of each week.
  Meetings scheduled for Thursday, September 10, 1998, may be found in 
the Daily Digest of today's Record.

                           MEETINGS SCHEDULED

                              SEPTEMBER 14
     1:00 p.m.
       Special on Aging
         To hold hearings to examine criminal background checks 
           for nursing home employees.
                                                            SD-628

                              SEPTEMBER 15
     9:30 a.m.
       Small Business
         Business meeting, to consider pending calendar business.
                                                           SR-428A
     10:00 a.m.
       Armed Services
         To hold hearings on the nominations of Bernard D. 
           Rostker, of Virginia, to be Under Secretary of the 
           Army, James M. Bodner, of Virginia, to be Deputy Under 
           Secretary of Defense for Policy, and Vice Adm. Dennis 
           C. Blair, USN, for appointment to the grade of Admiral, 
           and to be Commander-in- Chief of United States Pacific 
           Command.
                                                            SR-222
       Commerce, Science, and Transportation
         To hold hearings on the nominations of Robert Clarke 
           Brown, of Ohio, John Paul Hammerschmidt, of Arkansas, 
           and Norman Y. Mineta, of California, each to be a 
           Member of the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan 
           Washington Airports Authority, Eugene A. Conti, Jr., of 
           Maryland, to be Assistant Secretary of Transportation 
           for Transportation Policy, and Peter J. Basso, Jr., of 
           Maryland, to be Assistant Secretary of Transportation 
           for Budget and Programs.
                                                            SR-253
       Foreign Relations
         To hold hearings on certain extradition and mutual legal 
           assistance treaties.
                                                            SD-419
       Judiciary
       Antitrust, Business Rights, and Competition Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine consolidation issues within 
           the telecommunications industry.
                                                            SD-226
     2:30 p.m.
       Commerce, Science, and Transportation
         To hold hearings on S. 2390, to permit ships built in 
           foreign countries to engage in coastwise in the 
           transport of certain products.
                                                            SR-253

                              SEPTEMBER 16
     9:00 a.m.
       Environment and Public Works
         To hold hearings on S. 1576, to permit the exclusive 
           application of California State regulations regarding 
           reformulated gasoline in certain areas within the 
           State, focusing on the use of methyl tertiary-butyl 
           ether in gasoline.
                                                            SD-406
     9:30 a.m.
       Foreign Relations
       Western Hemisphere, Peace Corps, Narcotics and Terrorism 
           Subcommittee
         To hold joint hearings with the United States Senate 
           Caucus on International Narcotics Control to examine 
           anti-drug interdiction efforts.
                                                            SH-216
       Governmental Affairs
       Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations
         To hold hearings to examine the National Cancer 
           Institute's management of radiation studies.
                                                            SD-342
       United States Senate Caucus on International Narcotics 
           Control
         To hold joint hearings with the Committee on Foreign 
           Relations' Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Peace 
           Corps, Narcotics and Terrorism to examine anti-drug 
           interdiction efforts.
                                                            SH-216
     10:00 a.m.
       Indian Affairs
         Business meeting, to consider pending calendar business; 
           to be followed by a hearing on the nomination of Montie 
           R. Deer, of Kansas, to be Chairman of the National 
           Indian Gaming Commission, Department of the Interior.
                                                            SR-485
     2:00 p.m.
       Judiciary
       Immigration Subcommittee
         To hold oversight hearings on the implementation of the 
           Immigration and Naturalization Service and proposed 
           reform issues.
                                                            SD-226
     2:30 p.m.
       Commerce, Science, and Transportation
       Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine the extent of fatigue of 
           transportation operators in the trucking and rail 
           industries.
                                                            SR-253
       Select on Intelligence
         To hold closed hearings on intelligence matters.
                                                            SH-219

                              SEPTEMBER 17
     9:30 a.m.
       Commerce, Science, and Transportation
         To hold hearings to examine the Department of Commerce 
           involvement in the transfer of satellite technology to 
           China.
                                                            SR-253
       Energy and Natural Resources
         To hold hearings on the nominations of Gregory H. 
           Friedman, of Colorado, to be Inspector General, 
           Department of Energy, Charles G. Groat, of Texas, to be 
           Director of the United States Geological Survey, 
           Department of the Interior, and other pending 
           nominations.
                                                            SD-366
     10:00 a.m.
       Judiciary
         Business meeting, to consider pending calendar business.
                                                            SD-226
     2:00 p.m.
       Energy and Natural Resources
       National Parks, Historic Preservation, and Recreation 
           Subcommittee
         To hold hearings on miscellaneous bills, including S. 
           1175, S. 1641, S. 1960, S. 2086, S. 2133, S. 2239, S. 
           2240, S. 2241, S. 2246, S. 2247, S. 2248, S. 2285, S. 
           2297, S. 2309, S. 2401, and H.R. 2411.
                                                            SD-366

                              SEPTEMBER 22
     9:30 a.m.
       Commerce, Science, and Transportation
         To hold hearings on the nominations of Sylvia De Leon, of 
           Texas, Linwood Holton, of Virginia, and Amy M. Rosen, 
           of New Jersey, each to be a Member of the Reform Board 
           (AMTRAK).
                                                            SR-253
     10:00 a.m.
       Veterans' Affairs
         To hold hearings
         To examine the quality of care in the VA health care 
           system.
                                                            SR-418

                              SEPTEMBER 23
     9:00 a.m.
       Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
         To hold hearings to examine public and private forestry 
           issues.
                                                           SR-328A
       Indian Affairs
         Business meeting, to consider pending calendar business; 
           to be followed by a hearing on H.R. 1833, to amend the 
           Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act 
           to provide for further self-governance by Indian 
           tribes.
                                                            SD-562
     9:30 a.m.
       Commerce, Science, and Transportation
         Business meeting, to consider pending calendar business.
                                                            SR-253
       Energy and Natural Resources
         Business meeting, to consider pending calendar business.
                                                            SD-366

                              SEPTEMBER 24
     9:30 a.m.
       Governmental Affairs
       Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations
         To resume hearings to examine the safety of food imports, 
           focusing on legislative, administrative and regulatory 
           remedies.
                                                            SD-342
     10:00 a.m.
       Energy and Natural Resources
         To hold oversight hearings to examine recent Midwest 
           electricity price spikes.
                                                            SD-366
     2:00 p.m.
       Energy and Natural Resources
       National Parks, Historic Preservation, and Recreation 
           Subcommittee
         To hold hearings on S. 1372, to provide for the 
           protection of farmland at the Point Reyes National 
           Seashore in California.
                                                            SD-366

[[Page E1682]]


                              SEPTEMBER 25
     9:30 a.m.
       Governmental Affairs
       Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations
         To continue hearings to examine the safety of food 
           imports, focusing on legislative, administrative and 
           regulatory remedies.
                                                            SD-342

                              SEPTEMBER 30
     9:00 a.m.
       Indian Affairs
         To hold hearings on H.R. 1805, to amend the Auburn Indian 
           Resoration act to establish restrictions related to 
           gaming on and use of land held in trust for the United 
           Auburn Indian Community of the Auburn Rancheria of 
           California, and S. 2010, to provide for business 
           development and trade promotion for Native Americans.
                                                            SR-485

                               OCTOBER 6
     9:30 a.m.
       Veterans' Affairs
         To hold joint hearings with the House Committee on 
           Veterans Affairs on the legislative recommendations of 
           the American Legion.
                                               345 Cannon Building