13770 Hon. James T. Walsh
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13770 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS, Vol. 153, Pt. 10 May 23, 2007 Amritsar, which is the seat of the Sikh religion. control. Our homeland, Khalistan, remains tion, it recently put up a statue of Beant It occurred from June 3 through June 6, 1984. under Indian occupation 20 years after de- Singh, former Chief Minister of Punjab, who Many other Sikh Gurdwaras were attacked at claring its independence from India. Half a presided over the killing of a majority of the the same time in what was known as Oper- million Indian troops continue to enforce the 250,000-plus Sikhs who have been murdered. peace of the bayonet in Punjab, Khalistan. Simranjit Singh Mann and Wassan Singh ation Bluestar, which killed over 20,000 Sikhs. Remember the words of Narinder Singh, a Zaffarwal were arrested for peacefully pro- That was the beginning of a genocide in which spokesman for the Golden Temple, to Amer- testing the statue. In 2005, 35 Sikhs were ar- over 250,000 Sikhs were killed. ica’s National Public Radio: ‘‘The Indian rested for making speeches and raising the During the attack, young Sikh boys, ranging government, all the time they boast that flag of Khalistan. All these repressive acts in age from 8 to 13 years old, were taken out- they are democratic, that they are secular, are in the spirit of the Golden Temple attack side and shot to death. Other soldiers bravely that they have nothing to do with a democ- and continue the repression. They are evi- shot bullets into the Sikh holy scriptures. As racy, nothing to do with a secularism. They dence that we must free Khalistan now. Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who was just kill Sikhs just to please the majority.’’ Let us remind the Indian government that killed in the attack, predicted, it laid the foun- Sant Bhindranwale told us that the attack we have not forgotten the atrocities com- would ‘‘lay the foundation of Khalistan.’’ In- mitted against the Khalsa panth at the Gold- dation for the liberation of the Sikh homeland, deed, it did. On October 7, 1987, Khalistan de- en Temple and from then on. It is time to re- Khalistan. clared its independence. We must use this claim our freedom. India must act like the This brutal attack was a desecration of the anniversary to rededicate ourselves to re- democracy it claims to be and grant a free Sikh religion and culture and a bitter reminder claiming that freedom that is our birthright. and fair plebiscite on the issue of Khalistan that there is no place for Sikhs or other minori- In 1986, Harcharan Singh Longowal struck under international supervision. It must stop ties in Hindu India. They are simply used for the Rajiv-Longowal Accord, in which India arresting Sikh activists for peaceful political the greater glory of the Brahmins. promised to return the capital city of activity. And we must honor the spirits of The Council of Khalistan, which will be lead- Chandigarh, which Sikhs built, and the Bhindranwale and all the others killed at the ing a commemorative demonstration across Punjabi-speaking areas of Himachal Pradesh Golden Temple and the 37 other Gurdwaras and Haryana, which were kept out of Punjab by launching a Shantmai Morcha to liberate from the White House on June 2, has pub- in 1965. Twenty-one years later, India has not our homeland, Khalistan, once and for all. lished an excellent open letter on the mas- kept that promise. Until then, we will continue to suffer under sacre. India has a long history of not keeping its India’s brutal repression. Let’s see to it that If we want to put an end to ongoing repres- promises. It promised the people of Kashmir our Sikh brothers and sisters finally enjoy sion, Madam Speaker, we should support a plebiscite on their status in 1948 and the the glow of freedom. I ask Sikhs of all shades independence for all the nations of South vote has never been held. Nor has it kept its and political affiliations to join hands to free Asia. We should go on record in support of a promises to the people of Nagaland. Instead, Khalistan. Remember the words of the free and fair plebiscite, monitored, on the Nehru said that even if he had to put a sol- former Jathedar of the akal Takht Sahib, question of independence for Khalistan, Kash- dier under every tree, he would never allow Professor Darshan Singh, that ‘‘If a Sikh is a free Nagaland. The Indian government has not a Khalistani, he is not a Sikh.’’ mir, Nagaland, and all the nations of the sub- killed over 90,000 Kashmiri Muslims, over Sincerely, continent. We should stop trading with India 300,000 Christians in Nagaland, tens of thou- DR. GURMIT SINGH AULAKH, and providing it aid until it respects the basic sands of Muslims and Christians elsewhere in President, right to self-determination and all human rights the country, and tens of thousands of Assam- Council of Khalistan. ese, Bodos, Dalits, Manipuris, Tamils, and for all its people, whether Brahmin or Dalit, f whether Hindu, Sikh, Christian, Muslim, or other minorities. Tens of thousands more of whatever. We send India development aid, them continue to be held as politica1 pris- HONORING THE ONONDAGA COM- Madam Speaker, and it puts just 2 percent of oners, according to Amnesty International. MUNITY COLLEGE LAZERS Is that a democracy? These facts underline MEN’S LACROSSE TEAM its development budget to education and just the necessity to free our homeland, 2 percent to health, but 25 percent to nuclear Khalistan, now, and to support freedom for development! Remember that India began the all the people of South Asia. HON. JAMES T. WALSH nuclear escalation in South Asia. Remember the words of Guru Gobind OF NEW YORK 23RD ANNIVERSARY OF GOLDEN TEMPLE Singh, ‘‘In grieb Sikhin ko deon Patshahi.’’ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ATTACK (‘‘I grant sovereignty to the humble Sikhs.’’) DEAR KHALSA PANTH: Next month marks Freedom is the birthright of all people and Wednesday, May 23, 2007 the 23rd anniversary of the Indian govern- nations. It is also granted by our Gurus. When I visited Pakistan in November for Mr. WALSH of New York. Madam Speaker, ment’s brutal attack and desecration of I rise today in tribute to the Onondaga Com- Darbar Sahib, the Golden Temple complex in Guru Nanak’s birthday, the Prime Minister Amritsar. Sikhs must never forget or forgive of Pakistan, Shaukat Aziz, offered to build a munity College Lazers Lacrosse team, 2007 this atrocity. Remember that the Indian road from Kartarpur (where Guru Nanak left National Junior College Athletics Association troops shot bullet holes into an original copy this world) to the border if India will build Men’s Lacrosse Champions. Onondaga Com- of the Guru Granth Sahib, written in the their portion. They even offered to build a munity College, OCC, defeated Nassau Com- time of the Gurus. They took over 100 young fence if India wants one. With this road, munity College by a score of 21–14, giving the Sikh boys, ages 8 to 13, out into the court- Sikhs could go, and visit this holy site with school their second consecutive men’s la- yard of the complex and asked them if they no visa. The Akalis could build this road themselves, but they have not done it so far. crosse national title. supported Khalistan. When they answered The Lazers have an excellent track record ‘‘Bole So Nihar’’, they were shot to death. The spineless Akalis continue to be lapdogs Thirty seven (37) other Gurdwaras were si- of Delhi. How could the Akalis join with the in college lacrosse. For the past 7 consecutive multaneously attacked. In all, more than BJP (the political arm of the RSS) to form a years, the Lazers have won the Mid-State Ath- 20,000 Sikhs were killed in that operation. government when the BJP is determined to letic conference title, for the last 3 years they This kind of brutality makes it clear that destroy the Sikh religion by any and all have been Region III Champions, and for the there is no place for Sikhs in India. means at their disposal? We must end Indian last 2 years they have been undefeated and Since that horrible four-day operation, control of our government, society, and in- national champions. The OCC Lazers Men’s stitutions. That control is what the Golden which took place from June 3 through 6, 1984, Lacrosse program has produced 23 All Ameri- over a quarter of a million Sikhs have been Temple attack was designed to cement. We murdered at the hands of the Indian govern- must stand up and say no. Remember Maha- cans, and 27 Lacrosse Coaches Association ment, according to figures compiled by the rajah Ranjit Singh, who led a powerful, sec- Academic All Americans. With their display of Punjab State magistracy and human-rights ular Sikh state that was independent from outstanding athleticism in going undefeated groups. More than 52,000 are being held as po- 1765 to 1849. Let us have a new birth of free- and winning national championships two sea- litical prisoners, according to a report by the dom, in our homeland, Khalistan. sons in a row, OCC has certainly established Movement Against State Repression. They The Indian government is scared of the itself as one of the best junior college lacrosse are held without charge or trail, many since Sikh Nation’s aspiration for freedom. Re- teams in history. cently, it set off an incident in which Baba 1984.