16268 Hon. Edolphus Towns
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16268 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS, Vol. 152, Pt. 12 July 27, 2006 humored shift from all of his prior responsibil- the achievement of full sovereignty and inde- tion for their bulldozed property. This is just ities to an entirely, new, important and difficult pendence for Khalistan is inevitable. He took a recent example of why Sikhs need their role. note of the Sikh farmers whose farms were own independent country, Khalistan. I first learned of Mr. Moskowitz’s death from Khalistan, the Sikh homeland, declared its bulldozed earlier this year by the Government. independence from India on October 7, 1987. those of us working with the IWG in an effort He discussed the Sikh activists who were ar- Since then, India’s brutal repression of the to release U.S. Government records related to rested for raising the Khalistani flag. ‘‘How can Sikh nation has intensified. Last year on Re- crimes committed by the Nazi and Japanese India claim it is a democracy and continue to public Day, 35 Sikhs were arrested for mak- Governments during World War II. The re- hold political prisoners?’’ he asked. ‘‘How can ing speeches in support of Khalistan and sponse to the news was immediate and heart- a democratic, secular state make it a crime to raising the flag of Khalistan. This past June, felt. Since his colleagues conveyed Stan raise a flag and make speeches? Would even more Sikhs were arrested for hoisting a Moskowitz’s remarkable character and the im- America arrest people for raising the Confed- flag and making speeches. They join at least portant contribution he made to history, I 52,268 Sikh political prisoners that India ad- erate flag? Would the United Kingdom arrest mitted to holding, according to the Move- would like to share with you some of their people for speaking in support of Scottish ment Against State Repression (MASR) (as thoughts. One person wrote: ‘‘Stan was a man independence?’’ And the answer is that of well as tens of thousands of other political whose broad experience, character and per- course we wouldn’t. We may not like these prisoners, according to Amnesty Inter- sonality drew you in as few have the ability to things, but they are not crimes. Yet in India national.) do. He just radiated intelligence, under- the equivalent act gets you arrested. India proclaims itself the world’s largest standing, empathy, insight, and yes, wit. I will Dr. Aulakh noted several other acts of tyr- democracy. How can India claim it is a de- miss Stan.’’ Another wrote: ‘‘Stan was a major anny against the Sikhs, including the kidnap- mocracy and continue to hold political pris- reason for our success. He may not have al- ping of human-rights activist Jaswant Singh oners? How can a democratic, secular state make it a crime to raise a flag and make ways agreed with our conclusions, but he Khalra, the murder of former Jathedar of the speeches? Would America arrest people for wanted to be sure that the historical record Akal Takht Gurdev Singh Kaunke, the killing of raising the Confederate flag? Would the was as complete as possible.’’ Finally: ‘‘What the driver for Sikh religious leader Baba United Kingdom arrest people for speaking terrible, shocking news. Stan was a wonderful Charan Singh, who was tied to two Jeeps in support of Scottish independence? person who was unswervingly dedicated to which drove in different directions, tearing this The Sikhs are a separate people from pursuing truth, and he performed great service human being apart, and many other atrocities. India—culturally, linguistically, and reli- to his country in a long and distinguished ca- These things are the mark of a tyrannical, to- giously distinct. As such, the Sikh Nation is reer. He will be greatly missed. talitarian regime, Mr. Speaker. Dr. Aulakh logically and morally a separate nation, a separate people. Every day Sikhs pray ‘‘Raj Mr. Speaker, these are just a few of the writes that in light of these atrocities, ‘‘inde- Kare Ga Khalsa,’’ meaning ‘‘the Khalsa shall statements from those who knew and worked pendence for Khalistan is inevitable.’’ rule.’’ It is part of the Sikh consciousness with Mr. Moskowitz. I think they speak vol- Dr. Aulakh takes note of the rising support that we are either rulers or we are in rebel- umes of this man who contributed significantly for Khalistan in Punjab. He notes the marches lion. to our Nation’s history. Most recently, I met being organized, that politicians and other Since 1947, the Indian government has been Stan Moskowitz at the IWG press conference Sikh leaders are speaking out for Khalistan, enslaving the Sikh Nation. Under Indian on June 6. As usual, his comments were in- the seminars held by a former member of Par- rule, Sikhs are slaves. They are exploited, formative and insightful. He truly was a na- liament on the subject, and other activities in tortured, and killed for the convenience of support of freedom for Khalistan. the rulers. Despite India’s repression of the tional treasure. Sikhs ‘symbolized by half a million troops I would like to note that Mr. Moskowitz Mr. Speaker, the essence of democracy is enforcing the peace of the bayonet’ the Sikhs earned many high honors including two Presi- the right to self-determination. All people and are reclaiming the freedom that is our birth- dential Distinguished Officer Awards, the Di- all nations have a right to be free. That is the right. The record of India’s treatment of the rector’s Medal, the Distinguished Career Intel- idea that gave birth to America. As such, we Sikhs makes it clear that there is no place ligence Medal, the Distinguished Intelligence must be active and vigilant in supporting free- for the Sikhs in ‘India’s democracy’. Medal, and the Intelligence Community Medal dom around the world. We should stop our aid In 1995, human-rights activist Jaswant of Merit. Mr. Speaker, Stan Moskowitz served and trade with India, which is only propping up Singh Khalra published a report exposing In- the repressive regime. The time has come to dia’s policy of secret cremations of Sikhs his Agency, his government, and the people of under which Sikh men are picked up, tor- the United States loyally and with honor. I put the U.S. Congress on record in support of tured, and murdered, then their bodies are would like to offer Mr. Moskowitz’s family my a free and fair plebiscite in Khalistan and all declared ‘unidentified’ and secretly cre- deepest condolences. He will truly be missed. the minority nations that seek their freedom in mated. Khalra did his work by studying sev- f South Asia. eral cremation grounds in Punjab. He estab- Mr. Speaker, I would like to place Dr. lished about 25,000 Sikhs who have been se- COUNCIL OF KHALISTAN PRESI- Aulakh’s article from the Journal of the London cretly cremated. Follow-up work has estab- DENT ADDRESSES LONDON IN- Institute of South Asia into the RECORD at this lished that the number is around 50,000. STITUTE OF SOUTH ASIA time. Their bodies have never been given to their families. For his work, Sardar Khalra was [From the Journal of the London Institute of murdered in police custody; no wonder his South Asia, July, 2006] HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS body also disappeared. OF NEW YORK FLAME OF FREEDOM BURNS IN KHALISTAN: ES- The one witness to the Khalra kidnapping, TABLISHMENT OF A SOVEREIGN SIKH STATE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Rajiv Singh Randhawa, has been consist- IS INEVITABLE ently harassed by the Indian regime. He even Thursday, July 27, 2006 (By Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh) got arrested for trying to hand information Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, Dr. Gurmit Singh January 2006 was not a good month for the about the repression of the Sikhs to the Brit- Aulakh, President of the Council of Khalistan, Sikh farmers in Uttaranchal Pradesh, India. ish Home Minister outside the Golden Tem- recently spoke at the London Institute of South Their farms were bulldozed and they were ple. Former Jathedar of the Akal Takht Asia, which was holding a seminar on sepa- thrown out of the state. They had worked peacefully all their lives, but now everything Gurdev Singh Kaunke was murdered by po- rate electorate in India. He also contributed an they had worked for was destroyed. Once lice official Swaran Singh Ghotna. He has article to the Journal of the London Institute of again, the government had decided to make never been brought to justice. The driver for South Asia. Both presentations were on the Sikhs the victims. This continues a pattern Sikh religious leader Baba Charan Singh was same theme: freedom for Khalistan, the sov- of repression that has kept the Sikh Nation killed when his legs were tied to two jeeps ereign Sikh state that declared its independ- from living in freedom or prosperity. Since which then drove in different directions. The ence from India on October 7, 1987, and has 1984, over a quarter of a million Sikhs have cases of torture by rolling heavy rollers over been under Indian occupation ever since then. been murdered at the hands of the Indian the legs of Sikh prisoners are too numerous government. to mention. In 1994, the U.S. State Depart- Dr. Aulakh stressed that a separate elec- There is no way for these farmers to gain ment reported that the Indian government torate within India, although it might help some redress within the Indian system. They have paid out over 41,000 cash bounties to police of the oppressed minorities there, would not lost their life’s work with no way of making officers for killing Sikhs.