[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 147 (Monday, October 20, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2097]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    ANNUAL SIKH CONVENTION LAYS PLANS FOR EXPANDING FREEDOM STRUGGLE

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                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 20, 2003

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, the International Sikh Organization held its 
annual convention on the weekend of October 10-11-12, 2003, in Houston. 
The convention laid plans for the expansion of the movement to free 
Khalistan, the Sikh homeland that declared its independence on October 
7, 1987.
  The convention was attended by many delegates from all around the 
United States and Canada. They made plans to expand their office in 
Washington, which has been an invaluable resource to us here in 
Congress in getting out information about the oppression of the Sikhs 
and other minorities by the Indian government. This is good to see. The 
glow of freedom still burns brightly in the hearts of these Sikh 
leaders.
  The delegates also congratulated Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President 
of the International Sikh Organization and the Council of Khalistan, 
for his tireless work in support of the interests of Sikhs in this 
country and the cause of freedom for Khalistan. I can say from my 
personal experience that Dr. Aulakh has worked for that cause with 
great dedication for several years and he has provided a lot of 
information to those of us in Congress who are interested in the cause 
of human rights and freedom in South Asia.
  Mr. Speaker, I would simply like to take this opportunity to salute 
the International Sikh Organization on a very successful convention and 
wish it continued success in the future. We can support its efforts to 
bring freedom to the Sikh people, as well as the other captive nations 
of South Asia such as Nagaland, Kashmir, and others, by stopping 
American aid and trade with India until human rights are observed and 
by declaring our support for a fair plebiscite under international 
monitoring on the question of independence.
  I would like to place the ISO's press release on its very successful 
convention into the Record at this time.

  Annual Convention on Khalistan Very Successful--Plans To Strengthen 
                           Office Formulated

       Washington, D.C., October 14, 2003--The annual convention 
     of the International Sikh Organization on Khalistan was very 
     successful. Delegates from all around the United States and 
     Canada attended. The convention was held October 10-11-12 in 
     Houston, Texas.
       The convention recognized Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, 
     President of the International Sikh Organization and the 
     Council of Khalistan, for his dedication, vision, 
     persistence, and commitment to the cause of liberating 
     Khalistan, the independent Sikh homeland declared on October 
     7, 1987. Since then, it has been under Indian occupation. 
     When India became independent, Sikhs were equal partners in 
     the transfer of power and were to receive their own state, 
     but the weak and ignorant Sikh leaders of the time were 
     tricked into staying with India on the promise that they 
     would have ``the glow of freedom'' and no law affecting the 
     Sikhs would pass without their consent. Sikhs ruled an 
     independent and sovereign Punjab from 1710 to 1716 and again 
     from 1765 to 1849. No Sikh representative has ever signed 
     the Indian constitution. The Council of Khalistan is the 
     government pro tempore of Khalistan.
       At the convention Dr. Bakshish Singh Sandhu of Pennsylvania 
     and Sardar Harjinder Singh of New Jersey offered to spearhead 
     the acquisition of a building in Washington, D.C. to house 
     the International Sikh Organization's offices.
       The delegates emphasized the need for an office in 
     Washington to protect the interests of Sikhs in this country, 
     as well as to work for freedom for Khalistan. An example of 
     this need is the video recently removed from the State 
     Department website entitled ``Terrorism: A War Without 
     Borders'' which portrayed all Sikhs as terrorists. Because of 
     the letter by U.S. Representatives Dan Burton (R-Ind.), 
     Edolphus Towns (D-NY), and Wally Herger (R-Cal.), the State 
     Department recently removed this video and its text from its 
     website. The convention passed a resolution of appreciation 
     of these Congressmen.
       Other resolutions included one asking every Gurdwara to 
     contribute $500 per month to the Washington office, one 
     urging Sikhs not to support the various branches of the Akali 
     Dal, which is under Indian government control, one calling 
     for young Sikhs to step forward into leadership roles, and 
     one demanding freedom for Khalistan.
       History shows that multinational states such as India are 
     doomed to failure. Countries like Austria-Hungary, India's 
     longtime friend the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, 
     and others prove this point. India is not one country; it is 
     a polyglot like those countries, thrown together for the 
     convenience of the British colonialists. It is doomed to 
     break up as they did. India is ruled by Hindu theocrats whose 
     agenda is ``Hindu, Hindi, Hindutva, Hindu Rashtra,'' or total 
     Hindu domination of every facet of Indian life. An Indian 
     Cabinet minister said that everyone who lives in India must 
     be a Hindu or subservient to Hindus.
       ``We thank everyone who attended this important 
     convention,'' Dr. Aulakh said. ``Their commitment, their 
     ideas and their support are helpful as we move forward in our 
     work to protect the interests of Sikhs in this country and to 
     continue working for the liberation of Khalistan,'' he said. 
     ``We sincerely thank and appreciate the hospitality of the 
     Management Committee of the Houston Gurdwara. Special thanks 
     are due to the Council advisors of the Houston area.''
       The Indian government has murdered over 250,000 Sikhs since 
     1984, more than 200,000 Christians since 1948, over 85,000 
     Muslims in Kashmir since 1988, and tens of thousands of 
     Tamils, Assamese, Manipuris, Dalits, and others. The Indian 
     Supreme Court called the Indian government's murders of Sikhs 
     ``worse than a genocide.''
       Indian police arrested human-rights activist Jaswant Singh 
     Khalra after he exposed their policy of mass cremation of 
     Sikhs, in which over 50,000 Sikhs have been arrested, 
     tortured, and murdered, then their bodies were declared 
     unidentified and secretly cremated. He was murdered in police 
     custody. His body was not given to his family. The police 
     never released the body of former Jathedar of the Akal Takht 
     Gurdev Singh Kaunke after SSP Swaran Singh Ghotna murdered 
     him. Ghotna has never been brought to trial for the Jathedar 
     Kaunke murder. No one has been brought to justice for the 
     kidnapping and murder of Jaswant Singh Khalra. According to a 
     report by the Movement Against State Repression (MASR), 
     52,268 Sikhs are being held as political prisoners in India 
     without charge or trial. Some have been in illegal custody 
     since 1984!

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