INDIAN GOVERNMENT CAUGHT RED-HANDED TRYING TO BURN DOWN SIKH HOMES, GURDWARA IN KASHMIR - HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS
(Extensions of Remarks - June 26, 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 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 red-handed in Srinagar trying to set fire to a Gurdwara (a Sikh temple) and some Sikh homes. The troops were overpowered by Sikh and Muslim villagers as they were about to sprinkle gunpowder on Sikh houses and the Gurdwara. Several other troops were rescued by the Border Security Forces. 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 caught red-handed trying to commit an atrocity to generate violence by minorities against each other. Now that the massive numbers of minorities the Indian government has murdered have been exposed, it is trying to get the minorities to kill each other. Instead they are banding together to stop the government's sinister plan. The plan to create more bloodshed is backfiring on the Indian government.

Such a plan is a tyrannical, unacceptable abuse of power. As the superpower in the world and the leader of the forces of freedom, we must take a stand against this tyrannical, terrorist activity. First, President Bush should reconsider the idea of lifting the sanctions against India . Those sanctions should remain in place until the Indian government learns to respect basic human rights. Until then, the United States should provide no aid to India . And to ensure the survival and success of freedom in South Asia, we 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 on the issue of independence for Khalistan, Kashmir, Nagalim, and all the nations seeking their freedom. This is the best way to let freedom reign in all of South Asia and to create strong allies for America in that troubled region.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to place the May 28 Kashmir News Service article on the Indian forces trying to burn the Gurdwara into the RECORD at this time for the information of my colleagues, especially those who defended India at the time of the Chithi Singhpora massacre.

[From the Kashmir Media Service, May 28, 2001]

ATTEMPT TO SET ABLAZE SIKH HOUSES IN IHK FOILED

SRINAGAR -- According to Kashmir Media Service, Muslims and Sikhs came out of their houses in full force and over powered five of the Indian troops who were about to sprinkle gun powder on Sikhs' houses and adjoining Gurdwara in Alucha Bagh locality with an intention to set them on fire.

The people also seized a military vehicle, the Task Force personnel were riding in. Twelve troops, however, succeeded to escape. Later, the Border Security Force personnel rescued the Task Force personnel. However, the captured vehicle was retained by the people from which, petrol, hand grenades and hundreds of tear gas shells were recovered.

Former APHC Chairman, Syed Ali Gilani led an APHC delegation, including Qazi Ahadullah and Abdul Khaliq Hanif, to the site of the incident. A protest procession was taken out in the locality. The protestors were addressed by Syed Ali Gilani, Ranjiet Singh Sodi, Sardar Bali, Qazi Ahadullah and Abdul Khaliq Hanif.

Syed Ali Gilani recalled the collective murder of Sikhs in Chatti Singhpora and said, now that India has invited Pakistan's Chief Executive General Musharraf for talks, this sinister plan had been hatched to vitiate the atmosphere by creating communal riots.