[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 74 (Thursday, May 20, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1050]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SIKH JOURNALIST GRILLED BY INDIAN INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS--THERE IS NO 
                     FREEDOM OF THE PRESS IN INDIA

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 20, 1999

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, India claims that it is democratic, but one 
of the cornerstones of democracy is freedom of the press. A recent 
event shows us again that there is no freedom of the press in India.
  On May 11, Sukhbir Singh Osan, a journalist who has written for many 
papers in India and runs the website Burning Punjab, was interrogated 
by Indian intelligence officers for 45 minutes after he returned from a 
trip to the United States, Canada, and Great Britain. He came to cover 
the big Sikh marches in Washington, New York, and Toronto and to 
deliver a speech on the persecution of Christians that has been going 
on since Christmas Day.
  Apparently, this coverage upset the Indian oligarchy. The 
intelligence officers who came to Mr. Osan's house said that they had 
``specific instructions from Delhi.''
  Mr. Osan has been targeted by the Indian government before. He was 
denied a degree he earned. His telephone has been bugged and he has 
received threats. He is not the only one. Reporters who exposed 
government abuses have received telephone threats. One reporter was 
told that ``it is dangerous to report against the government.'' That 
was under a Congress Party government. The government controls the 
television and radio as well as Press Trust of India (PTI) and United 
News of India (UNI). How can you have a democracy if the government 
controls the media and tries to intimidate reporters who report news 
that they don't want to come out?
  I thank my friend Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President of the Council 
of Khalistan, for bringing this story to my attention. His office 
issued an excellent press release on the grilling of Mr. Osan, which I 
believe will be very informative to my colleagues.
  How can the United States continue to support a country that claims 
to be democratic but does not allow freedom of the press, kills tens of 
thousands over their religious beliefs, joins with the world's most 
notorious tyrants at the United Nations against the U.S., celebrates 
the anniversary of its nuclear explosion, routinely violates basic 
human rights, and will not even allow a simple vote on the political 
future of the minority nations seeking their freedom? Why should such a 
country be a major recipient of American aid and trade? We should stop 
our aid to India until it respects basic human rights and we should 
publicly declare our support for the 17 freedom movements within 
India's borders.
  I place the Council of Khalistan's press release on the grilling of 
Mr. Osan into the Record.

           Journalist Grilled by Indian Intelligence Officers


               There is No Freedom of the Press in India

       Washington, D.C., May 12--Sikh journalist Sukhbir Singh 
     Osan, who runs the website Burning Punjab, was interrogated 
     by Indian intelligence officers after returning from a trip 
     to the United States, Canada, and Great Britain, where he 
     covered the Sikh 300th anniversary marches in Washington, New 
     York, and Toronto and made a speech on ``Recent Attacks on 
     the Christian Community in India.''
       Intelligence officers grilled Mr. Osan at his home 
     yesterday for over 45 minutes. They claimed that ``we have 
     specific instructions from Delhi.'' Mr. Osan stated that this 
     action is ``true to their anti-Sikh stance.''
       Mr. Osan has previously had his telephone bugged by the 
     Indian government. He was denied a degree he earned because 
     he has exposed corruption, atrocities, and acts of terrorism 
     by the Indian government. He has received anonymous telephone 
     threats.
       ``The interrogation of Sukhbir Singh Osan shows that there 
     is no freedom of the press in India,'' said Dr. Gurmit Singh 
     Aulakh, President of the Council of Khalistan. ``Both Press 
     Trust of India (PTI) and United News of India (UNI) are 
     completely controlled by the Indian government,'' Dr. Aulakh 
     stated. Noting that Mr. Osan has met lawmakers in both the 
     U.S. and Canada, Dr. Aulakh said that ``any more harassment 
     of Mr. Osan will cause India big trouble.''
       ``Reporters who put out information contrary to the 
     government line are often threatened and harassed as Mr. Osan 
     was yesterday,'' he said. ``Reporters who have exposed 
     government corruption and brutality have received anonymous 
     telephone calls telling them that `it is dangerous to report 
     against the government,' '' Dr. Aulakh said.
       Mr. Aulakh urged the United States government to stop 
     supporting the government of India. ``India has joined with 
     China, Russia, Cuba, and Libya in action against the U.S. at 
     the United Nations,'' he noted. ``India tried to build a 
     security alliance against the United States. It recently 
     celebrated the anniversary of its nuclear explosion and 
     reiterated its refusal to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban 
     Treaty. India is a major human-rights violator. Amnesty 
     International has not been allowed into the country since 
     1978,'' he pointed out. ``Yet it remains one of the top 
     recipients of U.S. aid.''
       The Indian government has murdered more than 250,000 Sikhs 
     since 1984, over 200,000 Christians in Nagaland since 1988, 
     more than 60,000 Muslims in Kashmir since 1988, and tens of 
     thousands of Assamese, Manipuris, Tamils, Dalit 
     ``untouchables,'' and others. Tens of thousands of Sikhs 
     languish in Indian jails without charge or trial, some since 
     1984.
       ``Why should the American taxpayers be forced to support a 
     country where there is no religious freedom, no freedom of 
     the press, and no human rights for minorities?'' he asked. 
     ``Why should America support a country that is so vehemently 
     anti-American?'' he said. ``The time has come for America to 
     defend freedom in South Asia by defending Mr. Osan and other 
     journalists, by cutting off aid to India, and by supporting 
     the 17 freedom movements within India's artificial borders,'' 
     Dr. Aulakh said.

     

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