[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 26 (Thursday, March 1, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H606]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF PAKISTAN SAYS ABUSES GETTING WORSE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, within the last week, a report 
investigating the state of human rights in Pakistan was released 
showing that no significant improvements have been made to restore a 
democratic government in that country. In fact, Mr. Speaker, there is 
growing evidence that seems to suggest that General Musharraf will put 
off national elections perhaps until January 2003, the deadline 
required by the nation's Supreme Court.
  Mr. Speaker, I have come to the House floor numerous times over the 
last couple of years to voice my strong opposition to a 1999 coup that 
ended democratic rule in Pakistan. In October 1999, Pakistan Army Chief 
Musharraf led a coup against civilian Prime Minister Sharif and then 
proclaimed himself the nation's chief executive. Musharraf also 
suspended Pakistan's constitution as well as its representative bodies, 
including the National Assembly and the Senate. Musharraf says he will 
abide by the Supreme Court's deadline to return the nation to 
democratic rule, but I do not believe that January 2003 is soon enough.
  Mr. Speaker, the U.S. Congress should voice its opposition to the 
Pakistani coup. We should go on record and collectively state that we 
will not tolerate the overthrow of an elected government. I cosponsored 
a resolution back in 1999 with former Congressman Sam Gejdenson of 
Connecticut that would accomplish this goal. The resolution was 
approved by the Committee on International Relations less than a month 
after it was introduced and less than a month after the coup. 
Unfortunately, after passing in committee the legislation was never 
seen again and never came to the floor of the House for a final vote.
  I must say, Mr. Speaker, I am ashamed that the 106th Congress never 
went on record in opposition to the coup in Pakistan, and I would still 
like this Congress to do so in light of these latest reports. The 
ability of the military to seize power away from an elected government 
should not be tolerated.
  The human rights report, released this week by the State Department, 
which included some documentation collected by the independent group, 
the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, said that, quote, citizens 
continued to be denied the right to choose or change their government 
peacefully.
  The report also included disturbing news that the Musharraf regime 
has taken, quote, steps to control the judiciary and to remove itself 
from judicial oversight. This so-called control over the judiciary 
could explain the reason why the nation's Supreme Court gave Musharraf 
2 years to rule.
  Another concern, Mr. Speaker, was that human rights abuses, which 
have been a problem in Pakistan for years, have not improved, even 
though goals were set at a conference on human rights at the beginning 
of last year. I should point out that Musharraf was very critical of 
human rights abuses that occurred under Sharif's watch, but after more 
than a year in office, Musharraf has not made any significant changes.
  Mr. Speaker, other major human rights violations are also taking 
place across the border by General Musharraf and his government in 
India's state of Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan's role in sowing death and 
destruction has been going on for years, but received world attention 
in 1999 when Pakistani military leaders, many of whom were involved in 
that year's coup d'etat, precipitated a major crisis by unleashing an 
attack against Indian positions in the area of Kargil, along the Line 
of Control that separates Indian and Pakistani controlled areas of 
Kashmir. Pakistan's actions were condemned by the United States and the 
international community, and Pakistan was forced to essentially 
withdraw. Over the past 2 years, the attacks by Pakistani forces on 
Indian army positions have continued, causing casualties on both sides 
and threatening the stability of the entire South Asia region.
  Another State Department report, released last year and investigating 
terrorism around the world, notes that ``Kashmiri extremist groups 
continued to operate in Pakistan, raising funds and recruiting new 
cadre.'' It blames these groups for numerous terrorist attacks against 
civilian targets in India's state of Jammu and Kashmir.
  Mr. Speaker, I am also concerned that Pakistan is becoming a breeding 
ground for terrorists and the training of terrorist activities. That 
same State Department report looking at terrorist activities around the 
world found that the locus of terrorism directed against the United 
States continued to shift from the Middle East to South Asia.
  Mr. Speaker, each of these reports sheds light on what is really 
going on in Pakistan. It is important that we not only be aware of 
these situations but also be willing, both the new Congress and the new 
administration, to call upon the current government in Pakistan to 
change the situation.

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