[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 58 (Wednesday, May 2, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H1848]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       PAKISTAN: DEMOCRACY AND POLITICAL RIGHTS, A STATE OF SHAME

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Carter). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, I come to the House floor 
today to denounce the Pakistan Ruling Army's dictatorial and wholly 
unacceptable treatment of nonviolent political activists as they 
assembled yesterday to demand a return to democracy.
  May 1, International Labor Day, has historically been a day when 
rights of those unrepresented and under-represented have been fought 
for around the world. The political workers and activists of Pakistan 
had announced May 1 as their day of peaceful assemblage, asking for 
return to civilian government. General Musharraf, the chief executive 
of the country, has completely clamped down on the very basic civilian 
right of the people to assemble. In his own words, ``Once we have said 
there will be no political activity, there will be no political 
activity.''
  General Musharraf has called these protestors and democracy fighters 
``useless politicians.'' This reign of terror by the army has to be 
stopped, Mr. Speaker, and we must denounce it in no uncertain terms.
  Mr. Speaker, Pakistan is taking a wrong path. Since the October 1999 
coup d'etat in Pakistan, the army government has flagrantly violated 
basic civil rights of the people. The state of the press is severely 
threatened. Journalists are routinely harassed and their offices 
ransacked regularly. The constitution has been abolished.
  The erstwhile political parties of Pakistan have been demanding a 
return to democracy ever since the October 1999 coup d'etat by the 
military. The Musharraf government has outlawed public rallies of any 
kind ever since President Clinton's visit to the region in March of 
2000. In addition, this government has become increasingly hostile and 
has created a security threat to the United States and the South Asia 
region by supporting the Taliban and the Osama Bin Laden network 
logistically, figuratively, financially and otherwise.
  In the most recent U.S. State Department's annual report on global 
terrorism, which was released Monday, Secretary of State Colin Powell 
stated that Pakistan's military government, headed by General Pervez 
Musharraf, has continued previous Pakistani government support for 
several groups responsible for attacks on civilians in Kashmir. The 
report also states that the Harkat ul-Mujahideen, the HUM, a designated 
foreign terrorist organization, continues to be active in Pakistan 
without discouragement by the Government of Pakistan.
  Mr. Speaker, this Congress and its members, as proponents of 
democracy, have an overarching moral obligation to show solidarity with 
each struggle for democracy around the world. Expressing shock, the 
Pakistan People's Party senior representative Khohru said, ``They,'' 
the army, ``have totally clamped down. We are trying to march but 
obviously every place is a jail. The whole city is under siege.''
  Mr. Speaker, if I could say, we must not let political repression go 
by unnoticed. We must go on record publicly expressing the strong 
opposition of the United States Congress to the military coup in 
Pakistan and call for a civilian democratically elected government to 
be returned to power in Pakistan.

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