[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 12200]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



 INDIAN GOVERNMENT FOUND RESPONSIBLE FOR BURNING SIKH HOMES AND TEMPLE 
                               IN KASHMIR

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                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 27, 2001

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, in March 2000 when President Clinton was 
visiting India, 35 Sikhs were murdered in cold blood in the village of 
Chithi Singhpora in Kashmir. Although the Indian government continues 
to blame alleged ``Pakistani militants,'' two independent 
investigations, by the Movement Against State Repression and Punjab 
Human Rights Organization and the International Human Rights 
Organization based at Ludhiana, have proven that the Indian government 
was responsible for this atrocity.
  Now it is clear that this was part of a pattern designed to pit Sikhs 
and Kashmiri Muslims against each other with the ultimate aim of 
destroying both the Sikh and Kashmiri freedom movements. The Kashmir 
Media Service reported on May 28 that five Indian soldiers were caught 
in Srinagar trying to set fire to a Sikh temple and some Sikh homes. 
Sikh and Muslim villagers overpowered the troops as they were about to 
sprinkle gunpowder on Sikh houses and the temple. The Border Security 
Forces rescued several other troops. The villagers even seized a 
military vehicle, which the army later had to come and reclaim.
  At a subsequent protest rally, local leaders said that this incident 
was part of an Indian government plan to create communal riots. As 
such, it fits perfectly with the Chithi Singhpora massacre.
  Mr. Speaker, India has been trying to commit atrocities in order to 
promote violence by minorities against each other. Now that the massive 
numbers of minorities, that the Indian government has murdered, have 
been exposed, the government is trying to get these same minority 
groups to kill each other. The plan to create more bloodshed is 
backfiring on the Indian government. Fortunately, the groups have 
joined together to oppose the government's plan.
  Such a plan is an unacceptable abuse of power. As the leader for 
democracy in the world, we should take a stand against this 
government's actions, which target minority groups for violence and 
abuse.
  Given these kinds of actions it makes it very difficult to advocate 
that this Administration should lift the sanctions against India. To 
ensure the survival and success of freedom in South Asia, our 
government should go on record strongly supporting self-determination 
for all the peoples and nations of South Asia in the form of a free and 
fair, internationally-monitored plebiscite. This is the best way to 
support democracy in all of South Asia and to create strong allies for 
America in that troubled region.

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