Extensions of Remarks E428 HON
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E428 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks March 28, 2006 claims to be democratic. This does not resem- ‘‘Sikhs must be very careful about the lead- number of San Francisco city commissions, in- ble any kind of democracy I know about. ers they follow,’’ Dr. Aulakh said. ‘‘This of- cluding the Delinquency Prevention Commis- Mr. Speaker, we must take a stand for free- fice has worked unwaveringly for a sovereign sion, the Library Commission and the Arts dom in South Asia, as we are doing elsewhere Khalistan for almost 20 years,’’ he noted. Commission. He helped secure a branch of History shows that multinational states in the world. The time has come to cut off our such as India are doomed to failure. Coun- the public library for the Excelsior, and last aid and trade with India and until basic human tries like Austria-Hungary, India’s longtime year wrote a book about the history of the rights for all people are respected there. In ad- friend the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, Czecho- neighborhood. dition, we should put the Congress officially on slovakia, and others prove this point. India Walter Jebe was a respected authority on record in support of free and fair plebiscites in is not one country; it is a polyglot like those San Francisco history and taught courses Punjab, Khalistan, in Kashmir, in Nagaland, countries, thrown together for the conven- throughout San Francisco. He collected vast and all the other minority nations seeking their ience of the British colonialists. It is doomed quantities of photos and memorabilia on the freedom from India. It is time for America to to break up as they did. ‘‘We only hope that San Francisco Mid Winter Fair of 1894, the the breakup will be peaceful,’’ said Dr. show its active support for freedom, stability, Pan Pacific Exhibition of 1915, the 1939 Aulakh. World’s Fair and the 1906 Earthquake and dignity, and human rights. The Indian government has murdered over Mr. Speaker, the Council of Khalistan has Fire. 250,000 Sikhs since 1984, more than 300,000 As a prominent member of the San Fran- published a very good release on the state- Christians in Nagaland, over 90,000 Muslims ment by Dal Khalsa and the Shiromani Khalsa in Kashmir, tens of thousands of Christians cisco History Association, he headed the task Dal. I would like to add it to the RECORD now and Muslims throughout the country, and force that negotiated a deal for the Federal for the information of my colleagues. tens of thousands of Tamils, Assamese, Government to turn over the Old Mint at Fifth and Mission streets to a nonprofit organization SIKHS ARRESTED IN INDIA FOR SPEAKING FOR Manipuris, and others. The Indian Supreme KHALISTAN Court called the Indian government’s mur- to become a history museum. The Old Mint is ders of Sikhs ‘‘worse than a genocide.’’ WASHINGTON, DC, MARCH 15, 2006.—Sardar a San Francisco architectural gem that sur- Indian police arrested human-rights activ- Kanwarpal Singh Dhami, Chairman of Dal vived the 1906 Earthquake and Fire and ist Jaswant Singh Khalra after he exposed Khalsa, and Dr. Jagjit Singh Chohan were played a vital role in rebuilding the city. A their policy of mass cremation of Sikhs, in arrested earlier this month for speaking out member of the Old Mint Advisory Council, Mr. which over 50,000 Sikhs have been arrested, for an independent Khalistan. They were Jebe was responsible for overseeing the res- tortured, and murdered, then their bodies charged with sedition. These arrests follow were declared unidentified and secretly cre- toration project. the arrests of Sikh leaders last year belong- mated. He was murdered in police custody. With great appreciation for his fine work and ing to Dal Khalsa both in January and June His body was not given to his family. The po- service to our city, I extend my deepest sym- for hoisting the flag of Khalistan. Kanwarpal lice never released the body of former pathy to his wife of 53 years, Vivian Jebe, his Singh Dhami was arrested after saying that Jathedar of the Akal Takht Gurdev Singh son Walter and daughter Vivian, and thank the Sikh Panth could not live under someone Kaunke after SSP Swaran Singh Ghotna them, for sharing their magnificent husband else’s rule. He was accused of ‘‘. sedition, murdered him. No one has been brought to promoting enmity between different groups and father with us. He was a true San Fran- justice for the Khalra kidnapping and mur- on grounds of religion, race, doing acts prej- cisco treasure and we are diminished by his der. Yet according to a report by the Move- udicial to maintenance of harmony, imputa- passing. ment Against State Repression (MASR), tions, assertions prejudicial to national inte- 52,268 Sikhs are being held as political pris- f gration and statements conducing to public oners in India without charge or trial, some mischief.’’ The government charged that he PREPARE NOW DON’T WAIT FOR A since 1984! promoted separatist and ‘terrorist’ move- HURRICANE STRIKE Only in a free Khalistan will the Sikh Na- ments. Dal Khalsa has sponsored numerous tion prosper and get justice,’’ said Dr. HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL marches and conferences in Punjab in sup- Aulakh. ‘‘India should act like a democracy OF NEW YORK port of a free Khalistan, the Sikh homeland and allow a plebiscite on independence for that declared its independence from India on Khalistan and all the nations of South IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 7, 1987. It was the organizer of the Asia,’’ Dr. Aulakh said. ‘‘We must free Tuesday, March 28, 2006 Khalistan now.’’ two events at which Sikhs were arrested for Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to making speeches and raising the Khalistani f flag. It was announced today that they will call upon the United States Government to as- be joining forces with the Shiromani Khalsa TRIBUTE TO WALTER JEBE sist the islands of the Caribbean with prepara- Dal, headed by Sardar Daljit Singh Bittu, in tion for the impending 2006 hurricane season support of a free Khalistan. The Punjab and HON. NANCY PELOSI and to enter in the RECORD an editorial from Haryana High Court ruled that it is legal to the New York CaribNews entitled ‘‘Prepare ask for freedom for Khalistan, yet the Indian OF CALIFORNIA Now Don’t Wait for a Hurricane Strike’’ which government continues to treat it as a crime. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES addresses the need to take timely action now They do not even live by their own law. Tuesday, March 28, 2006 before a natural disaster occurs. Dr. Chohan said on India’s Zee TV that The impact and wreckage still linger in Gre- Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay trib- Khalistan will be free by 2007. He has also nada from 2004 and 2005. In the aftermath of been flying the Khalistani flag and that of ute to Walter G. Jebe, a longtime community Hurricanes Ivan and Emily we realized that his party, the Khalsa Raj Party, outside his leader, businessman and historian, who died office. According to the book Chakravyuh: decades of progress was wiped away and in- of leukemia in the Veterans Hospital in Palo surmountable damage was done to 90 per Web of Indian Secularism (page 183), Dr. Alto on Feb. 25th at the age of 81. The unoffi- Chohan worked with Major General Jaswant cent of the country’s housing stock and water- Singh Bhullar, Professor Manjit Singh cial mayor of San Francisco’s Excelsior dis- sheds. Similar devastation exists throughout Sidhu, Didar Singh Bains, and others ‘‘to trict, Mr. Jebe was a champion of small busi- the islands of the Caribbean who received di- stop Sikhs living abroad’’ from supporting ness and for his neighborhood and an out- rect force of the 2004 and 2005 hurricanes. It freedom for Khalistan and connived with the spoken advocate and historian. He has left an is crucial that steps be taken to prepare for Indian government for the June 1984 attack indelible mark on our city. these tragedies long before they occur. We on the Golden Temple. Mr. Jebe was born in 1924, raised in the must have programs in place to respond im- ‘‘It is evident that the Indian government Excelsior District, graduated from Balboa High is scared of the increasing amount of peace- mediately and not wait until the disaster ful activism in Punjab in support of School, studied photography at Samuel Gom- strikes. Khalistan,’’ said Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, pers trade school and was drafted into the WITH 2006 HURRICANE SEASON AROUND THE President of the Council of Khalistan, which Army. After serving our Nation, Mr. Jebe re- CORNER, A LOUD CARIBBEAN APPEAL: PRE- is leading the Sikh struggle for independ- turned to San Francisco and opened Jebe’s PARE NOW DON’T WAIT FOR A HURRICANE ence. ‘‘The time of Khalistan’s liberation is Cameras on Mission Street. He was a self- STRIKE near. India will fall apart soon,’’ he said. taught businessman, and neighboring busi- MARCH 21, 2006.—Among Caribbean leaders, ‘‘We condemn the arrests of Sardar Dhami nesses took bets on how long he would last. Dr. Keith Mitchell, Grenada’s Prime Min- and Dr. Chohan but remind the Sikh Nation He stayed in business for 45 years. ister, is undoubtedly the best person, not that it must work only with leaders who are All politics was local to Mr. Jebe, who was only to talk about the importance of pre- honest, sincere, and committed to the libera- paring a country’s response system before a tion of Khalistan.’’ Dr.