CONGRESSIONAL RECORD— Extensions Of
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
February 15, 2005 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E239 County’s Superintendent of Schools since rialized one day.’’ It looks like that day is get- Welcoming the close cooperation between 1990, and is being honored by the Kremen ting closer. the Pakistani Punjab and the Indian Punjab, School of Education and Human Develop- The government of Punjab acted last year Mr. Mann claimed it was he who had initi- ated this move by demanding way back in ment. to cancel all water agreements with the other 1990 that the border between the two Punjabs Dr. Mehas was born and raised in Fresno, states in India, by which Punjab’s water was should be opened up for the people to cross graduated from Fresno High in 1957, and being diverted to those other states. In so over. earned his Bachelor’s degree from California doing, they declared the sovereignty of the To a question on the demand of the Dal State University, Fresno. He continued his state of Punjab. Imagine that, Mr. Speaker. Khalsa that ban on cow slaughter in Punjab education at University of California, Los An- They are openly claiming their sovereignty. should go, Mr. Mann said he or his geles, where he received his Master’s degree, This is good to see. organisation had nothing to do with that and went on to University of Southern Cali- Mr. Speaker, when India became inde- organisation (Dal Khalsa). At the same time, fornia, where he secured a Doctorate in Edu- pendent, the Sikhs were supposed to get an he said, he or his party would not like to hurt the sentiments of a majority of people cation. independent state in Punjab. But the Indian as ‘‘Hindus held the cow to be sacred and Pete has served the public for many years leaders assured them they would have ‘‘the their sentiments should be respected’’. as an educational advocate. He was Secretary glow of freedom’’ there, so they stayed with Mr. Mann also accused Shiromani Akali of Education to Governor George Deukmejian, India. Well, that ‘‘glow of freedom’’ has taken Dal leader Parkash Singh Badal of having and also a member of the California State the lives of over 250,000 Sikhs as well as over connived with Hindu organisations in demol- Board of Education and Board of Governors 300,000 Christians in Nagaland, over 89,000 ishing the Babri mosque. He alleged that Mr. for California Community Colleges. Kashmiri Muslims, and tens of thousands of Badal had sent a special jatha, led by Mr. His efforts have not gone unnoticed—Dr. other minority people. It has resulted in 52,268 Avtar Singh Hit, to Ayodhaya on December Mehas has been appointed by four presidents 6, 1992, to join the kar sevaks for demol- Sikhs being held as political prisoners under a ishing the Babri mosque. and three governors to major commissions, repressive law called TADA that expired in boards, and advisory committees committed to 1995. It is time for real freedom for the Sikhs, f making education a priority throughout our Na- the Nagas, the Kashmiris, and all people in tion. He has appeared on national television’s the subcontinent. IN HONOR OF JOE HARRIS NBC’s ‘‘Today’’ show and ABC’s ‘‘Good Morn- The essence of democracy is self-deter- ing America,’’ and was the only educator in- mination. If India wants to be treated as a de- HON. MICHAEL C. BURGESS vited to address the National Republican Con- mocracy, it must allow self-determination and vention in Houston, Texas in 1992. all other rights to all its citizens. We should not OF TEXAS Dr. Mehas’ accomplishment list is long and provide any money to India until it does. In IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES includes USC School of Education Distin- 1948, India promised to hold a plebiscite to let Tuesday, February 15, 2005 guished Lecturer, CSU Fresno School of So- the people of Kashmir decide their status. It’s Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to cial Science Distinguished Alumni Award, now 56 years later and they are still waiting. honor the life-long service of Joe Harris. Mr. Honorary Life Member in the National Con- Similarly, the demand for self-determination in Harris, hailed as a man who always put every- gress of Parents and Teachers, NAACP Presi- Khalistan, in Nagaland, and elsewhere has one before himself, spent the last 34 years of dents Award, Rose Ann Vuich Ethical Leader- been met with nothing but violent resistance. his life serving my constituents as a fire fighter ship Award, and most recently the Kremen Is that democracy, Mr. Speaker? Is that free- in the City of Denton, Texas. Mr. Harris not School of Education and Human Development dom? only served the people of Denton County but ‘‘Noted Alumni Recipient’’ for significant con- The Tribune, a newspaper in Chandigarh, also his family and co-workers with the en- tributions in the field of education. Punjab, carried excellent coverage of Mr. couragement, warmth and generosity that de- His efforts have been exhaustive, and we Mann’s remarks in its December 8 issue. I fined his life. are continually lucky that his family, wife Demi would like to place that article in the RECORD The recent death of Mr. Harris came after and daughters Alethea and Andreanna have at this time for the information of my col- years of fighting cancer. He had recently re- been willing to share all that Dr. Mehas has to leagues. offer—he has made an amazing impact on our tired so he could spend more time with his [From the (Chandigarh, India) Tribune, Dec. family. During his career as a public servant, community. 8, 2004] Mr. Harris took pride in each task that he was f MANN REVERTS TO SOVEREIGN PUNJAB THEME given. His contagious personality and love for SIKH LEADER AGAIN SPEAKS OUT LUDHIANA, Dec. 7.—Shiromani Akali Dal those whom he saw day after day went far be- FOR FREEDOM FOR KHALISTAN (Amritsar) supremo Simranjit Singh Mann yond his call of duty. A life-long citizen of my yesterday reverted to the theme of sovereign Punjab, declaring that his party would district, Mr. Harris served not only my constitu- HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS launch a peaceful movement to realise this ents but our country in the United States OF NEW YORK dream. He said his party had never given up Coast Guard. Mr. Harris was steadfast in his the demand for a separate and sovereign IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES life of service, and I have no doubt that he has Punjab as the Sikhs’ was a separate nation- inspired everyone who came to know him. Tuesday, February 15, 2005 ality, foundations of which had been laid Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, there are encour- down by Guru Gobind Singh himself. stand here today to commemorate the life of Mr. Mann, who was here to preside over a aging developments in the fight for freedom meeting of the party office-bearers at Joe Harris; one of our fellow public servants. for minorities in India. It looks like the people Gurdwara Akalgarh, said to ensure lasting May his work be a guide and inspiration to us of Nagaland are making progress in their ne- peace in South Asia in the face of deep hos- all. gotiations with India to achieve autonomy. tility between ‘‘Hindu civilisation (India) This is a potentially significant development and Muslim civilisation (Pakistan)’’, it was f that will begin, at long last, the unraveling of in the interest of the people of the region to the web of Indian oppression. Can Kashmir create a neutral and buffer sovereign state. PERSONAL EXPLANATION and Khalistan be far behind? He maintained that the foundations for a separate sovereign Sikh state had been laid To add to this, the fire of freedom continues down by Guru Gobind Singh and Banda HON. ROSCOE G. BARTLETT to burn as brightly as ever in Punjab, Singh Bahadur followed by Maharaja Ranjit OF MARYLAND Khalistan. On December 7, a Sikh leader Singh. This dream was furthered by ‘‘Sant IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES named Simranjit Singh Mann, who is a former Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale’’ and ‘‘would be Member of India’s Parliament and has held materialised one day’’. He said since both Tuesday, February 15, 2005 events right here in the Capitol and met many Pakistan and India had nuclear weapons, it Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, Members of Congress, again spoke out for was necessary that some buffer state should on rollcall vote No. 31, I had thought that I had independence for the Sikh homeland, be created so that the two countries did not voted and that the machine had accepted my come face to face with each other. Khalistan. Mr. Mann put his party, the Akali Mr. Mann refused to give the geographical vote. Apparently, it did not; therefore, I ask Dal, Amritsar, on record for independence. He outline of the ‘‘sovereign state’’ envisioned unanimous consent that the CONGRESSIONAL pledged that he would lead a peaceful move- by him. He evaded an answer to a question RECORD show that had my vote been accept- ment for independence, which he said was a whether it included the part of the state ed, I would have voted ‘‘yes’’ on rollcall No. dream of the Sikh people that ‘‘will be mate- which is now with Pakistan. 31. VerDate Aug 04 2004 04:39 Feb 16, 2005 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A15FE8.030 E15PT1 E240 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks February 15, 2005 A PROCLAMATION HONORING The time has come to let India know that we came independent, Sikhs were equal partners GLENNA BLACK ON HER 92ND are watching and to let them know that this is in the transfer of power and were to receive BIRTHDAY unacceptable.