[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 96 (Thursday, July 1, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1471]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            SIKH LEADER'S LETTER EXPOSES CONFLICT IN KASHMIR

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JOHN T. DOOLITTLE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, July 1, 1999

  Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, India has recently undertaken a military 
effort to eliminate the freedom movement in Kashmir. Supporters of 
freedom for all the nations of South Asia, especially neighboring 
Punjab, Khalistan, are concerned that if this conflict spreads, it 
could be a threat to other nations inside India's borders.
  Recently, Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President of the Council of 
Khalistan, wrote a letter to the Washington Times which I am sure will 
be of interest to my colleagues. He pointed out that the air attacks 
are really an attack on the Kashmiri freedom fighters. ``India has not 
yet learned that people struggling for freedom cannot be suppressed by 
force forever,'' he wrote.
  Dr. Aulakh wrote that ``the reason for these conflicts is the denial 
of self-determination by the country that proclaims itself `the world's 
largest democracy.' '' This is the cause not only of the conflict in 
Kargil, but many of the political problems in South Asia. India spends 
its money to build nuclear weapons and forcibly maintain its unstable, 
polyglot country while half its people live below the international 
poverty line. To make it worse, India convened a meeting last month 
with China, Cuba, Serbia, and other enemies of our country ``to stop 
the U.S.'' Why are the overstressed taxpayers of America supporting 
this kind of government?
  Only when free and fair plebiscites on independence are held in those 
regions that are seeking their freedom can India legitimately claim 
that it is a democratic power. India promised the people of Kashmir a 
plebiscite in 1948. It promised the Sikhs of Punjab, Khalistan, that 
they would have autonomy. India claims it is democratic and that there 
is no support for independence in these places or in Nagaland or any of 
the other lands it occupies. Then why not simply have a vote?
  The conflict at Kargil shows that India is unstable. It is falling 
apart in front of our eyes. We should get on the right side of history 
and support the freedom movements by cutting off aid to India and by 
calling for free and fair plebiscites for those seeking freedom.
  I insert the Council of Khalistan's letter into the Record.

     The Washington Times,
     June 8, 1999.
       India's recent air attacks on Kashmir are really a war on 
     the Kashmiri freedom movement. Everything India has tried to 
     put down the freedom movement has failed, so now it has 
     resorted to an air war against the Kashmiris. Sikhs are 
     concerned that neighboring Punjab or Khalistan could be next.
       This war is designed to suppress the freedom fighters in 
     Kashmir. India has not yet learned that people struggling for 
     freedom cannot be suppressed by force forever. This is why 
     more than 500,000 Indian soldiers are stationed in Kashmir. 
     Another 500,000 are stationed in Punjab to suppress the 
     movement to free Khalistan. India has already lost two 
     Russian-made MiG fighters and two helicopter gunships.
       To suppress the freedom struggle, the Indian government has 
     killed more than 250,000 Sikhs since 1984, more than 200,000 
     Christians in Nagaland since 1948, more than 60,000 Muslims 
     in Kashmir since 1988 and tens of thousands of others.
       The reason for these conflicts is the denial of self-
     determination by the country that proclaims itself ``the 
     world's largest democracy.'' America periodically conducts 
     democratic votes on the status of Puerto Rico, with 
     independence as an option. Canada does the same for Quebec, 
     and Great Britain recently allowed Scotland and Wales to 
     elect their own parliaments, moving them one step closer to a 
     vote on independence. If self-determination is good enough 
     for them, why shouldn't the Sikhs of Khalistan, the Muslims 
     of Kashmir, the Christians of Nagaland and others seeking 
     their freedom from India enjoy the same rights?
       The United States, Canada and Great Britain are major world 
     powers. Not only is a free and fair plebiscite the democratic 
     way to settle these issues, it is how great powers conduct 
     themselves. India claims that there is no support for 
     Khalistan. Then why not hold a free and fair vote? If India 
     wants to be a world power and if it claims that it is 
     democratic, then it should allow the people of Khalistan, 
     Kashmir, Nagaland and the others seeking their freedom to 
     hold a plebiscite under international supervision on the 
     question of independence so that this issue can be settled in 
     a free and fair vote.
       The war against the people of Kashmir shows the inherent 
     weakness of the Indian government. Now is the best time for 
     the people and nations of South Asia to claim their freedom. 
     America can support this by cutting off aid to India until it 
     lets people live in freedom and by declaring its open support 
     for the freedom movements of South Asia.

                                          Gurmit Signh Aulakh,

                                                        President,
                                             Council of Khalistan.

     

                          ____________________