[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 68 (Thursday, May 26, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[Congressional Record: May 26, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
SIKHS MASSACRES REMEMBERED
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HON. PETER T. KING
of new york
in the house of representatives
Thursday, May 26, 1994
Mr. KING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in observance of the 10th
anniversary of one of the most savage massacres in recent history. From
June 3, 1984, through the 6th, Indian troops launched a vicious attack
on the Sikhs' holiest shrine, the Golden Temple in Amritsar, and on 38
other Sikh shrines throughout Punjab, Khalistan. During the 4 days of
slaughter, 20,000 Sikhs were killed by troops of the regime that claims
to be the world's largest democracy.
The intense religious persecution and the intolerable human rights
abuses against the Sikhs continue in Punjab, Khalistan. The Indian
Government currently stations 500,000 heavily armed troops in Punjab,
Khalistan. Detention without charge or trial, a shoot-on-sight policy,
and torture are the tools the Indian Government uses to maintain its
brutal grip on the Sikh nation.
I urge the American people, in the spirit of our Nation's
longstanding record of supporting human rights and freedom around the
world, to join the Sikh nation in remembering the brutal attack on the
Golden Temple.
End Indian Tyranny in Khalistan
support freedom for the sikh homeland
Today the Sikh nation faces merciless oppression at the
hands of the Indian government. The man pictured above, Avtar
Singh, was tortured to death with hot irons and electric
shocks by the Indian police. Unfortunately, Avtar Singh is
only one of thousands of Sikh men, women and children who
have suffered torture, murder, rape and humiliation under the
brunt of Indian government brutality.
untold horrors
In the Sikh homeland, Punjab, Khalistan, Indian security
forces possess wide powers to make arrests, jail people
without trial, and shoot to kill. Indian security forces in
Punjab, Khalistan kill 20 to 30 Sikhs everyday in
extrajudicial killings and faked encounters. Last year, over
41,000 police officials received cash rewards for killing
Sikhs.
Since 1984, over 115,000 Sikhs have been murdered by Indian
security forces. According to the Movement Against State
Repression, 60,000-70,000 Sikhs are in Indian jails without
trial under laws declared ``disturbing'' and ``completely
unacceptable'' by the U.N. Human Rights Commission.
Regrettably, Amnesty International has been banned from
conducting human rights investigations in India since 1978.
In the face of such oppression, the Sikh nation declared
independence on October 7, 1987 forming the sovereign country
of Khalistan. Like all nations, the Sikh nation desires
freedom, democracy, humans rights, self-determination and
rule of law.
average people suffer: sarabjit singh the man ``twice killed''
On the morning of October 30, 1993, believe it or not,
young Sarabjit Singh Waltoha was killed two times by the
Indian police. Claiming that Sarabjit Singh was caught in the
crossfire of a police ``encounter,'' officers brought his
supposedly dead body to Patti hospital in Punjab, Khalistan
and order a postmortem examination.
Doctors at the hospital, however, found that Sarabjit was
alive and transferred him to another ward. By the time
Sarabjit Singh regained consciousness, word of his recovery
had spread. Police, learning of their blunder, returned to
the hospital, abducted Sarabjit Singh and reappeared three
hours late with this dead body. Thus Sarabjit Singh as
``twice killed.'' After doctors performed the postmortem,
Sarabjit Singh's body was cremated by the police without
returning it to his relations. Sadly, in Khalistan, such
excesses are an everyday reality.
sikhs are unique
Many members of the Sikh religion are recognizable by their
colorfully turbans, and steel bracelets. Founded in 1469, the
Sikh religion believes in one all powerful loving God, It
requires full equality for women and rejects the caste
system. Truth is held as the highest virtue, but still higher
is truthful living. Sikhism preachers against pride, greed,
anger, lust, and worldly attachment. Sikh belief holds that
no intermediaries should stand between the creator and
creation.
india: nightmare of majority tyranny
The popular conception of India as the ``world's largest
democracy'' must be set aside when dealing with India's
minority nations. India's political structure provides no
safeguards for minorities, there is no American-style Bill of
Rights, and so long as the Indian government can appeal to
the over 80 percent Hindu population, accountability to
minorities is neither required not politically advisable. For
Sikhs and other minority nations, such as the oppressed
Christians of Nagaland and Muslims of Kashmir, there has
never been a secular India, there is only Hindustan--a
country created by Hindus, for Hindus, with the goal of
making the entire subcontinent Hindu.
some political history
Many are unaware that the state called ``India'' was never
historically one nation. When the British took the
subcontinent in the mid 1800's, they conglomerated what is
today called ``India'' simply for administrative purposes. In
fact, the word ``India'' is not indigenous to its natives. It
is a western term for the subcontinent. In actuality, India
is a conglomerate of Nations held together by the nexus of
oppression. It has as many as 18 official languages.
Directly before the era of British colonial rule, the Sikh
nation ruled Punjab (in the Northwest corner of India) from
1765 to 1849. In British history books from the era,
references to negotiations with the ``Sikh nation'' abound.
In 1947, when Britain left India, the British again
recognized Sikh sovereignty by negotiating the transfer of
power to three nations: the Hindus, the Muslims and the
Sikhs. The Muslims got Pakistan and the Hindu took India. The
Sikhs, though they had ample opportunity, did not opt for a
separate country.
Instead the Sikhs joined India with their homeland, Punjab,
conditioned upon the solemn assurances by Indian leaders that
the Sikhs would enjoy ``the glow of freedom'' and that no
constitution would be adopted that was not expressly ratified
by the Sikhs. But instead of the ``glow of freedom,'' the
Sikh nation has only suffered the shadow of oppression in
India. When India's constitution was framed, it was so
inimical to Sikh interests that Sikh representatives refused
to append their signatures to the document. To this day no
Sikh leader has ever signed India's constitution.
the golden temple attack: the straw that broke the camel's back
From June 4-6, 1984, the Indian government led an all out
military attack on the Golden Temple, the holiest of Sikh
shrines, and thirty eight other Sikh shrines throughout
Punjab. The magnitude of this attack cannot be
underestimated. It is comparable to an attack on the Vatican
or Mecca.
The death and destruction inside the Golden Temple and
throughout Punjab was disastrous. Over twenty thousand people
were murdered, most of them innocent worshippers. The Indian
army took pains to burn and destroy the Sikh library which
continued countless original, holy and historic manuscripts.
Newspaper reports chronicled mass executions of worshippers
who were shot at point blank range. Even worse, after the
attack, one hundred children between the ages of eight to
twelve were lined up on the grounds of the Goldern Temple and
asked if they supported a free Khalistan. As each one
answered in the affirmative, Indian security forces shot them
dead.
the council of khalistan
When the Sikh nation declared independence on October 7,
1987, it named Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh as the President of
the Council of Khalistan to lead the Sikh struggle for
independence. Based in Washington, D.C., the Council of
Khalistan has brought the Sikh freedom struggle to the
attention of world leaders. The Council advocates liberating
Khalistan through peaceful, non-violent means. Because of its
efforts, numerous forms of legislation have come before the
U.S. Congress in support of Sikh independence.
political milestones achieved by the council of khalistan
1. On December 27, 1993, President Clinton wrote to Members
of Congress, telling them he supports a `peaceful solution'
to the crisis in Punjab, Khalistan that `protects Sikh
rights.' He also said that human rights `abuses still occur'
in the Sikh homeland.
2. On November 17, 1993, 24 Members of Congress wrote to
President Clinton, asking him to ``diplomatically resolve the
crisis in Khalistan.''
3. On October 1, 1993, President Clinton signed the Foreign
Aid Appropriations Bill. The bill included a $4.1 million cut
in developmental aid to India in protest of its ongoing human
rights violations against the Sikhs, and the freedom seeking
Muslims of Kashmir.
4. On August 5, 1993 Congressman Pete Geren introduced
House Concurrent Resolution 134. The resolution calls for a
U.N.-sponsored plebiscite in Punjab, Khalistan so ``Sikhs''
may determine for themselves, under fair and peaceful
conditions, their political future. It has the bi-partisan
support of 16 influential members of the House of
Representatives.
5. On January 24, 1993, Khalistan was admitted as a full
member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization
(UNPO), a world wide body dedicated to advancing the freedom
aspirations of its member nations.
khalistan: a natural ally of the west
A sovereign, democratic Khalistan will be the West's
strongest ally in South Asia. Freedom for Khalistan, which
would neutralize India's military power, will be a
stabilizing force in South Asia. Free Khalistan will
encourage India and Pakistan to sign the Nuclear Non-
proliferation Treaty and will work for a nuclear-free South
Asia. Furthermore, Khalistan will trade with the rest of the
world in an open market economy. Lastly, all people, Sikh and
non-Sikh, will have full democratic rights and liberties in
Khalistan.
what you can do to help the sikh nation to liberate khalistan
You can help end the murder, rape and torture in Khalistan
by contacting your local House Representatives and Senators.
Tell them:
1. Not a single U.S. tax dollar should go to fund the
brutal Indian regime.
2. In the interests of lasting peace in South Asia, they
should support freedom for Khalistan and specifically House
Concurrent Resolution 134.
Contact:
The U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. 20515.
(202) 225-3121
The U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510. (202) 224-3121
the sikhs want independence
In light of our suffering, the Sikh nation demands outright
independence from India. The Sikh nation feels that the only
way it will be able to enjoy ``life, liberty, and the pursuit
of happiness'' is in a free and sovereign Khalistan. After
reading this we hope you will support independence for
Khalistan. Thank you for your support. God bless you.
For Further Information write to: Council of Khalistan,
2025 Eye St., N.W. #922, Washington, D.C. 20006. Telephone:
Dr. G.S. Aulakh (202) 833-3262. Fax: (202) 452-9161
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