June 21, 2005 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1309 the academy.’’ The bill directed the Air Force In 2000, Deborah married her long-time best for raising the Sikh flag and making speeches. to develop a plan to ensure that the academy friend, Alvin Benjamin of Glen Head, New The Movement Against State Repression re- maintains a climate free from coercive reli- York. Alvin is the Owner/President of Ben- ports that over 52,000 are political pris- gious intimidation and inappropriate proselyt- jamin Development in Garden City, New York. oners in ‘‘the world’s largest democracy.’’ izing. They currently reside in Glen Head, Manhat- More than a quarter of a million Sikhs have As a Coloradan and a Member of the tan, and Highland Beach, Florida. been murdered, according to figures compiled Armed Services Committee, I have been fol- Since her retirement, Mrs. Benjamin has de- from the State Magistracy. lowing this matter closely and have noted that voted much of her time to charitable organiza- Sikhs are only one of ’s targets. Other Lt. Gen. John Rosa, the Academy’s super- tions dedicated to improving the lives of chil- minorities such as Christians, Muslims, and intendent, has said that the problem is ‘‘some- dren. She is most actively involved with the others have also been subjected to tyrannical thing that keeps me awake at night,’’ and esti- Fanconi Anemia Research Fund, which is repression. More than 300,000 Christians mated it will take 6 years to fix. dedicated to finding a cure for this rare, but have been killed in Nagaland, and thousands The good news is that several reviews of serious blood disease. Additionally, Mrs. Ben- elsewhere in the country. Over 900,000 Kash- the situation at the Academy are underway, jamin has lent her support to Palm Beach mir Muslims, at least 2,000 to 5,000 Muslims and a task force report is due this week. I am County-based Kids In New Directions, which in Gujarat, and thousands of other Muslims, also appreciative that the Academy has al- assists children in making positive life choices have been victims of India’s tyranny. And tens ready begun taking steps to address the issue and developing leadership skills. Countless of thousands of people in Assam, Bodoland, by holding classes on religious tolerance. But children in New York, Florida, and throughout Manipur, Tamil Nadu, and around the country, it is important to remember that an unwilling- our nation have benefited from Deborah Ben- as well as countless Dalit ‘‘Untouchables’’ ness to tolerate other cultures and faiths is not jamin’s philanthropy and her generosity of time have been killed as well. only inconsistent with our constitutional prin- and spirt. Mr. Speaker, this is unacceptable. We must ciples, but detrimental to the mission of the Air Al and Deborah Benjamin enjoy spending take a stand for freedom for all, as the Presi- Force and of the military in general. Our men time with their families, friends, traveling, giv- dent committed us to doing in January. The and women in uniform need to work together ing to charities in the New York and Florida time has come to stop all our aid and trade to be successful, and can only inspire others area, and remain lovingly devoted to one an- with India, to end our burgeoning military co- to serve and serve well if they are able to other after 5 years of marriage. operation, and to demand the peaceful resolu- demonstrate tolerance toward all. Mr. Speaker, I ask the entire House of Rep- tion of the situation in South Asia through a Representative HUNTER’s amendment re- resentatives to join me now in thanking Debo- free and fair plebiscite for all the national moved the language calling for corrective ac- rah Benjamin for her selfless contributions to groups there. tion. His amendment appeared to downplay society, in congratulating her on her 50th birth- Mr. Speaker, I would like to put the Times the seriousness of a problem that Air Force day, and in extending our best wishes for her of India article about the demonstration into Academy officials themselves have acknowl- future success and happiness as she marks the RECORD at this time. edged. In response, Representative OBEY of- this important and joyous milestone. [From the Times of India, Jun. 6, 2005] fered an amendment that slightly revised the f KHALISTAN DEMAND RAISED ON GENOCIDE DAY language adopted by the Appropriations Com- (By Yudhvir Rana) DEMAND FOR FREEDOM ALIVE IN mittee but retained its essential elements. .—The pent up secessionist emo- I voted for that Obey amendment, and re- PUNJAB, KHALISTAN tions of Sikh radicals whipped up on the gret that it was not approved and that the Genocide Day observed as Ardas Divas at Hunter amendment prevailed. I hope that the HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS Takht on Monday, as a large number of Sikh youth including women brandishing Air Force does not make the mistake of con- OF NEW YORK cluding that adoption of the Hunter amend- naked swords raised slogans for Sikh’s inde- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES pendent state Khalistan while passing pejo- ment means that they should lessen their ef- Tuesday, June 21, 2005 rative remarks against SAD-Badal president forts to respond to the problem they have Parkash Singh Badal and SGPC president identified. Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to Bibi Jagir Kaur for not coming up to the as- take note of the demonstrations in Punjab, f pirations of Sikhs and addressing their prob- Khalistan that surrounded the 21st anniversary lems. CONGRATULATING MRS. DEBORAH of the Indian government’s attack on the Gold- The ferocity of slogans multiplied after BENJAMIN ON HER 50TH BIRTH- en Temple. Groups such as Dal and Sikh radical leader Simranjit Singh Mann, DAY others marched through the streets of Amrit- president of SAD (Amritsar) announced that sar, converging at the for a Sikhs’s hurt feelings could only be assuaged big rally, according to The Times of India. when Sikhs independent state Khalistan HON. GARY L. ACKERMAN comes into existence. He suggested that OF NEW YORK They carried posters of Jarnail Singh Khalistan could be created on the buffer zone IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Bhindranwale, a Sikh freedom leader killed in between India and Pakistan. the Golden Temple attacks, as well as posters Baba Harnam Singh, 15th chief of Tuesday, June 21, 2005 of the demolished Golden Temple. joined Simranjit Singh Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today As you know, the Indian government also Mann with his arms wielding supporters and to join the Benjamin family of Glen Head, New attacked 125 other —Sikh places of announced to observe the martyrdom day of York in celebration of the 50th birthday of Mrs. worship—at the same time. Over 20,000 Sikhs Sant Jarnail Singh Bhinderanwalae at Taksal’s headquarters at Deborah Benjamin, which will be commemo- were killed. The Sikh holy book, the Guru Gurdarshan Parkash, Chowk Mehta on June rated this Saturday, June 25th, 2005 at Granth Sahib, was shot full of bullet holes. 12. Gotham Hall in Manhattan. Sikh boys between the ages of 8 and 13 were The radical activists including from Dal Deborah Ann Coyle Benjamin was born on shot on the premises. Khalsa, Dal Khalsa, SAD(A), Damdami June 28, 1955, in Peninsula Hospital in Rock- Former Member of Parliament Simranjit Taksal, Sikh Students Federation (Bittu), away Beach, New York. Deborah is the eldest Singh Mann said that the only way to assuage Akal Federation jointly put up the board of of Ken and Gladys Coyle’s three children. Her the wounds of the attack is by freeing Shaheedee Gallery at the gallery situated sister, Denise DeVita, and brother, Ken Coyle, Khalistan, the Sikh homeland. Another speak- outside against the wishes of SGPC. A large number of Sikhs and con- Jr., both live on Long Island in New York. er said that the movement to free Khalistan is verged at Akal Takht on the 21st anniver- Deborah spent her childhood and early by peaceful means. Khalistan declared its sary of Operation Bluestar. adulthood in Rockville Centre, New York, independence from India in 1997. That is now Posters of demolished Akal Takht, Sikh where she attended Hewitt Grammar School, eight years ago. militant leaders and pamphlet on the life of and graduated from South Side High School. Police and intelligence operatives were sur- Jarnail Singh Bhinderanwalae were distrib- After high school she attended Elizabeth reptitiously watching this peaceful demonstra- uted among Sikh sangat. Seton College in Westchester, New York. tion. Apparently, 21 years after the Golden A large number of policemen in plain clothes and sleuths of various intelligence In the years after college, Deborah worked Temple attack, the Sikhs’ demand for freedom agencies were hovering around the Akal for her father’s insurance company, the still frightens them. Takht and its surrounding. A police officer Wheatley Agency, for 20 years and retired in India claims it is democratic, Mr. Speaker, of DSP rank remained present among Sikh 2000 as Vice President of Group Insurance yet it sends police to spy on a peaceful dem- sangat sitting in front of Akal Takht during Sales. onstration. In January, 35 Sikhs were arrested the ceremony.

VerDate jul 14 2003 05:25 Jun 22, 2005 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A21JN8.036 E21PT1 E1310 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks June 21, 2005 Earlier Parkash Singh Badal and Bibi JUSTICE DELAYED, BUT JUSTICE and Schwerner were intended as a message Jagir Kaur condemned congress government FINALLY SERVED to civil rights activists that the Klan was to be for rubbing salt to the wounds of Sikhs. feared in Mississippi. It was a message to stay About the postponement of foundation stone out of Mississippi. The failure of the State of alying ceremony of Yadgara-e-Shaheedan, HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL Badal said the foundation stone would be OF NEW YORK Mississippi and the local district attorney’s of- fice to charge a single person in the killings of laid once its design was approved. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Chaney, Goodman and Schwerner offered the Justifying the demand of Khalistan, Jagjit Tuesday, June 21, 2005 Singh Chauhan, a Khalistan ideologue said same message and another even more that they would peruse their mission Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to chilling message. Not only was the state unin- through peaceful democratic means. honor the memory of three heroic young men terested in killings of African-Americans, a fact well known in that state, but it was uninter- of Akal Tkaht, Giani Joginder James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Mi- Singh Vedanti presented siropas’s to Ishar chael Schwerner, brutally killed in Mississippi ested in the killings of white people trying to Singh, Mata Pritam Kaur son and wife of exactly 41 years ago today and to welcome help them. The failure of the State of Mis- Jarnail Singh Bhinderanwalae and relatives today’s verdict of the Mississippi jury that sissippi to prosecute Killen and others was a of other martyrs. Earlier addressing the found Edgar Ray Killen guilty of three counts sign of the influence of the Klan in the state. gathering he said it was unfortunate that of manslaughter in their deaths. I would have Everyone involved in reopening and retrying even after 21 years of Operation Bluestar, the preferred the murder convictions sought by this case should be proud of this success. I central government has not condemned the Neshoba County district Attorney Mark Dun- would particularly like to thank Representative incident nor those responsible for the 1984 BENNIE THOMPSON of Mississippi for his lead- anti Sikh riots have been brought to books can in the deaths of these three brave civil and Operation Bluestar was a black chapter rights activists but I recognize the important ership in the House on this issue. Hopefully, in the history of Independent India. The step Mississippi has taken in finally convicting the parents and families of Chaney, Goodman Sikhs had laid down their lives under the Killen of the crimes he proudly and publicly and Schwemer will find solace in the fact that, aegis of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhinderanwalae took credit for after a jury was deadlocked in in the end, justice has defeated intimidation to protect the sanctity of gurdhams. his 1964 Federal Civil Rights trial. and fear. Meanwhile Damdami Taksal presented Killen was a recruiter and organizer for the While the verdict is an important sign that photographs of Jarnail Singh, , Neshoba County Chapter of the Ku Klux Klan this Nation can and will face the ugliness of its Shubeg Singh and Thara Singh to Jathedar during the ‘‘freedom summer’’ in 1964 when past, it is also a reminder that we have far to of Akal Takht Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti Goodman and Schwerner came from New go in creating a just and equal society. The for displaying them in the gallery. Vedanti York to work with James Chaney and other verdict today shows Mississippi is changing. I however asked them to contemplate over civil rights activists in Mississippi to register agree with Ben Chaney, brother of James their request. Meanwhile chief spokesperson African-American voters. Schwerner had been Chaney, that today’s verdict is ‘‘recognition of of Damdami Taksal. Bhai said that they also performed ardas at the in Mississippi but returned with Goodman the terrible thing that happened.’’ I hope, as gallery’s gate. He said panth would decide if when he heard of the burning of an African- he does, that this conviction helps ‘‘shine there was no desirable reply from Jathedar. American Church and beatings of members of some light’’ on what has happened in Mis- sissippi. However, I also agree with Rita On the other hand SAD(A) had demanded the congregation. The night Chaney, Good- to display the photograph of Jarnail Singh man and Schwerner died they had been jailed Schwemer Bender, widow of Michael Bhinderanwalae at central Sikh Museum, for speeding by Neshoba County Deputy Schwemer when she said: ‘‘I would hope that handing over of personal belongings of Sheriff Cecil Price. By the time they were re- this case is just the beginning and not the Bhinderanwale by his family, Taksal and leased at 10 p.m., the plan formulated by end.’’ Army to panth without any conditions, nam- Killen to kill them and bury their bodies in an This Congress should lead the effort to re- ing the road between Sri Guru Arjun Dev earthen dam was in place. verse the centuries of discrimination and rac- Niwas to Sri Hargobind Niwas on Sant The Klan had used fear, intimidation and ism that has so long held us back and apart. Jarnail Singh Marg, setting up of a Sant Jarnail Singh Dharmik Vidya Kendar and murder to brutally oppress over African-Ameri- We should close the inequalities in education, beginning of Shaheed Bhai Amrik Singh cans who sought justice and equality and it employment, civil rights and health care that Award for those schools helping to check sought to respond to the young workers of the impacts the poor and minorities of this country apostism among Sikhs and General Shubeg civil rights movement in Mississippi in the on a daily basis. We should not take another Sigh Award to promote traditional sports. same way. The murders of Chaney, Goodman 41 years to achieve justice for all Americans.

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