February 8, 2001 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E147 own equity interests are ‘‘CDQ projects’’. For Sons of Italy perform for our community and ment. BJP officials have said that anyone liv- that reason, this bill defines the term ‘‘CDQ for health and education of our families. Dur- ing in India must either be a Hindu or be sub- project’’ to clarify that a program or activity ing the past 38 years, the Sons of Italy foun- servient to Hindus. that is administered or initiated by a sub- dation has awarded over $25 million in schol- These murders have been condemned by sidiary, joint venture, partnership, or other enti- arships to Italian-American students. The Sons the Kashmiri freedom fighters and by the ty in which a CDQ group owns an equity inter- of Italy also provide funding for medical re- Council of Khalistan, which leads the Sikh est is not a ‘‘CDQ project’’ over which the search on genetic diseases, homes for or- freedom movement. No organization has Secretary may assert oversight authority if the phans, victims of natural disasters, inter- come forth to take responsibility for the program or activity is funded by the assets of national issues, and law enforcement support killings, another parallel to the massacre at the subsidiary, joint venture, partnership, or projects. Chithi Singhpora. other entity, rather than by the assets of the So, I would like to congratulate the Sons of Mr. Speaker, one doesn’t have to look very CDQ group. The definition also clarifies that a Italy for its many years of commitment to help- hard to find the hand of the Indian government program or activity that is administered or initi- ing others and for the selection of Franco on these terrible killings. This appears to be ated by a CDQ group is not a ‘‘CDQ project’’ Minervini and Mary Cozzalino, two individuals part of the Indian government’s pattern of ter- over which the Secretary may assert oversight who embody the ideals and the goals of this rorism and repression against Sikhs, Muslims, authority if the program or activity is not fund- fine organization. Christians, and other minorities. In that light, ed by revenue that, during the duration of a f this Congress should cut off American aid to community development plan, the group de- India until the repression ends and human rives or accrues from harvesting the share of SIKHS, MUSLIMS MURDERED IN rights are restored and we should support a the percentage of the total allowable catch or KASHMIR free and fair plebiscite to decide democrat- guideline harvest level of a directed Bering ically the future of Khalistan, Kashmir, Sea fishery that the Secretary authorized the HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS Nagalim, and all the countries seeking their group to harvest when he approved the OF NEW YORK freedom from India. That is how to let the glow group’s plan. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES of freedom shine all over South Asia. Finally, Mr. Speaker, in response to my in- Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit an arti- Thursday, February 8, 2001 troduction of H.R. 5565, at its December 2000 cle from Reuters News Service on the Kash- meeting in Anchorage the North Pacific Fish- Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I was disturbed mir murders into the RECORD. when I read that more violence is taking place ery Management Council voted to organize a [From the Reuters News Service, Feb. 5, 2001] committee to review the Secretary and the in Indian-controlled Kashmir. Some Sikh po- KASHMIR CAPITALS PUT UNDER CURFEW state of Alaska’s administration of the CDQ licemen murdered a Muslim rickshaw driver AFTER KILLINGS program and to identify needed changes. I am after he demanded that they pay their fare. In JAMMU, INDIA, Feb. 4 (Reuters).—Indian au- pleased that the Council did so, and I look for- retaliation, five Sikhs were killed by a Muslim thorities imposed curfews on the two cap- ward to considering the committee’s sugges- gunman. Then one more was killed while par- itals of troubled Jammu and Kashmir state tions. However, the committee’s work is not a ticipating in a protest march. Now the Indian on Sunday after gunmen shot dead six Sikhs substitute for action by Congress. government has imposed a curfew in Jammu and wounded five others. f and Kashmir. Srinagar, the state’s summer capital, was Recently, the Indian government has been brought under a curfew from Sunday fol- ORDER SONS OF ITALY IN AMER- recruiting members of the terrorist, vigilante lowing the killing of the Sikhs in the city’s ICA—MAN AND WOMAN OF THE YEARcommandos called the Black Cats into the po- Mahjoor Nagar area the day before. lice. This is apparently a reward for doing a Similar measures were announced in the good job of killing Sikhs and other minorities. winter capital Jammu. ‘‘An indefinite curfew HON. FRANK PALLONE, JR. has been imposed in Jammu city from Mon- OF NEW JERSEY The police who carried out the rickshaw mur- day in view of the heightening tension fol- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES der are former Black Cats. It is an open secret lowing the killing of the Sikhs,’’ Deputy that the former Black Cats have infiltrated Sikh Commissioner of Police R.K. Goel said. Thursday, February 8, 2001 and Kashmiri organizations for the purpose of He said the curfew was imposed after Sikh Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to setting them against each other. groups had called for a general strike on draw my colleagues’ attention to two individ- As in the case of last March’s massacre of Monday. A group of Sikhs threw stones at uals from New Jersey whose outstanding 35 Sikhs at Chithi Singhpora, the relevant shops and cars and blocked traffic in Jammu community service has earned them the title question that must be asked is who benefits? on Sunday to protest against the killings. A police official said in Srinagar that secu- of ‘‘Man and Woman of the Year’’ and the Mr. Speaker, neither the Sikhs nor the Mus- rity had been tightened in Sikh areas of seats of honor at the Order Sons of Italy in lims benefit from these killings. The only bene- Kashmir, the only Indian state with a Mus- America dinner February 11 in Hazlet, New ficiary is the theocratic, fundamentalist Hindu lim majority. Jersey. nationalist government of India and its divide- Separatist rebellion broke out in the Hi- This year’s Woman of the Year is and-rule strategy. This looks like a clear effort malayan region in 1990, among Islamic Manalapan Mayor Mary Cozzalino, the young- to set the Sikhs and the Kashmiri freedom groups seeking either independence or union est female Italian-American elected official in fighters against each other to keep both move- with neighbouring Pakistan. the State of New Jersey. In addition to the ments weak, divided, and unable to liberate Authorities say more than 30,000 people many official, civic and volunteer contributions their people. Sikhs have not usually been tar- have died in the conflict since. The Sikh minority, who make up 300,000 of she is making to the citizens of Manalapan, gets of the violence in Kashmir. These mur- the state’s eight million people, have usually she is also Police Commissioner, overseeing ders and the tragedy at Chithi Singhpora are been spared violence, which pits Islamic the security in this still-expanding Monmouth the only recent incidents involving Sikhs. They rebels against government forces, Hindus County Community. are outside the usual pattern. and pro-Indian Muslims. This year’s Man of the Year is Franco In addition, some of the participants in the No group claimed responsibility for Satur- Minervini, a nationally-renowned sculptor protest threatened to harm a mosque. The day’s gun attack on the group of Sikhs. Last whose highly-acclaimed works of art frequently Sikhs have not harmed any religious places, March, 35 Sikhs were shot dead by unidenti- express his Italian-American heritage. Mr. but the Indian government has a pattern of it. fied gunmen as U.S. President Bill Clinton Minervini not only being honored for his artistic They invaded the Sikhs’ holiest shrine, the visited India. achievements. As former commissioner of the Golden Temple, and 38 other Gurdwaras in KASHMIRI SEPARATISTS CONDEMN KILLINGS Commission for Social Justice, he is being 1984. The BJP destroyed the Babri mosque to Several Kashmiri separatist groups ex- honored for his hard work on fighting and ex- put a Hindu temple where it sat. Since Christ- pressed grief over the latest killings and said posing discrimination against Italian Ameri- mas 1998, Christian churches and prayer halls they were aimed at harming their struggle for freedom from Indian rule. cans. have been attacked and burned. All of these ‘‘We appeal to the Kashmiri Sikhs not to Almost all of us who serve in the House are acts have been carried out by the Indian gov- leave the (Kashmir) Valley and foil the de- fortunate to have Sons of Italy lodges in our ernment or by persons associated with the signs of those who want to malign our free- district, so it is important that we be occasion- RSS, which is the parent organization of the dom struggle,’’ Abdul Majid Dar, chief com- ally reminded of the tremendous services the BJP, the party that leads the coalition govern- mander of the guerrilla group Hizbul
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