E370 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks March 21, 2000 were purchased at 1938 Adams Street. It was groups that abandoned the rebellion and were fire line from Pakistan, with the help of the there that St. Paul's began to flourish as both recruited by the Indian army as a Pakistan army. Pakistan denies giving ac- a religious and a social institution. counterinsurgency militia force. The Indian tive aid to the militants. The area of the Sikh village is about 42 During the Great Depression, the people of government has blamed Islamic radicals con- miles from Srinagar, Kashmir’s summer cap- St. Paul's saw the needs of those around trolled by Pakistan for this heinous crime. ital, and is controlled by armed Kashmiri them and reached out a helping hand. The However, the Indian government's control of groups that abandoned separatism and were church basement was used as both a medical this specific area has caused many Sikhs in recruited by the Indian army as a facility and a place where those in need could the United States to believe that the gunmen counterinsurgency auxiliary force. go for food. Their generosity was exemplified were agents of the Indian government's Re- [From the Washington Post, Mar. 21, 2000] when the church donated money to those who search and Intelligence Wing [RAW] posing as could not afford the burial expenses for loved Kashmiri militants. There are more than NEAR CLINTON’S INDIA VISIT, VIOLENCE FLARES IN KASHMIR ones that had recently passed away. St. 700,000 Indian security forces stationed in (By Pamela Constable) Paul's shaped the lives of many people during Kashmir, which has been called the most mili- Srinagar, India, March 20—While their gov- those hard times and still stands as a pillar of tarized area of this planet. ernment and most of their countrymen are our community. A fair and impartial investigation by inter- hoping President Clinton will play down the On May 1, 1943, St. Paul's welcomed Dr. national monitors is necessary to resolve this sensitive topic of Kashmir during his visit to Lester Kendal Jackson as its pastor, who case and other acts of brutality committed in India this week, people in this depressed, made an immediate impact on his congrega- Kashmir. I have repeatedly advocated that fair wintry city at the political heart of the dis- tion. Under his leadership all outstanding elections, free of violence, that would permit puted, violence-torn region are praying for debts were paid, and a significant balance the people of Kashmir to determine their own just the opposite. was put into the treasury. He helped to orga- destiny is the best means to end this conflict. Today, in the worst single attack on civil- ians in a decade of guerrilla war, unidenti- nize many groups which would inspire the In addition, a peaceful resolution of the Kash- fied gunmen massacred 35 Sikh men in the youth of the parish, including a literary society, mir issue would have a significant impact in Kashmiri village of Chati Singhpura Mattan, Girl and Boy Scout teams, and a drama club. easing the conflict between India and Paki- wire services reported. Security officials had Dr. Jackson also fought for the rights of Afri- stan. feared that armed Pakistan-based insur- can Americans throughout the city of Gary, [From the New York Times, Mar. 21, 2000] gents, who have stepped up attacks here in recent months, might stage a dramatic at- and was later inducted into the Steel City Hall 35 MASSACRED IN SIKH TOWN IN KASHMIR of Fame for his contributions to the commu- tack during Clinton’s stay in India. Srinagar, India, Tuesday, March 21 (AP)— Clinton condemned the attack in Kashmir. nity. Gunmen rounded up and killed 35 Sikh vil- ‘‘On behalf of the president and all Ameri- After a fire in 1963 destroyed the building lagers in the disputed state of Kashmir, the cans let me express our outrage at the at- that they had used for over 45 years, the peo- police said today as President Clinton began tack on a village in Kashmir last night,’’ ple of St. Paul's erected a new church at 2300 a visit to India. White House spokesman Joe Lockhart told Grant Street on January 16, 1966. It is here The massacre on Monday night was the reporters in New Delhi. that the church came under the direction of first major attack on the small Sikh commu- Many Kashmiris believe that only a world Reverend Everett Gray, or Pastor Gray, as he nity in Kashmir since separatist Muslims leader of Clinton’s stature can put pressure started their insurgency 10 years ago. Sikhs on Indian officials to start meaningful nego- prefers to be addressed. Under Pastor's are considered a neutral minority, but In- tiations with Pakistan over the moun- Gray's guidance, St. Paul's has continued to dian officials had warned earlier of violence tainous, predominantly Muslim border re- thrive, both in terms of spiritual growth as well by Muslim militants hoping to draw atten- gion where separatist sentiment is strong, as practical improvements. tion to kashmir during Mr. Clinton’s visit. guerrilla violence is rapidly rising and In- Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my other distin- Both India and Pakistan claim the Hima- dian troops patrol with an iron fist. guished colleagues to join me congratulating layan territory and have fought two wars ‘‘If Mr. Clinton can make a difference in the parish family of St. Paul Missionary Baptist over it. places like Chechnya and Bosnia, why not in The gunmen were not immediately identi- Kashmir?’’ said Shah Khan, 22, who sells Church, under the guidance of Pastor Gray, fied and no group claimed responsibility for shirts and pants in the teeming alleys of Lal as they celebrate their 84th anniversary. All the attack, the police said. Chowk bazaar. ‘‘We are happy because at current and former parishioners can be proud Mr. Clinton arrived in New Delhi, 400 miles least his visit will bring some attention to to say that they belong to the second oldest to the south, on Monday evening after a visit our problems, but we wish he would come to Baptist church in Gary, Indiana. They have to Bangladesh. He has said that reducing Kashmir and see for himself. Then we would weathered many storms in order to make tensions between India and Pakistan is one all tell him one thing: we want freedom.’’ countless significant contributions to their com- of his objective of the trip. But this message is highly unlikely to Many Kashmiris were hoping that the reach Clinton’s ears or the Indian capital munity throughout the past 84 years. president’s visit would lead to a break- this week. On Sunday, about 50 Kashmiri f through in the long deadlock on the region’s independence activists were arrested and future. NEW MASSACRE OF SIKHS IN jailed as they tried to board buses that Mr. Clinton’s spokesman, Joe Lockhart, would take them to New Delhi for a protest INDIA expressed outrage over the killings, saying rally near Parliament, where Clinton is in a statement that ‘‘out most profound scheduled to speak Wednesday. HON. DANA ROHRABACHER sympathies go out to the victims of this bru- In a brief interview in jail today, the tal massacre.’’ group’s leader Shabir Shah, 44, said they had OF CALIFORNIA The attackers entered the village of Chati been tear-gassed and dragged into police IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Singhpura Mattan after dark and forced the vans as they prepared to leave. He said the Tuesday, March 21, 2000 residents from their homes, police officials group, which seeks Kashmiri independence said. from India, had planned to stage a peaceful Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, today, The assailants separated the men from the rally and a symbolic hunger strike. as President Clinton began a visit to India, a women, announcing that they were con- ‘‘President Clinton says he wants to help new act of political violence occurred in Kash- ducting a ‘‘crackdown.’’ Indian security ease tensions in the region, and he will be mir, as 35 Sikh villagers were rounded up and forces operate similarly when searching a talking with India and Pakistan, but we killed by gunmen. The New York Times re- neighborhood for militants that they suspect wanted to tell him that it is futile until we ports in the enclosed article that this was the may be hiding there. The gunmen then Kashmiris are taken into account,’’ Shah opened fire on the men, killing 35 of them. said. first major attack on the small Sikh community One man was critically wounded. Kashmir, which is divided between India in Kashmir since an insurgency by Kashmiri Sikhs have lived mostly undisturbed in the and Pakistan, has been the major source of Muslims against Indian rule began 10 years Kashmir Valley, the only area in predomi- friction between the two neighbors and nu- ago. Sikhs had previously lived peacefully in nantly Hindu India with a Muslim majority. clear powers for a generation. Since the the only predominantly Muslim area of India. It Many run the trucking companies that sup- early 1990s, the Indian-occupied part has should be noted that in India, government se- ply the valley. been the site of a violent conflict between curity forces have been implicated by inter- In the last six months, attacks by the mili- anti-India insurgent groups and Indian secu- tants have focused on army bases and patrols national human rights organizations in the rity forces, which has cost tens of thousands rather than random terrorism, and have of lives. Last summer, a 10-week border con- murders, disappearances and torture of thou- shown a higher degree of training and exper- flict in the Kargil mountains left hundreds sands of Sikhs. tise, senior army officers have said. They dead. The village of Chati Singhpura Mattan, 42 said about 3,500 militants were in Kashmir, Today’s attack on the Sikhs seemed to rep- miles from Srinagar, is controlled by Kashmiri and many of them had infiltrated the cease- resent an especially gruesome escalation of

VerDate 202000 05:48 Mar 22, 2000 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00016 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A21MR8.054 pfrm04 PsN: E21PT1 March 21, 2000 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E371 violence and attempt at ethnic cleansing in Today the Supreme Court recognized that Chairman of the Commerce Committee, to re- the Kashmir Valley, where Muslims domi- tobacco use ``poses perhaps the single most duce smoking by children. For reasons I still nate the population and the insurgency has significant threat to public health in the United become increasingly directed by Islamic don't understand, the Republican leadership groups based in Pakistan. The victims were States.'' blocked that legislation from ever being con- Unfortunately, the Court also ruled that Con- separated from their families by unidentified sidered. gunmen who entered their village after dark gress has not given the Food and Drug Ad- and shot them. ministration explicit authority to regulate to- Now, once again, the Republican leadership In the past, Kashmiri insurgent groups bacco. So now Congress must act to deal with has the sole power to bring legislation to the have concentrated on military targets and this enormous problem. floor. I hope they won't miss another oppor- have denounced terrorism against civilians. The first bill I am introducing is comprehen- tunity to protect our children. But in recent weeks, there have been a half- sive legislation that represents what our coun- dozen attacks on Hindu truck drivers and on AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION, scattered villages of Kashmiri Pandits, or try genuinely needs to reduce tobacco use by Washington, DC, March 21, 2000. local Hindus, many of whom were violently children. It explicitly authorizes the Food and Hon. HENRY A. WAXMAN, driven from the region years ago. Now Sikhs, Drug Administration to regulate tobacco prod- U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC. who have lived peaceably in northern Kash- ucts; it establishes an innovative and effective DEAR REPRESENTATIVE WAXMAN: The mir for years, appear to have become their performance standard that gives the tobacco American Lung Association is pleased to en- latest target. industry meaningful economic incentives to re- Clinton, who had called Kashmir ‘‘the most dorse the Child Tobacco Use Prevention Act dangerous place in the world,’’ has repeat- duce the numbers of children that smoke; it of 2000 and the FDA Tobacco Jurisdiction edly expressed interest in helping to defuse establishes a national policy on environmental Act of 2000. These bills will grant explicit au- the tensions and to nudge India and Paki- tobacco smoke; and it creates a new nation- thority to the Food and Drug Administration stan back toward dialogue. But Indian au- wide public education campaign on tobacco. to regulate tobacco products. Full, unfet- thorities are adamantly opposed to any for- None of these measures alone are the an- tered, FDA authority is needed to protect eign intervention in the dispute, and have swer to reducing tobacco useÐbut taken to- the public health and provide oversight on declared they will not resume talks with gether, they will succeed in reducing the num- Pakistan until it stops arming and training how tobacco products are manufactured, la- Kashmiri insurgents. ber of children who smoke. They are what we beled, distributed, advertised, sold and mar- In interviews over the weekend, some need to do in our battle against the deadly toll keted. Srinagar residents said they were skeptical of tobacco, and will save millions of lives for We strongly support the additional public that Clinton’s talks with Indian leaders generations to come. health provisions included in the Child To- could make any difference. They said the I am concerned, however, that some may United States was too concerned with bigger bacco Use Prevention Act. Company-specific try to avoid acting on tobacco legislation by ar- performance standards to reduce child to- issues, such as trade and nuclear non- guing there's not enough time in this session proliferation, to let Kashmir become an irri- bacco use, smokefree environments and to- tant to improving relations. to deal with a comprehensive bill. And I'm bacco prevention and education programs ‘‘Clinton is coming as a guest, so he won’t concerned that some may try to avoid dealing complement full FDA authority and greatly want to embarrass his hosts. What he says in with this urgent issue by pretending that com- enhance the effort to reduce the disease and America about Kashmir may not be what he prehensive legislation makes it more difficult to death caused by tobacco. says here,’’ said Masood Ahmed, 30, another deal quickly with today's Supreme Court deci- shopkeeper in Lal Chowk. ‘‘He already sion. Congress must act quickly and pass this knows that thousands of people have been So I'm introducing a second bill that only critical public health legislation this year. killed in Kashmir, but he is only coming to Full, unfettered FDA authority over tobacco see the Taj Mahal.’’ deals with the question of FDA jurisdiction over tobacco. This legislation explicitly author- products is the top priority for the American f izes the FDA to regulate tobacco products, Lung Association. Thank you for your con- tinued leadership to protect children from and does not address any of the other issues TOBACCO LEGISLATION tobacco. that Congress must confront in crafting effec- Sincerely, HON. HENRY A. WAXMAN tive national tobacco legislation. JOHN R. GARRISON, The policies in both bills have been before OF CALIFORNIA Chief Executive Officer. Congress for many years. We've held years of IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES hearings on these issues and tried to examine Tuesday, March 21, 2000 carefully every possible consequence of legis- Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am intro- lation. The time to act is now. ducing two bills today relating to the regulation In 1998 I reached a comprehensive agree- of tobacco products. ment with Congressman TOM BLILEY, the

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