U.S.Congressman Attacks India

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Indian Rulers Did Not Deal in Good Faith at the Indo-Pak Agra Summit -

U.S. Congressmen

 

Syed Adeeb

Updated on 2001-08-02 15:12:46

 

India has a long record of supporting terrorism against the people

within its borders

 

The Information Times Special Commentary

 

DAN BURTON (Member of U.S. Congress and Chairman, U.S. House

Government Reform Committee - Republican-Indiana)

 

U.S. CONGRESS, 31 July 2001 (InfoTimes): The duplicity of India is

clearer after the collapse of its talks with Pakistan. Pakistani

President General Pervez Musharraf went home abruptly because India

was not dealing in good faith. Although much discussion focused on

the Kashmir issue, India's spokeswoman never even acknowledged that

Kashmir was on the agenda. India refused to go along with three

drafts of a joint statement approved by both leaders. Instead, India

insisted on including its unfounded accusations that Pakistan is

fomenting "terrorism" in Kashmir and other places that India

controls.

 

India has a long record of supporting terrorism against the people

within its borders. The most recent incident took place last month

when Indian military troops tried to burn down a Gurdwara and some

Sikh homes in Kashmir, but were stopped by Sikh and Muslim residents

of the town. There are many other incidents.

 

The massacre in Chithisinghpora is very well known by now. It's also

well known that India paid out over 41,000 cash bounties to police

officers for killing Sikhs. It's well known that India holds tens of

thousands of political prisoners, Sikhs and other minorities, in

illegal detention with no charges and no trial. Some of them have

been held since 1984. Is this how a democratic state conducts its

affairs?

 

It is India that introduced the specter of nuclear terrorism into

South Asia with its nuclear tests. Can we blame Pakistan for

responding? Although it claims that the nuclear weapons are to

protect them from China, the majority of them are pointed at

Pakistan. Unfortunately, if there is a war between India and

Pakistan, it is the minority peoples in Punjab and Kashmir who will

suffer the most and bear most of the cost.

 

The United States must become more engaged in the subcontinent. We

should continue to encourage both India and Pakistan to reduce their

nuclear stockpiles.

 

However, we should not remove the sanctions against India for its

introduction of nuclear weapons into this region.

 

In addition, we should end all aid to India until the most basic

human rights are respected and not violated.

 

Finally, we should publicly declare support for a free and fair vote

in Kashmir, as promised in 1948 and as President Musharraf was

pushing for, and in Punjab, Khalistan, in Nagalim, and in all the 17

nations under Indian occupation where freedom movements are ongoing.

 

Only by these means can we strengthen America's hand in South Asia,

ensure that a violent breakup like that of Yugoslavia does not occur

in the subcontinent, and let the glow of freedom shine for all the

people of that troubled region.