[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 105 (Monday, July 29, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1417]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  INDIA SHOULD ACT LIKE A DEMOCRACY--SELF-DETERMINATION FOR KASHMIR, 
               KHALISTAN AND OTHER NATIONS OF SOUTH ASIA

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. DAN BURTON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 26, 2002

  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, India calls itself ``the world's 
largest democracy'' yet it does not act democratic. As you know, a 
report from the Movement Against State Repression shows that India 
admitted to holding 52,268 Sikhs as political prisoners. Fort-two 
Members of Congress from both parties wrote to President Bush to urge 
him to work for the release of these political prisoners. There are 
tens of thousands of other political prisoners also, according to 
Amnesty International, and they must also be released. Recently, the 
Council of Khalistan wrote to Secretary of State Colin Powell to urge 
him to work for the release of political prisoners.
  India has killed over 250,000 Sikhs since 1984, over 80,000 Kashmiri 
Muslims since 1988, over 200,000 Christians in Nagaland since 1947, and 
tens of thousands of other minorities. Mr. Speaker, this is not 
acceptable, and it shows that using the term ``democracy'' to describe 
India may not be the best use of the term.
  Recently, former Senator George Mitchell said ``the essence of 
democracy is the right to self determination.'' I'm not in the habit of 
quoting Democrats, Mr. Speaker, but Senator Mitchell is right about 
this. In 1948, India promised the United Nations that it would allow 
the people of Kashmir to decide their future in a free and fair 
plebiscite. No such vote has ever been held. Instead, over 600,000 
troops have been sent to Kashmir to suppress the legitimate aspirations 
of the people for freedom. Similarly, in Punjab, Khalistan, which 
declared its independence from India on October 7, 1987, over half a 
million troops have terrorized the population to destroy the Sikh 
Nation's freedom movement, even though the Sikhs were one of the 
parties to the agreement establishing the independence of India and 
were supposed to get their own state. Nagaland, which is predominantly 
Christian, has been trying to secure its freedom and India has reacted 
with similar terror. All in all, there are 17 freedom movements within 
India's artificial borders.
  Mr. Speaker, it is time for all the people of South Asia to enjoy 
freedom. Until India allows the people to exercise their legitimate 
rights, we should stop all U.S. foreign aid to India. We also should 
formally declare our support for self-determination for Kashmir, 
Khalistan, Nagaland, and all the people and nations of South Asia. 
These measures will go a long way towards securing the blessings of 
freedom to all the people of the subcontinent.




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