[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 153 (Wednesday, December 13, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2178]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  INDIA OBSERVES CEASE-FIRE IN KASHMIR

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                           HON. ROBERT WEXLER

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 13, 2000

  Mr. WEXLER. Mr. Speaker, on November 19th, the Government of India 
announced a one-month unilateral cease-fire in Kashmir. India's Prime 
Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, ordered all Indian security forces to 
cease operations in Kashmir during the month of Ramadan, the Muslim 
period of fasting and prayer. An article in the New York Times on 
November 20th described India's action as ``a rare, hopeful step toward 
ending more than a decade of violence in Kashmir.'' Prime Minister 
Vajpayee stated, ``I hope that our gesture will be fully appreciated 
and all violence and infiltration across the Line of Control and the 
international border will cease and peace prevail.''
  Regrettably, India's courageous step for peace was immediately 
rejected by the four major Muslim guerrilla groups that have been 
battling since 1989 to forcibly tear the state of Jammu and Kashmir 
away from India.
  Still, despite the snubs from the militant leaders, India is making 
good on its cease- fire offer. Since the beginning of Ramadan at 
sundown on Sunday, November 26, Indian security forces have been under 
orders to conduct no operations against the guerrilla groups, and to 
react with force only if they are attacked.
  Unfortunately, it didn't take long for an attack to come. According 
to an account in the November 28 edition of The Washington Post, 
militants used a land mine to blow up an Indian army truck, killing 
three soldiers. There was additional violence as guerrillas tried to 
infiltrate into India's territory, across the Line of Control from 
Pakistani-held areas. These border incursions are clearly an attempt by 
the militants to provide a response from India, thereby undermining the 
cease-fire. India has a right to defend its territory, and these 
defensive actions are consistent with the cease-fire.
  There are indications that the Kashmiri people welcome the cease-
fire, despite the threats from the militants. According to a November 
27 article in The Washington Post, entitled ``Kashmiris Hopeful as 
Truce Begins'':

       ``The cease-fire is a good thing for us, but unfortunately 
     the militants do not agree,'' said Nazir Ahmed, 30, a mason 
     in the village of Wathura, which was reduced to rubble early 
     this month during a clash between rebels and security forces. 
     ``I'm afraid there will be more killings, because one side 
     wants to prove a point.

  In addition, there have been warning signs that some rebel groups 
have no intention of honoring the truce, which Vajpayee announced Nov. 
19. Since then, there have been two attacks on civilians, including the 
killing of five Sikh and Hindu truck drivers on a Kashmiri highway.
  There has been speculation that the attacks were intended to drive a 
wedge between Muslims and people of other faiths in Kashmir at an 
especially sensitive moment, thus undermining the cease-fire.
  Such attacks must be condemned, in the name of human rights and 
fundamental decency. As to the broader issue of India's brave action, I 
urge the U.S. Government to express in the strongest terms our strong 
support for the difficult step for peace that India has taken.

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