VisionHawk
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INDIA IS USING CHEMICAL WEAPONS IN KASHMIR; U.S. SHOULD STOP ITS PRO-INDIA TILT
HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS
In the US House of Representatives
[Congressional Record, Page: E1317]
Mr. Speaker, I was disturbed to find out that India has been using chemical weapons in its war against the freedom fighters of Kashmir. Reuters, CNN, the BBC, the Associated Press, and others have all reported that India fired chemical weapons shells into Pakistan. Remember that India's nuclear tests last year started the nuclear arms race in South Asia, which is very destabilizing to our ally Pakistan, to India , the subcontinent, and the world.
In recent days, there have been news reports of a mass exodus from border villages in Punjab, the homeland of the Sikhs. According to at least one report, 70 percent of the population of these villages has fled. These Sikhs are apparently afraid that India's war on the freedom fighters will spread to Punjab. There are good reasons to believe this. India sent a new deployment of troops to Punjab, Khalistan. These troops are on top of the half-million troops who were already stationed in Punjab to suppress the Sikh freedom movement.
Mr. Speaker, this situation is entirely India's responsibility. India that started the conflict in Kargil to wipe out the freedom movement in Kashmir and scare the other freedom movements into submitting to Indian rule. India introduced nuclear weapons to South Asia last year and introduced chemical weapons into this conflict. These are weapons of mass destruction, Mr. Speaker. Indian has brought these weapons of mass destruction to South Asia. Why do we still give aid from American tax dollars to India ?
Recently an Indian colonel admitted that Indian soldiers are `dying like dogs.'
India is losing this war in Kargil, while it loudly proclaims victory. As India's desperation increases, the situations gets more dangerous. It is feared that India will use its new deployment in Punjab, Khalistan to invade Pakistan in an attempt to cut off the Kashmiris' supply lines.
Mr. Speaker, we all salute the President for his attempt to keep the fighting from escalating, but there seems to be a pro-India tilt to our effort and to our policy in the region. Yet India denies self-determination and other basic human rights to the Kashmiris, the Sikhs of Khalistan, the Christians of Nagaland, and the other occupied nations of South Asia. When basic human rights are denied, we have an obligation to help people reclaim their rights. We should be working for peace, freedom, and self-determination. We should not be aligned with India , which remains one of the world's worst human-rights violators.
Let this Congress do whatever we can to support democracy, self-determination, peace, and stability in the subcontinent. We should impose sanctions on India , cut off American aid to India , and pass a resolution stating our support for a free and fair plebiscite under international supervision in Punjab, Khalistan, in Kashmir, in Nagaland, and everywhere else that the people seek their freedom. I am proud to have co-sponsored such a resolution in the last Congress. This is the right time to take these measures when they will have the greatest effect. Let us take these measures to support freedom.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to insert the Council of Khalistan's press release on India's chemical weapons use into the Record.
Council of Khalistan, June 14, 1999
Washington, DC, -- Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President of the Council of Khalistan, today condemned India for using chemical weapons in its war against the Kashmiri freedom fighters at Kargil. Reuters, BBC, CNN, Associated Press, and other news sources have reported that India fired chemical weapons shells into Pakistan. The Pakistani Foreign Minister said that his country had found Indian chemical shells that were fired across the border.
Dr. Aulakh condemned `this irresponsible and dangerous action. India is using these weapons despite being a signatory to the Chemical Weapons Convention,' he noted. `So far these weapons have only caused skin irritations, shortness of breath, and other minor health problems,' he said, `but the potential dangers are frightening.'
`Remember that India started this war to suppress the Kashmiri freedom movement,' Dr. Aulakh said. He took note of an India Today report that the war is costing India 15 core (150 million) rupees each day. `Apparently, no amount of blood or money is too great for the Indian government,' he said.
`America took action against Iraq for using chemical weapons in its war against Kuwait,' he pointed out. `Why does America continue to support India with aid and trade?,' he asked. `The United Nations should impose strong sanctions on India for this brutal act,' he added.
`The news that India is using chemical weapons is very disturbing, not only to the people of Kashmir but to the people of Punjab, Khalistan,' he said. `India , the country which started the nuclear arms race in South Asia, is now using weapons of mass destruction,' he said. According to Kashmiri leaders, India also used chemical weapons against them in 1994.
`This terrorist act shows India's desperation to keep its artificial borders intact,' Dr. Aulakh said. `India is losing this war,' he said. `One Indian Army colonel admitted that Indian troops are `dying like dogs.' I call on Sikh soldiers not to fire on Kashmiri freedom fighters,' he said. `I urge Sikh soldiers to join the Sikh freedom movement and liberate Khalistan.'
I cannot help but think that these attacks are related to the massive evacuations of 37 villages along the border in Punjab,' he said. `It is not the Pakistanis
the villagers are afraid of,' he said, `it is expansion of India's terrorist war into Punjab, Khalistan.'
`In war, people get killed, and that is unfortunate,' Dr. Aulakh said. `Countries that are moral and democratic do not deliberately kill civilians,' he said. The Indian government has murdered over 250,000 Sikhs since 1984. India has also murdered over 200,000 Christians in Nagaland since 1947, more than 60,000 Muslims in Kashmir since 1988, and tens of thousands of Assamese, Manipuris, Dalits (`black untouchables'
, Tamils, and others.
`Freedom struggles don't go away,' he said. `Just as India cannot suppress Kashmir's freedom struggle with weapons of mass destruction, the freedom struggle in Khalistan will go on until Khalistan is free,' he said. `Now is the moment for the Sikh Nation to liberate Khalistan with the help of the Sikh soldiers. It is time to rebel. Khalsa Bagi Yan Badshah.'
HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS
In the US House of Representatives
[Congressional Record, Page: E1317]
Mr. Speaker, I was disturbed to find out that India has been using chemical weapons in its war against the freedom fighters of Kashmir. Reuters, CNN, the BBC, the Associated Press, and others have all reported that India fired chemical weapons shells into Pakistan. Remember that India's nuclear tests last year started the nuclear arms race in South Asia, which is very destabilizing to our ally Pakistan, to India , the subcontinent, and the world.
In recent days, there have been news reports of a mass exodus from border villages in Punjab, the homeland of the Sikhs. According to at least one report, 70 percent of the population of these villages has fled. These Sikhs are apparently afraid that India's war on the freedom fighters will spread to Punjab. There are good reasons to believe this. India sent a new deployment of troops to Punjab, Khalistan. These troops are on top of the half-million troops who were already stationed in Punjab to suppress the Sikh freedom movement.
Mr. Speaker, this situation is entirely India's responsibility. India that started the conflict in Kargil to wipe out the freedom movement in Kashmir and scare the other freedom movements into submitting to Indian rule. India introduced nuclear weapons to South Asia last year and introduced chemical weapons into this conflict. These are weapons of mass destruction, Mr. Speaker. Indian has brought these weapons of mass destruction to South Asia. Why do we still give aid from American tax dollars to India ?
Recently an Indian colonel admitted that Indian soldiers are `dying like dogs.'
India is losing this war in Kargil, while it loudly proclaims victory. As India's desperation increases, the situations gets more dangerous. It is feared that India will use its new deployment in Punjab, Khalistan to invade Pakistan in an attempt to cut off the Kashmiris' supply lines. Mr. Speaker, we all salute the President for his attempt to keep the fighting from escalating, but there seems to be a pro-India tilt to our effort and to our policy in the region. Yet India denies self-determination and other basic human rights to the Kashmiris, the Sikhs of Khalistan, the Christians of Nagaland, and the other occupied nations of South Asia. When basic human rights are denied, we have an obligation to help people reclaim their rights. We should be working for peace, freedom, and self-determination. We should not be aligned with India , which remains one of the world's worst human-rights violators.
Let this Congress do whatever we can to support democracy, self-determination, peace, and stability in the subcontinent. We should impose sanctions on India , cut off American aid to India , and pass a resolution stating our support for a free and fair plebiscite under international supervision in Punjab, Khalistan, in Kashmir, in Nagaland, and everywhere else that the people seek their freedom. I am proud to have co-sponsored such a resolution in the last Congress. This is the right time to take these measures when they will have the greatest effect. Let us take these measures to support freedom.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to insert the Council of Khalistan's press release on India's chemical weapons use into the Record.
Council of Khalistan, June 14, 1999
Washington, DC, -- Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President of the Council of Khalistan, today condemned India for using chemical weapons in its war against the Kashmiri freedom fighters at Kargil. Reuters, BBC, CNN, Associated Press, and other news sources have reported that India fired chemical weapons shells into Pakistan. The Pakistani Foreign Minister said that his country had found Indian chemical shells that were fired across the border.
Dr. Aulakh condemned `this irresponsible and dangerous action. India is using these weapons despite being a signatory to the Chemical Weapons Convention,' he noted. `So far these weapons have only caused skin irritations, shortness of breath, and other minor health problems,' he said, `but the potential dangers are frightening.'
`Remember that India started this war to suppress the Kashmiri freedom movement,' Dr. Aulakh said. He took note of an India Today report that the war is costing India 15 core (150 million) rupees each day. `Apparently, no amount of blood or money is too great for the Indian government,' he said.
`America took action against Iraq for using chemical weapons in its war against Kuwait,' he pointed out. `Why does America continue to support India with aid and trade?,' he asked. `The United Nations should impose strong sanctions on India for this brutal act,' he added.
`The news that India is using chemical weapons is very disturbing, not only to the people of Kashmir but to the people of Punjab, Khalistan,' he said. `India , the country which started the nuclear arms race in South Asia, is now using weapons of mass destruction,' he said. According to Kashmiri leaders, India also used chemical weapons against them in 1994.
`This terrorist act shows India's desperation to keep its artificial borders intact,' Dr. Aulakh said. `India is losing this war,' he said. `One Indian Army colonel admitted that Indian troops are `dying like dogs.' I call on Sikh soldiers not to fire on Kashmiri freedom fighters,' he said. `I urge Sikh soldiers to join the Sikh freedom movement and liberate Khalistan.'
I cannot help but think that these attacks are related to the massive evacuations of 37 villages along the border in Punjab,' he said. `It is not the Pakistanis
the villagers are afraid of,' he said, `it is expansion of India's terrorist war into Punjab, Khalistan.' `In war, people get killed, and that is unfortunate,' Dr. Aulakh said. `Countries that are moral and democratic do not deliberately kill civilians,' he said. The Indian government has murdered over 250,000 Sikhs since 1984. India has also murdered over 200,000 Christians in Nagaland since 1947, more than 60,000 Muslims in Kashmir since 1988, and tens of thousands of Assamese, Manipuris, Dalits (`black untouchables'
, Tamils, and others. `Freedom struggles don't go away,' he said. `Just as India cannot suppress Kashmir's freedom struggle with weapons of mass destruction, the freedom struggle in Khalistan will go on until Khalistan is free,' he said. `Now is the moment for the Sikh Nation to liberate Khalistan with the help of the Sikh soldiers. It is time to rebel. Khalsa Bagi Yan Badshah.'
