[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 85 (Friday, June 18, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1166-E1167]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SIKHS REMEMBER 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF ATTACK ON GOLDEN TEMPLE--FREEDOM FOR 
                    KHALISTAN WILL END THE BRUTALITY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 17, 2004

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, Sikhs observe the twentieth anniversary of 
India's brutal attack on the Golden Temple, the seat of their religion, 
this month. From June 3 to 6, 1984, the Indian military brutally 
attacked the Golden Temple and 125 other Sikh Gurdwaras all over 
Punjab. This brutal and devastating attack, carried out by the Indira 
Gandhi government, which was always proudly proclaiming its commitment 
to secularism, killed over 20,000 Sikhs.
  This attack made it clear that even when the secular parties are in 
power, the minorities in India are not safe and they have no real 
rights, despite what is written in India's constitution. Whether the 
Hindu nationalist BJP is in power or the secularist Congress Party is 
in power, the policy of killing the Sikhs and other minorities in the 
futile effort to preserve what India considers its territorial 
integrity marches brutally on.
  Among those killed in the Golden Temple attack were major Sikh 
leaders like Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, Bhai Arnrik Singh, 
General Shabeg Singh, and many others. The Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh 
holy scriptures, were shot full of bullets from the guns of the Indian 
military. Sikh boys were taken outside and asked if they supported 
Khalistan. Then they were shot to death. Khalistan, of course, is the 
name of the independent Sikh homeland.
  There is no place for Sikhs or other minorities such as Christians 
and Muslims in India despite its claims of secularism. On October 7, 
1987, Khalistan formally declared its independence. If India is the 
democratic country it claims to be, why not simply decide the issue in 
a free and fair plebiscite in Punjab, Khalistan on the subject of 
independence? Isn't that the democratic way? I was under the impression 
that in democracies, things were decided by votes. The United States 
allows the people of Puerto Rico to vote on independence every few 
years. Canada has held democratic plebiscites on the status of Quebec. 
In 1947, India promised to settle the Kashmir issue by plebiscite, but 
it has never allowed that vote to be held. Why not simply put the 
question to a democratic vote? That is self-determination and self-
determination is the essence of democracy.
  The Sikh Nation was independent from 1765 to 1849. The Sikhs were 
supposed to receive sovereignty when India became independent. Although 
the Indian constitution was adopted in 1950, more than half a century 
ago, to this day no Sikh representative has ever signed it. How can 
India claim that it holds sovereignty over the Sikh Nation?
  Unfortunately, the Sikhs are not the only victims of India's 
repressive tyranny. More than 300,000 Christians in Nagaland have been 
killed by the Indian government since 1947. They have seen priests 
murdered, nuns raped, schools, prayer halls, and festivals attacked--
the government even shut down one festival with gunfire--missionaries 
murdered, beaten, and thrown out of the country, and so many other 
atrocities carried out against them. Almost 88,000 Kashmiri Muslims 
have fallen victim to India's brutal tyranny since 1988. Another 2,000 
to 5,000 Muslims were massacred in Gujarat with the connivance of the 
government. And these are just a few of the atrocities committed 
against minorities by the Indian forces.
  Mr. Speaker, we must do something to stop these atrocities. If real 
democracy and real freedom is going to come to all the people of South 
Asia, the United States must take a stand. It is good that a Sikh is 
now Prime Minister. He must know the feeling of India's brutality 
against his people. Therefore, I call on him to use his office to 
release all of India's political prisoners and bring the persons who 
carried out these atrocities to justice. We must stop our aid to India 
until it shows that it is willing to act like a democracy and protect 
human rights. We are setting up a democratic government in Iraq with a 
new President and a new Prime Minister. Isn't it time that real 
democracy finally came to India?
  In addition, it is vital for the Congress to declare its support for 
a free and fair plebiscite

[[Page E1167]]

on the issue of independence for Khalistan. There should also be 
similar plebiscites for Kashmir, Nagaland, and every other nation that 
seeks its freedom from Indian rule. India says there is no support for 
these freedom movements. Well, it is time for India to prove its point 
by holding a free vote on the matter. This is the only way for the 
people of South Asia to live in freedom, peace, democracy, and 
stability.
  Mr. Speaker, there will be demonstrations around the world this 
weekend to commemorate the Golden Temple attack. The one in Washington 
will be led by the Council of Khalistan. I would like to insert their 
very informative flyer into the Record at this time.

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