Ed Towns

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Madam Speaker, I have recently encountered a book entitled Gandhi: Behind the Mask of Divinity, which sheds new light on the founder of India. The author, Colonel G. B. Singh, USA, portrays Mohandas Gandhi as a person who was more interested in advancing his own group than in the advancement of all people. Using Gandhi's own words, Colonel Singh portrays a very different Gandhi than you and I have been told about. Colonel Singh argues that the Gandhi we have been told about isn't the real Gandhi. He writes that he hopes that his book will stimulate discussion and provoke people to think about who Mohandas Gandhi really was. Since Gandhi is considered the father of the Indian nation, understanding his character is essential to understanding India. Colonel Singh's book is definitely controversial, but it is an important contribution to a full understanding of this important historical character. Madam Speaker, there is an excerpt from the book's introduction on the back cover, which has been reproduced, and I would like to introduce that two-paragraph excerpt into the Record at this time to give a flavor of the book and encourage people to broaden their perspective on Gandhi. From the Introduction To Gandhi: Behind The Mask of Divinity (By G.B. Singh) Over the years I have discussed Gandhi with many Americans, both formally and informally. . . . What continues to irk me is the amount of Gandhi ``propaganda material'' that has flooded our libraries and bookstores. For an unsuspecting Westerner, the reading of Gandhi as he is portrayed on these shelves can bring about the intended result. That is understandable. This book is an attempt to close the gap between the popularized Gandhi and the historical Gandhi. This book will incite readers to be more open-minded and to seek to validate the ``truths'' presented. My hope is that it will provoke honest, healthy, and open dialogue and foster more scrutiny about him. . . Years of dedicated research on Gandhi convinced me that our hero was fundamentally a racist. In this book, I present the facts. The evidence presented here is not a matter of speculation or distorted interpretation. Much of the irrefutable evidence lay buried beneath a mountain of Gandhi's own writings--in his own words, which I have uncovered--comments that will be difficult to dispute once they are read. In this book you will read the evidence in its entirety. My primary intention is to untangle the web that Gandhi weaved--and his followers are still weaving--for many years. Only through a methodical probing can we expose Gandhi's campaign of deception: the lies, the propaganda, the misinformation, the half-truths, and the effort to hide behind religion. Where Gandhi left off, his followers have picked up, and they continue their own sophisticated campaigns, both in India and abroad. The book should not be looked upon as another Gandhi biography. Rather, it should provide a standard by which to weigh the Gandhi literature for accuracy and objectivity. Also, this book, though narrowly focused, should stand as a guide alerting us to how thoroughly the Gandhi propagandists and others have succeeded in deceiving us.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, Professor Gurtej Singh JAS is a Professor of Sikhism and a very widely respected intellectual leader in the Sikh community. Recently, he wrote an article exposing the Dasam Granth, which is alleged by some Hindus to be a Sikh scripture. What apparently was done was to take a few of the writings of Guru Gobind Singh, the last of the Sikh gurus, and combine it with some sexually explicit material from a Hindu sect known as Shakat. The aim is to discredit Guru Gobind Singh and bring the Sikhs into the Hindu fold, according to Professor Gurtej Singh. The authors of the Dasam Granth identify themselves within the text, yet many insist that the work was written by Guru Gobind Singh and should be equal to the Sikh holy scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib. Professor Gurtej Singh commented that a leader of the militant Hindu fascist operation known as the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), which was formed in support of the Fascists, had commented that all the Sikh ``high priests'' including Akal Takht Jathedar Joginder Singh Vedanti are on the RSS payroll. Thus, they are cooperating in this effort by the Brahmins to destroy the Sikh religion. Nice trick in a supposedly secular country! Also cooperating in this effort is former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who led the most corrupt government in the history of Punjab. These are the kinds of people with whom the Brahins choose to ally themselves. This kind of control over the leadership of the Sikhs is one reason that they need their independence, to protect their identity and their safety before the Indians wipe them out, as they seek to do. Over a quarter of a million Sikhs killed since 1984 proves that. In addition, the Indian regime has killed over 300,000 Christians in Nagaland, more than 90,000 Muslims in Kashmir and 2,000 to 5,000 in Gujarat, as well as Christians and Muslims elsewhere in the country and Tamils, Manipuris, Dalits, Bodos, Assamese, and other minorities. Tens of thousands of people are held as political prisoners, according to Amnesty International. The Movement Against State Repression reported that lndia acknowledged holding 52,268 Sikhs as political prisoners. Many of these have been in illegal detention since 1984. These political prisoners must be released at once and those who violate human rights must be brought to justice or we should stop all of our aid and trade with India. And we should put the U.S. Congress on record in support of freedom everywhere in South Asia in the form of a plebiscite on the subject of independence, under international supervision to ensure its fairness. Isn't that the democratic way to do things? While Professor Gurtej Singh's article is too long to put in the Record, the Council of Khalistan did an excellent press release on it. Mr. Speaker, I would like to add that press release on the Dasam Granth fraud to the Record at this time for the information of my colleagues. Professor Gurtej Singh Exposes Dasam Granth Fraud Washington, DC, December 7, 2006--Professor Gurtej Singh, a leading Sikh scholar, Professor of Sikhism, and an advisor to the International Journal of Sikh Affairs, has published an extensive article exposing how Hindu fundamentalists have promoted the Dasam Granth, which contains very little of the work of Guru Gobind Singh, as his writing and as genuine Sikh scripture, parallel to the Guru Granth Sahib. He exposes the fact that ``the Hindu plan to drag the Sikhs back to the Hindu fold'' requires promoting the Dasam Granth and that this plan has received the support of such allegedly Sikh leaders as former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and the high Sikh ``high priests'' led by Jathedar Joginder Singh Vedanti. Badal led the most corrupt government in Punjab's history, selling jobs for money, and regularly visits Hindu and other anti-Sikh places of worship, according to Professor Gurtej Singh. Professor Gurtej Singh writes that Jathedar Vedanti ``was given the task of actually dragging the Sikh panth into the fold of Hinduism.'' He notes that Jathedar Vedanti, like Mr. Badal, succumbed to the temptations of money. In order to carry out this nefarious plan, Professor Gurtej Singh writes, Vedanti embraced the Dasam Granth as genuine Sikh scripture, claiming that it was written by Guru Gobind Singh and was to be treated as scripture and canon. The Dasam Granth includes vivid, lewd descriptions of sex acts and other pornographic and obscene references that were added to Guru Gobind Singh's writing to make him look bad. Professor Gurtej Singh notes that the authors of the Dasam Granth identified themselves in the text. Yet the Hindus insist that Guru Gobind Singh is the author and that the book is Sikh scripture. According to Professor Gurtej Singh, it is a scripture of the Shakat sect, who are worshippers of the Hindu goddess Shiva, as it reflects their mode of worship and their practices. ``It has been a long standing Hindu desire to bring the Sikhs under the umbrella of the Shakat sect,'' he writes. ``This involves getting them to accept some of the rituals of that sect as modes of worship.'' He goes on to write, ``To propagate the dasam granth as Sikh scripture at par with Guru Granth, has been the aim of a section of the Hindu zealots and a section of the Media mostly controlled by such Hindus,'' According to Professor Gurtej Singh, Mr. Sudarshan of the fascist, Hindu militant Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), parent organization of the Hindu fundamentalist BJP, stated that all of the Sikh ``high priests'' including Vedanti are on the payroll of his organization. ``We appreciate and commend Professor Gurtej Singh for doing this outstanding work for the Sikh Nation,'' said Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President of the Council of Khalistan. ``He is doing his job as Professor of Sikhism. The Sikh Nation commends him,'' Dr. Aulakh said. ``Only about 60 pages of the Dasam Granth is the writing of Guru Gobind Singh,'' he noted. ``The rest is later writings that were added and changed. Guru Gobind Singh gave guruship to the Guru Granth Sahib and ordered Sikhs to consider the Guru Granth Sahib as the living Guru,'' Dr. Aulakh noted. ``The Guru Granth Sahib is the living Guru which Sikhs accept with reverence and respect. Recitation of the Dasam Granth should not take place in any Gurdwara,'' he said. ``Sikhs should practice Rehat Maryada which was published in the 1940s by the SGPC after a long review and discussion by the Khalsa Panth.'' Dr. Aulakh said that it is very disturbing that most of the Sikh leadership is under the control of the Indian government. ``This campaign to destroy Sikhism by means of the Dasam Granth could not be taking place if we had our own homeland. We could more effectively stand up to India's ongoing effort to destroy the Sikh religion,'' he said. ``Without political power, nations perish and religions are destroyed,'' he said. India is on the verge of disintegration. Kashmir is about to separate from India. As L.K. Advani said, ``if Kashmir goes, India goes.'' History shows that multinational states such as India are doomed to failure. ``Countries like Austria-Hungary, India's longtime friend the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, and others prove this point. India is not one country; it is a polyglot like those countries, thrown together for the convenience of the British colonialists. It is doomed to break up as they did. There is nothing in common in the culture of a Hindu living in Bengal and one in Tamil Nadu, let alone between them and the minority nations of South Asia,'' Dr. Aulakh said. ``Freedom is the God-given right of every nation and every human being,'' said Dr. Aulakh. Sikhs must be allowed to have a free and fair plebiscite on the issue of Khalistan. In a democracy, you cannot continue to rule against the wishes of the people. As former Senator George Mitchell said about the Palestinians, `the essence of democracy is the right to self- determination,' We must reclaim the sovereignty of the Sikh Nation,'' Dr. Aulakh said. ``Currently, there are 17 freedom movements within India's borders. It has 18 official languages, A country having 18 official languages cannot hold its people together for very long,'' he said. ``We hope that India's breakup will be peaceful like Czechoslovakia's, not violent like Yugoslavia's,'' Dr. Aulakh said. ``Earlier this year, Montenegro, which has less than a million people, became a sovereign country and a member of the United Nations,'' he said. ``Now it is the time for the Sikh Nation of Punjab, Khalistan to become independent.'' Dr Aulakh stressed his commitment to the peaceful, democratic, nonviolent struggle to liberate Khalistan. ``The only way that the repression will stop and Sikhs will live in freedom, dignity, and prosperity is to liberate Khalistan,'' said Dr. Aulakh, ``As Professor Darshan Singh, former Jathedar of the Akal Takht, said, `If a Sikh is not a Khalistani, he is not a Sikh.','' Dr. Aulakh said. ``We must free Khalistan now.''

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, on December 3, supporters of the former member of India's Parliament, Simranjit Singh Mann, were beaten up in the town of Tarn Taran in Punjab, which Mr. Mann used to represent in parliament. Mr. Mann was burned in effigy. He has blamed former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for the incident. Badal's party is aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, the former ruling party, which is under the umbrella of the fascist, Hindu militant Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh, RSS. The Hindu extremists attacked Mr. Mann's supporters and Mann's supporters were the ones who got arrested. Tarn Taran is a central place in Sikhism, built by the fifth of the Sikh gurus, Guru Arjun Dev, and there is a historic Gurdwara--Sikh place of worship--in the town. The fact that supporters of the RSS are able to beat Sikhs in Tarn Taran is distressing. It shows the need for Sikh independence in a sovereign Khalistan. According to SS News online, at least six people were injured in the clash, which broke out after one of Mann's supporters wrote an article critical of Shiv Sena, one of the militant branches of the RSS. Mr. Speaker, Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, president of the Council of Khalistan, has issued an excellent press release on tbe incident. He notes that a free, sovereign Khalistan, the Sikh homeland that declared its independence from India on October 7, 1987, would help put an end to incidents like this. As long as Sikhs are under Indian subjugation, the RSS and its allies are going to be able to run roughshod over Sikhs and other minorities. Remember that last year, 35 Sikhs were arrested simply for making pro-Khalistan speeches and raising the Khalistani flag. Since when are making speeches and raising a flag crimes in a democracy? India has kllled more than a quarter of a million Sikhs, over 90,000 Kashmiri Muslims, 2,000 to 5,000 Muslims in Gujarat, over 300,000 Christians in Nagaland and tens of thousands of other minorities such as Assamese, Bodos, Dalits, Manipuris, Tamils, and others. If India is the democracy that it claims to be, how can it do such things? America is the beacon of freedom, Mr. Speaker. That is why we need to act. Incidents like this must not be allowed to continue. We should stop our aid to India and end our trade with that country until human rights are respected for all people there. And we should put the Congress on record in support of a free and fair plebiscite on independence in Khalistan, Kashmir, Nagalim, and wherever else it is sought. That is the best way to help bring freedom, security, safety, dignity, and prosperity to all the people of South Asia. Mr. Speaker, I would like to put the Council of Khalistan's press release on the beating of Mann supporters in the Record at this time. Washington, DC, Dec. 7, 2006.--Supporters of former Member of Parliament Simranjit Singh Mann were beaten up in Tarn Taran by members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Mr, Mann's effigy was burned. Mann has publicly blamed former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who is allied with the BJP, a branch of the fascist Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), for the beating. Mann was elected to represent Tarn Taran in the Indian Parliament with 95 percent of the vote while he was in jail in 1989. Tarn Taran is the center of the Sikh religion. Guru Arjun Dev Ji, the fifth Sikh Guru, established Tarn Taran and there is a historic Gurdwara there. Captain Amarinder Singh, the chief minister of Punjab, is establishing a Guru Arjun Dev Ji University there. ``It is outrageous that supporters of Mann could be beaten up and his effigy burned in a place so central for the Sikh Nation as Tarn Taran,'' said Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President of the Council of Khalistan. ``We hope that Badal is not behind the incident,'' said Dr, Aulakh. ``If he is, shame on him. Ultimately, the Indian government is behind this act and both Badal and Mann are under the control of the Indian government, as their letters published in Chakravyuh: Web of Indian Secularism demonstrate,'' said Dr. Aulakh. In one letter, Mann pledges, ``I reiterate my allegiance to the Constitution and I stand by the integrity of the country.'' On his trip to the United States in 2000, Mann attended a Sikh event and said, ``Close the offices of the Council of Khalistan, headed by Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh in Washington

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, my esteemed colleagues, thank you very much for the opportunity to talk to you about an important issue involving credit reports that will disproportionately harm low-income homebuyers and put most small independent credit reporting agencies out of business within a month. The issue involves the ``joint use'' of credit reports for mortgages. ``Joint use'', ``secondary use'' or ``reissue'' refers to the long- standing practice (recognized in the FCRA, by the Federal Trade Commission, and by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency), which allows a credit report to be jointly used by multiple entities legitimately engaged with the origination of a mortgage at no additional cost. Joint use of credit report information is essential for the proper functioning of the mortgage banking, brokerage and financing industries and is an important process by which consumers shop for and obtain mortgage credit. Recently, two of the credit repositories, Equifax and Experian (E&E) have announced new mandatory fees and burdensome requirements for joint use of credit reports starting January 1, 2007. Consumers will now be burdened with paying multiple charges for the one-time access of their credit report in order to originate a single mortgage transaction. Unlike other credit industries, the mortgage credit reporting industry is required to depend on three-file merged credit reports provided by E&E and TransUnion. The proposed new policy will significantly increase mortgage origination costs. Costs for joint use of credit reports potentially increase by 100-300%. E&E will significantly increase their revenues while end users, resellers, and ultimately, consumers will pay the costs. In addition, consumers facing the highest cost increases will be those with credit challenges such as low-income and first-time homebuyers. Further, about 90 percent of the independent credit reporting agencies will be unable to meet the additional contractual requirements being dictated by E&E. These credit reporting agencies will be unable to access the credit data from E&E and therefore unable to provide the mandatory three-file merged credit reports. They will quickly be forced out of businesses due to these changes. There is no new legislation, court case, regulatory decision or other external event to justify such action except to increase the revenues of these large companies at the expense of the consumer and to the detriment of small credit reporting companies. The other repositories, TransUnion and Innovis, have not chosen to drastically alter the joint use procedure. TransUnion is evaluating its position and CBC Companies, the parent of Innovis, is challenging E&E's proposed new guidelines in federal court as a violation of U.S. antitrust laws. The end-user disclosure (joint use) requirements have been working well since they were enacted as part of the FCRA in 1997. The recent actions by E&E do little to combat the incidence of identity theft and increase data security. The main reason for these policies is to raise revenue and decrease competition. The effort to implement these new reissue/joint use procedures and fees needs to be stopped in order to maintain a level playing field, continue effective competition in the marketplace and provide fair and equitable access to capital for all Americans. Any efforts by the major credit repositories to change the reissue process should not restrict competition. In order to protect both consumers and small, independent credit reporting agencies, E&E should make the following changes to their proposed reissue policies. Continue to classify the GSEs, HUD and any other ancillary technology system that is part of the mortgage origination process as joint use, not the new created ``reissue'' or ``secondary use'' classification. Allow credit-reporting agencies, at the direction of the end-user of record, to reissue to any firm on one of the approved mortgage seller or servicer lists of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or HUD without end-user documentation and site inspections. Designate a reasonable flat fee for reissue. Note: The changes to the 2003 FACT Act which included a free credit report to every American on an annual basis only required an $.11 per file price increase while E&E's proposed policy changes attempt to justify the charge of $1.05 to $3.50 per file. Thank you very much for the opportunity to address this important topic. I strongly suggest that E&E reconsider the policies they plan to implement on January 1. Such policies will ultimately hurt the consumer and will have a disproportionate effect on low-income individuals. All Americans deserve the right to pursue the American dream of homeownership and should not be restricted to access to loans because of a policy intended solely to raise revenue for two large credit repositories.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, My esteemed colleagues, thank you very much for the opportunity to talk to you about an important issue involving credit reports that will disproportionately harm low-income home buyers and put most small independent credit reporting agencies out of business within a month. The issue involves the ``joint use'' of credit reports for mortgages. ``Joint use'', ``secondary use'' or ``reissue'' refers to the long- standing practice recognized in the FCRA, by the Federal Trade Commission, and by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, which allows a credit report to be jointly used by multiple entities legitimately engaged with the origination of a mortgage at no additional cost. Joint use of credit report information is essential for the proper functioning of the mortgage banking, brokerage and financing industries and is an important process by which consumers shop for and obtain mortgage credit. Recently, two of the credit repositories, Equifax and Experian, E&E have announced new mandatory fees and burdensome requirements for joint use of credit reports starting January 1, 2007. Consumers will now be burdened with paying multiple charges for the one-time access of their credit report in order to originate a single mortgage transaction. Unlike other credit industries, the mortgage credit reporting industry is required to depend on three-file merged credit reports provided by E&E and TransUnion. The proposed new policy will significantly increase mortgage origination costs. Costs for joint use of credit reports potentially increase by 100-300 percent. E&E will significantly increase their revenues while end users, resellers, and ultimately, consumers will pay the costs. In addition, consumers facing the highest cost increases will be those with credit challenges such as low income and first time homebuyers. Further, about ninety percent of the independent credit reporting agencies will be unable to meet the additional contractual requirements being dictated by E&E. These credit-reporting agencies will be unable to access the credit data from E&E and therefore unable to provide the mandatory three-file merged credit reports. They will quickly be forced out of businesses due to these changes. There is no new legislation, court case, regulatory decision or other external event to justify such action except to increase the revenues of these large companies at the expense of the consumer and to the detriment of small credit reporting companies. The other repositories, TransUnion and Innovis, have not chosen to drastically alter the joint use procedure. TransUnion is evaluating its position and CBC Companies, the parent of Innovis, is challenging E&E's proposed new guidelines in federal court as a violation of U.S. antitrust laws. The end user disclosure, joint use, requirements have been working well since they were enacted as part of the FCRA in 1997. The recent actions by E&E do little to combat the incidence of identity theft and increase data security. The main reason for these policies is to raise revenue and decrease competition. The effort to implement these new reissue/joint use procedures and fees needs to be stopped in order to maintain a level playing field, continue effective competition in the marketplace and provide fair and equitable access to capital for all Americans. Any efforts by the major credit repositories to change the reissue process should not restrict competition. In order to protect both consumers and small, independent credit reporting agencies, E&E should make the following changes to their proposed reissue policies. Continue to classify the GSEs, HUD and any other ancillary technology system that is part of the mortgage origination process as joint use, not the new created ``reissue'' or ``secondary use'' classification; Allow credit-reporting agencies, at the direction of the end user of record, to reissue to any firm on one of the approved mortgage seller or servicer lists of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or HUD without end user documentation and site inspections; and Designate a reasonable flat fee for reissue. Note: The changes to the 2003 FACT Act which included a free credit report to every American on an annual basis only required an $.11 per file price increase while E&E's proposed policy changes attempt to justify the charge of $1.05 to $3.50 per file. Thank you very much for the opportunity to address this important topic. I strongly suggest that E&E reconsider the policies they plan to implement on January 1. Such policies will ultimately hurt the consumer and will have a disproportionate effect on low-income individuals. All Americans deserve the right to pursue the American dream of homeownership and should not be restricted to access to loans because of a policy intended solely to raise revenue for two large credit repositories.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, last month, Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President of the Council of Khalistan, spoke at the Press Club in Lahore, Pakistan. In that speech, he predicted disintegration of India, according to the newspaper Dawn from Lahore. ``There is nothing common in the culture of the Hindu living in Bengal and the one in Tamil area,'' the paper quotes Dr. Aulakh as saying. ``A country having 18 official languages cannot hold its people together for a long time, especially when there is state sponsored suppression against minorities,'' he went on to say. Dr. Aulakh cited the BJP's statement that if you want to live in Hindustan, you must be a Hindu. He discussed India's long record of violence against the minorities within its borders, including the murders of over a quarter of a million Sikhs, more than 90,000 Kashmiri Muslims, over 300,000 Christians in Nagaland, 2,000 to 5,000 Muslims in Gujarat, tens of thousands of Christians and Muslims around the rest of the country, and tens of thousands of Assamese, Bodos, Dalit ``untouchables'', Manipuris, Tamils, and other minorities. He cited numerous other incidents, including the murder of former Jathedar of the Akal Takht Gurdev Singh Kaunke, the kidnapping and murder by the police of human-rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, the recent attack on the Convent of Loreto, the attack on the Babri mosque, and many other such events. Dr. Aulakh said that the only solution to this situation is a free, sovereign, independent Khalistan, which was declared on October 7, 1987. It is time for the United States to help protect the dignity of all people in South Asia by helping them to live in freedom. There should be a free and fair plebiscite in Punjab on the independence of Khalistan, as well as a plebiscite in Kashmir, as promised to the United Nations in 1948, in Nagaland, and wherever people are seeking freedom from India. The essence of democracy is the right to self- determination. The United States Congress should be on record in support of that. In addition, we should stop our aid and trade with India until such time as the tyranny stops and all people there enjoy full human rights. We seek good relations with India, but not at the expense of our principles. India must spread the blessings of freedom and democracy to all its people, not just the ruling elite and its friends. Mr. Speaker, I would like to insert the Dawn article and an article from The News concerning Dr. Aulakh's statement into the Record. [From Dawn Lahore, Nov. 7, 2006] Khalistan Council Sees India's Disintegration (By Our Staff Reporter) Lahore, Nov. 6: India will break up in many states like the former USSR, says Council of Khalistan president Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh. ``There is nothing common in the culture of the Hindu living in Bengal and the one in Tamil area. A country having 18 official languages cannot hold its people together for a long time, especially when there is state-sponsored suppression against minorities,'' Dr. Aulakh said at a press conference at the Lahore Press Club on Monday. The BJP had conveyed to all the minorities in the strongest terms that if they wanted to live in `Hindustan', they have to become Hindus. Over a million people have been killed since independence merely because they were not Hindus. The Indian government has committed terrorism against its own minorities. More than 250,000 Sikh infants, children, youth, men, women and elderly had been murdered since 1984, in addition to more than 300,000 Christians in Nagaland, over 90,000 Muslims in Kashmir, tens of thousands of Christians and Muslims throughout the country besides tens of thousands of Assameese, Bodos, Dalits, Manipuris, Tamils and other minorities. Indian police arrested human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra after he exposed their policy of mass cremation of Sikhs. Over 50,000 Sikhs were arrested, tortured, murdered and then their bodies were declared unidentified and secretly cremated, said Dr. Aulakh. Mr. Khalra was murdered in police custody and his body was not handed over to his family. No one was brought to justice for his kidnap and murder. The only witness to the Khalra kidnapping, Rajiv Singh Randbawa, had been repeatedly harassed by the police, including having been arrested for trying to hand a note to the then British home secretary Jack Straw. The Khalistan Council chief said 35 Sikhs were arrested in Punjab last year for delivering speeches in support of Khalistan and raising its flag. How can delivering speeches and raising a flag be considered crimes in a democratic society? The police never released the body of Gurdeve Singh Kaunke, the former Jathedar of the Akal Takht, after SSP Swaran Singh Ghotna murdered him. The police officer had never been tried for the murder. Mr. Graham Stains, missionary, was murdered along with his two sons, ages 8 and 10, by a mob of militant, fundamentalist Hindu nationalists who set fire to the jeep, surrounded it, and chanted Hannuman ki jay (Victory to Hannuman). Another missionary, Joseph cope, was beaten so badly that he had to remain in an Indian hospital for a week. Later, the Indian government threw him out of the country and none of the people involved had been tried. ``Police broke up a Christian religious festival with gunfire but the people who murdered priests, raped nuns and burnt churches had yet to be charged or tried. Recently, militants from the Bharatiya Januata Yuva, the youth movement affiliated with the BJP and the fascist RSS, attacked the Convent of Loreto. ``The murderers of 2,000 to 5,000 Muslims in Gujarat have never been brought to trial. An Indian newspaper reported that the police were ordered not to get involved in that massacre, a frightening parallel to the Delhi massacre of Sikhs in 1984. Militant Hindu fundamentalists destroyed the most important mosque in india, the Babri Masjid, but no one had ever been held responsible,'' said Dr. Aulakh. ``What good it did to the Sikh nation if the Indian government apologized for the Delhi massacres, in which over 20,000 sikhs were killed? Where are the apologies for the golden Temple attack, the destruction of the Akal Takht, the desecration of Darbar Sahib and the other atrocities? Where is the compensation for the victims' families?'' asked a charged Khalistan Council chief. Sikh farmers were expelled from Uttaranchal last year and their land was seized, police thrashed them, their homes that were built out of their life savings and by their own hands, were bulldozed by paratroopers. ``We condemn this act of state terrorism by the government of Uttaranchal,'' he said. Sikhs could not buy land in Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh and now Uttaranchal had been added to the list while there were no restrictions on land ownership in Punjab by non- Sikhs. India was trying to subvert Khalistan's independence by overrunning Punjab with non-Sikhs while keeping Sikhs from escaping the brutal repression in Punjab. ``It is now incumbent on the Sikh diaspora to free Khalistan. We must redouble our efforts. That is the only way to keep these atrocities from continuing and to protect the Sikh nation and the religion.'' The Akali Dal, Dr. Aulakh alleged, conspired with the Indian government in 1984 to invade the Golden Temple to murder Sant Bhindranwale and 20,000 other Sikhs in June 1984 in Punjab. In response to a question, he said the Indian prime minister was a puppet. ``Mr. Manmohan Singh lied before the Geneva Commission in 1992 that there were no atrocities against Sikhs in India in spite of the fact that there were 52,000 Sikhs in Indian jails under the notorious TADA. He lacks the true Sikh spirit, if a Sikh is not Khalistani, he is not a Sikh,'' declared Dr. Aulakh. Sikhs would never get any justice from Delhi. Ever since independence, India had mistreated the Sikh nation, starting with Patel's memo calling Sikhs `a criminal tribe.' ``What a shame for Home Minister Patel and the Indian government to issue this memorandom when the Sikh nation gave over 80 percent of the sacrifices to free India. There is no place for Sikhs in supposedly secular, democratic India. Our moment of freedom is closer than ever. Sikhs will continue to work to make certain that we shake ourselves loose from the yoke of Indian oppression and liberate our homeland, Khalistan, so that all Sikhs may live lives of prosperity, freedom and dignity. ``The flame of freedom continues to burn brightly in the heart of every Sikh and no force can suppress it. Recently, Dal Khalsa and the Shironment Khalsa Dal announced that they are uniting for sovereignty for Khalistan. The Punjab legislative assembly proclaimed the sovereignty of Punjab when it cancelled the water agreements. Only by liberating Khalistan can we put an end to the repression and terrorism against the Sikh nation by the Indian regime. Now is the time to rededicate ourselves to the liberation of Khalistan. ``The Sikhs are a free nation and they would neither compromise on their freedom nor they could be subjugated. Freedom is the right of every nation. We have been struggling for the independence of our homeland from the day when the Golden Temple was attacked. We have been exposing the indian atrocities worldwide since then,'' the Khalistan Council chief said. [From The News International, Nov. 7, 2006] Sikhs Urged to Work for Homeland Sardar Gurmeet Singh Aulak, president of Council of Khalistan, has said that it is the moral duty of Sikhs to establish free homeland and get freedom from India. While addressing a press conference here Monday at Lahore Press Club, he said Sikhs had to come forward to get free homeland for the Sikhs living around the world. He said the foundation of Khalistan was laid after the attack on Golden Temple in 1984 adding that now the Sikhs were fighting for their birth right though the war was long but it has to meet logical end. He said the biggest mistake which the Sikh nation had committed was that they did not accept the offer of Quaid-e- Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and for that they have to pay for few more decades. He said their struggle was peaceful and political but India turned into violent by killing innocent Sikhs in East Punjab and tagged them as terrorists. He said in India, 18 different languages were being spoken and when there was no commonality in cultures, the country was bound to be divided into parts like the USSR. He said on October 17, 1987, the resolution was passed by Council of Khalistan for free homeland and from that date the Sikhs were struggling to get their homeland. He said Sikhs has no claim on that piece of land where they did not have any population but they want homeland on areas of East Punjab, Himachal and Haryana, where the Sikhs were in majority. About Kashmir issue, he said he was surprised to note that with so many Muslim countries around the world, the state was not freed yet as if the Sikhs have the same number of countries, they had freed their land from the cruel clutches of India. About Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, he said he was a puppet PM and dance to the tunes of Sonia Gandhi and lacks confidence of Sikh nation.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, last month, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh publicly stated that India is the victim of cross-border terror. The Council of Khalistan under the leadership of Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh wrote to Prime Minister Singh and reminded him that India has been sponsoring cross-border terrorism in Sindh, a province of Pakistan, as the Washington Times reported on January 2, 2002 and that according to India Today, which is the leading news magazine in India, the Indian government created the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, which the U.S. government has identified as a terrorist organization. It has also sponsored domestic terrorism against the minorities within its borders, including murdering a quarter of a million Sikhs and holding another 52,000 as political prisoners; killing Muslims by the tens of thousands in Kashmir, where more than 90,000 have been killed, Gujarat, where between 2,000 and 5,000 died in a massacre pre- planned by the government, and elsewhere; killing Christians throughout the country, including over 300,000 just in Nagaland; and mass killing many other minorities. Yet India proclaims itself the victim of terrorism and proclaims itself a democracy. Well, Mr. Speaker, it certainly doesn't act that way. The repression and terrorism must be stopped. We should end all aid and trade with India until such time as the repression ends and people enjoy the most basic human rights, and we should throw our full support behind self-determination in Punjab, Khalistan, in Kashmir, in Nagalim, and wherever people are trying to be free. The essence of democracy is the right to self-determination. In addition, we should designate India a terrorist state and impose the sanctions that that designation brings. Mr. Speaker, I would like to insert the Council of Khalistan's open letter into the Record. It is a frightening record of Indian terrorism. India Is a Terrorist State, Not a Victim Dear Prime Minister Singh: On October 4, you said that India is a victim of cross-border terrorism. India is a terrorist state itself and should be subject to the penalties that are imposed on terrorist states. On January 2, 2002, the Washington Times reported that India is supporting cross-border terrorism in Sindh, a province of Pakistan, the very same kind of thing that Prime Minister Singh was claiming is victimizing India. In addition, India's leading newsmagazine, India Today, reported that the Indian government created the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), identified by the U.S. government as a terrorist organization, and its leaders were put up by the Indian government in the finest hotel in Delhi. How can you blame Pakistan when India started cross-border terrorism with its own actions? The Indian government has committed terrorism against its own minorities. It has murdered over 250,000 Sikh infants, children, youth, men, women, and elderly since 1984, as well as more than 300,000 Christians in Nagaland, over 90,000 Muslims in Kashmir, tens of thousands of Christians and Muslims throughout the country, and tens of thousands of Assamese, Bobos, Dalits, Manipuris, Tamils, and other minorities. A report by the Movement Against State Repression (MASR) states that 52,268 Sikhs are being held as political prisoners in India without charge or trial, mostly under a repressive law known as the ``Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act'' (TADA), which expired in 1995. Many have been in illegal custody since 1984! There has been no list published of those who were acquitted under TADA and those who are still rotting in Indian jails. Tens of thousands of other minorities are also being held as political prisoners, according to Amnesty International. Tell the families of these innocent Sikhs and others that there is no terrorism in India. Indian police arrested human-rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra after he exposed their policy of mass cremation of Sikhs, in which over 50,000 Sikhs have been arrested, tortured, and murdered, then their bodies were declared unidentified and secretly cremated. Khalra was murdered in police custody. His body was not given to his family. No one has been brought to justice for the kidnapping and murder of Jaswant Singh Khalra. The only witness to the Khalra kidnapping, Rajiv Singh Randhawa, has been repeatedly harassed by the police, including having been arrested for trying to hand a note to then-British Home Secretary Jack Straw. Last year, 35 Sikhs were charged and arrested in Punjab for making speeches in support of Khalistan and raising the Khalistani flag. How can making speeches and raising a flag be considered crimes in a democratic society? The police never released the body of former Jathedar of the Takht Gurdev Singh Kaunke after SSP Swaran Singh Gholna murdered him. He has never been tried for the Jathedar Kaunke murder. In 1994, the U.S. State Department reported that the Indian government had paid over 41,000 cash bounties for killing Sikhs. The MASR report quotes the Punjab Civil Magistracy as writing ``if we add up the figures of the last few years the number of innocent persons killed would run into lakhs (hundreds of thousands.)'' The Indian Supreme Court called the Indian government's murders of Sikhs ``worse than a genocide.'' Missionary Graham Staines was murdered along with his two sons, ages 8 and 10, by a mob of militant, fundamentalist Hindu nationalists who set fire to the jeep, surrounded it, and chanted ``Victory to Hannuman,'' a Hindu god. Missionary Joseph Cooper was beaten so badly that he had to spend a week in an Indian hospital. Then the Indian government threw him out of the country. None of the people involved has been tried. The persons who have murdered priests, raped nuns, and burned Christian churches have not been charged or tried. Police broke up a Christian religious festival with gunfire. Recently, militant Hindus from the Bharatiya Janata Yuva (a youth movement affiliated with the BJP and the Fascist RSS) attacked the Convent of Loreto and the school there. A spokesman for the BJP, Mr. H. Dikshit, demanded an investigation of the school! The murders of 2,000 to 5,000 Muslims in Gujarat have never been brought to trial. An Indian newspaper reported that the police were ordered not to get involved in that massacre, a frightening parallel to the Delhi massacre of Sikhs in 1984. The most important mosque in India, the Babri Mosque, was destroyed by militant Hindu fundamentalists who have never been held responsible for their actions. It is good that you have admitted the guilt of the Indian government by for the Delhi massacres, in which over 20,000 Sikhs were killed, by apologizing for the massacres, but what good does it do the Sikh Nation? Where are the apologies for the Golden Temple attack, the destruction of the Akal Takht, and the desecration of Darbal Sahib, and the other atrocities? Where is the compensation for the victims' families? That operation was yet another act of Indian domestic terrorism. The Guru granted sovereignty to the Sikh Nation, saying ``In Grieb Sikhin Ko Deon Patshahi.'' We must remind ourselves of our heritage by raising slogans of ``Khalistan Zindabad'' and beginning a Shantmai Morcha to liberate our homeland, Khalistan Whoever is honest and dedicated in leading that Shantmai Morcha deserves our support. Every morning and evening we recite, ``Raj Kare Ga Khalsa,'' Now is the time to act on it. Do we mean what we say every morning and evening? The flame of freedom continues to burn brightly in the heart of the Sikh Nation. No force can suppress it. Recently, Dal Khalsa and the Shiromani Khalsa Dal announced that they are uniting for sovereignty for Khalistan. This was met with chants of ``Khalistan Zindabad.'' The Punjab Legislative Assembly proclaimed the sovereignly of Punjab when it cancelled the water agreements. Only by liberating Khalistan can we put an end to the repression and terrorism against the Sikh Nation by the Indian regime. Now is the time to rededicate ourselves to the liberation of Khalistan, Last year, Sikh farmers were expelled from Uttaranchal Pradesh and their land was seized. They were beaten up by the police. Their homes were bulldozed by paratroopers, Their homes in many cases were built using their life savings and by their own hands. We condemn this act of state terrorism by the government of Uttaranchal Pradesh. As you know, Sikhs are prohibited from buying land in Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh. Now Uttaranchal Pradesh joins that list. Yet there are no restrictions on land ownership in Punjab by non-Sikhs. People from anywhere can buy land in Punjab, including people from Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh. India is trying to subvert Khalistan's independence by overrunning Punjab with non-Sikhs while keeping Sikhs from escaping the brutal repression in Punjab. It is incumbent on the Sikh diaspora to free Khalistan. We must redouble our efforts. That is the only way to keep these atrocities from continuing and to protect the Sikh Nation and the Sikh religion. The Akali Dal conspired with the Indian government in 1984 to invade the Golden Temple to murder Sant Bhindranwale and 20,000 other Sikhs during June 1984 in Punjab. Among those who conspired with the government, according to Chakravyuh Web of Indian Secularism, were Dr. Chohan, Ganga Singh Dhillon, and Didar Singh Bains. It appears the Indian regime is even willing to arrest its own agents to suppress the movement for Khalistan! Now Badal and Chief Minister Amarinder Singh have been accusing each other of being tied in with ``terrorists.'' These leaders view support for Khalistan as terrorism, as the Indian government does. They have shown where their loyalties lie. How will these so- called Sikh leaders account for themselves? Remember the words of former Jathedar of the Akal Takht Professor Darshan Singh: ``If a Sikh is not a Khalistani, he is not a Sikh. Sikhs will never get any justice from Delhi. Ever since independence, India has mistreated the Sikh Nation, starting with Patel's, memo calling Sikhs ``a criminal tribe.'' What a shame for Home Minister Patel and the Indian government to issue this memorandum when the Sikh Nation gave over 80 percent of the sacrifices to free India. There is no place for Sikhs in supposedly secular, supposedly democratic India. Our moment of freedom is closer than ever. Sikhs will continue to work to make certain that we shake ourselves loose from the yoke of Indian oppression and liberate our homeland, Khalistan, so that all Sikhs may have lives of prosperity, freedom, and dignity. Sincerely, Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President, Council of Khalistan.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because earlier this month, about 15,000 Sikhs from all over the world celebrated the birth of the first Sikh guru, Guru Nanak, in his birthplace, Nankana Sahib, which is now in Pakistan. The Sikhs in attendance chanted slogans of ``Khalsitan Zindabad'' calling for the liberation of the Sikh homeland, Khalistan. Over 3,000 Sikhs from Punjab were in attendance and many of them commented on how much better they were treated in Pakistan than in their own country. A delegation of Sikhs met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz. He pledged to build a road from Kartarpur, where Guru Nanak died and where there is a shrine to him, to the Indian border if India would build a road to the border also and repair a bridge at the border. This would enable Sikhs to go to Kartarpur and honor Guru Nanak whenever they choose to do so. I call on the governments of Punjab and India to build this road and fix the bridge. The Pakistani government also issued an open invitation to Sikhs to come and visit Nankana Sahib whenever they wish with no restrictions, although they did express concern that agents of India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) would use this to come in and try to undermine Pakistan. That is a very real and legitimate concern. It is tragic and offensive that the Sikhs who went to Nankana Sahib felt that they were better treated in Pakistan than in their own country. That just shows why the Sikhs in Punjab need to be free of Indian rule. The sovereignty of the Sikhs, recognized in the Indian constitution, was used in cancelling Punjab's water deals with India. It should be used by the Legislative Assembly to declare Punjab's independence, as the Sikhs did on October 7, 1987. Such a declaration from the legislature would carry a lot of weight. Mr. Speaker, the time has come for the beacon of freedom, America, to take a stand. We can help to stop the tyranny and the repression by stopping our aid and trade to India until full human rights are restored to all people there. And it is time for a free and fair plebiscite in Punjab, Khalistan on the question of independence, as well as Kashmir, Nagalim, and wherever people seek their freedom. India promised Kashmir a plebiscite in 1948 and it has not yet delivered on the promise. When will ``the world's largest democracy'' decide that it is time for the people to enjoy the most basic of democratic rights, the right to self-determination? If India is the democratic country it says it is, what could be wrong with a simple vote? I request the permission of the House to insert the Council of Khalistan's press release on the events in Nankana Sahib into the Record at this time. Sikhs Celebrate Guru Nanak's Birthday With Reverence--Air Filled With Khalistan Zindabad Slogans Washington, DC, November 16, 2006.--More than 15,000 Sikhs came from the United States, Punjab, Thailand, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and around the world to Nankana Sahib celebrate the 537th anniversary of the birth of their first Guru, Guru Nanak, founder of the Sikh religion. Guru Nanak was born in 1469. This is he highest number of Sikhs who have attended the event since the partition of India. Over 3,000 Sikhs came from Punjab. At the celebration, the air was filled with slogans of ``Khalistan Zindabad.'' The delegation met with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in Islamad on November 4. He welcomed the Sikhs with open arms and offered a road link between Kartarpur and the Indian border if India agrees to build a road on its side and repair the bridge. He said Sikhs were free to visit Kartarpur whenever they want without a visa. The Pakistani government has issued an open invitation to Sikhs from around the world to come and visit Nankana Sahib with no restrictions. Any genuine Sikh who wants to come and visit may do so. There was some concern about agents of India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) coming to destabilize Pakistan, however. The government and people of Pakistan welcomed the Sikhs and treated them so well that Sikhs from Punjab asked why they were treated so well in Pakistan, which is not our country, but in the Sikh homeland, Punjab, Khalistan, the Indian government does not treat them fairly. India attacked the Golden Temple, the center and seat of Sikhism, in June 1984. Since then, the Indian government has murdered over 250,000 Sikhs and another 52,268 are being held as political prisoners, according to a report by the Movement Against State Repression (MASR.) India has killed over 90,000 Muslims in Kashmir as well as 2,000 to 5,000 Muslims in Gujarat, over 300,000 Christians in Nagaland, and tens of thousands of Assamese, Bodos, Dalits (the dark-skinned, aboriginal ``Untouchables''), Manipuris, Tamils, and other minorities. In 1994, the U.S. State Department reported that the Indian government had paid over 41,000 cash bounties for killing Sikhs. A MASR report quotes the Punjab Civil Magistracy as writing ``if we add up the figures of the last few years the number of innocent persons killed would run into lakhs [hundreds of thousands.]'' The Indian Supreme Court called the Indian government's murders of Sikhs ``worse than a genocide.'' Last year. 35 Sikhs were charged and arrested in Punjab for making speeches in support of Khalistan and raising the Khalistani flag. ``How can making speeches and raising a flag be considered crimes in a democratic society?'' asked Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh. President of the Council of Khalistan, which leads the peaceful, democratic, nonviolent struggle to liberate the Sikh homeland from Indian occupation. The Gujarat massacre was pre-planned, according to a police officer who spoke to Indian newspapers. Nuns have been raped, priests have been murdered, churches have been burned, Christian prayer halls and schools have been attacked, and police broke up a Christian religious festival with gunfire. India is also destroying Sikhs economically. The Indian government fixes the price for fertilizer very high and the price for produce very low so Sikh farmers can't even get the cost of production for their crops. This year it fixed the wheat price at Rs 750 per quintal. Even Badal demanded Rs 1000 per quintal. If Punjab farmers could sell their produce across the border in Pakistan and the Middle East, they could easily get close to Rs 1,500 per quintal and would be able to make a living. India seeks to destroy the Sikh Nation religiously, economically, and politically. ``Freedom is the God-given right of every nation and every human being,'' said Dr. Aulakh. Sikhs must be allowed to have a free and fair plebiscite on the issue of Khalistan. In a democracy, you cannot continue to rule against the wishes of the people. As former Senator George Mitchell said about the Palestinians, ``the essence of democracy is the right to self-determination.'' ``We must reclaim the sovereignty of the Sikh Nation,'' Dr. Aulakh said. Dr. Aulakh appealed to the Akali Dal and other Sikh parties in the Punjab Legislative Assembly to pass a resolution documenting all the mistreatment and economic exploitation of the Sikhs by the Indian government since independence. India diverts Punjab's river water, its natural resource, to neighboring Haryana and Rajasthan without any compensation despite Chief Minister Amarinder Singh cancelling Punjab's water agreements with India. We salute Captain Amarinder Singh for this legislation. In the legislation, the Legislative Assembly explicitly affirmed the sovereignty of Punjab as described in the Indian constitution. This same sovereignty can be used by the Assembly to declare independence. India will be helpless and the Sikh diaspora will help to free Khalistan. India is on the verge of disintegration. Kashmir is about to separate from India. As L.K. Advani said, ``if Kashmir goes, India goes.'' History shows that multinational states such as India are doomed to failure. Countries like Austria- Hungary, India's longtime friend the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia. and others prove this point. India is not one country; it is a polyglot like those countries, thrown together for the convenience of the British colonialists. It is doomed to break up as they did. Currently, there are 17 freedom movements within India's borders. It has 18 official languages. ``We hope that India's breakup will be peaceful like Czechoslovakia's, not violent like Yugoslavia's,'' Dr. Aulakh said. ``Montenegro. which has less than a million people, has become a sovereign country and a member of the United Nations,'' he said. ``Now it is the time for the Sikh Nation of Punjab, Khalistan to become independent. The sooner the better.'' ``The only way that the Sikh nation can flourish and progress is in a sovereign, independent Khalistan,'' said Dr. Aulakh. ``As Professor Darshan Singh, former Jathedar of the Akal Takht, said, `If a Sikh is not a Khalistani. he is not a Sikh.','' Dr. Aulakh said. ``We must free Khalistan now.''

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Queenie Mary Wooten, a distinguished public servant and citizen of Brooklyn, New York. It behooves us to pay tribute to this outstanding woman and I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing her impressive service to community. In 1974, Queenie Mary Wooten received her Bachelor of Arts degree in education from Medgar Evers College. She took additional courses, which enhanced her long and remarkable career in education. Currently, Ms. Wooten is the Coordinator of External Community Programs for Region #5. In addition to networking with East New York and Brownsville city agencies, she serves on the cabinets of Planning Boards #5 and #16. Ms. Wooten is developing innovative and creative external programs to improve educational and developmental outcomes for students. She coordinates activities with the external community and assists the director with setting priorities and selecting high quality collaborative programs. Ms. Wooten mobilizes resources for regional and school priorities, collaborates with schools in Region #5 to create inter-agency regional advisory councils, and volunteers on Planning Board #5, working with the committee on education. Additionally, she works diligently with students to help them get credit for community services. Ms. Wooten is one of the founders of the American College of Counselors, for the New York Branch, and was recently honored by the Department of Education for 41 years of service. She has received numerous honors and awards for her work, including: an award from Medgar Evers College as one of its first graduates; the Brooklyn Club of the Negro Business & Professional Women's Club Sojourner Truth Award; and the Van Siclen Block Association Education Award. Ms. Wooten has been honored by organizations such as the Women's League of Science and Medicine, Inc., National Sickle Cell Research and the Latin Souls Little League Baseball. A very active member of her community, Ms. Wooten serves on numerous boards and is the Chair of the North East Committee of Elections. Ms. Wooten has been a faithful member of Grace Baptist Church for the past 35 years. One of 10 children of the late James and Estella Hunt Corely, Ms. Wooten has encountered many challenges during her life and has embraced them all with courage and dignity. Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is incumbent on this body to recognize the work of Queenie Mary Wooten. Her deep commitment to her community makes her most worthy of our recognition today.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Alton A. Burton, PE, a distinguished member of the New York City community. It behooves us to pay tribute to this outstanding leader and I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing his impressive accomplishments. During the course of history there have been a select few people known as visionaries. Mr. Burton is one these visionaries that view our world not as it necessarily is, but as it can be. Alton A. Burton was a U.S. Air Force lieutenant, serving as bombardier, navigator, and pilot during World War II. After distinguished service in our Armed Forces as a Tuskegee Airman, Mr. Burton pursued the power of ideas through higher education by obtaining a Bachelor of Science and Masters Degrees in Civil Engineering. He also obtained a license as a Professional Engineer, PE, in the State of New York. Soon after receiving his degrees and license, Alton A. Burton, PE, joined the staff of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in design engineering. Mr. Burton's assignments included contract plans for various facilities, including marine terminals. Little did Mr. Burton know that he was being positioned by the hand of destiny for something more. During the 1950s and 60s, Mr. Burton toiled in the eye of the storm of civil and political unrest, a time of cultural, human and civil rights crisis. Against all odds, Alton A. Burton was able to understand the situation and conditions of a racially charged environment and era that would have been deemed impossible. In 1962, the late Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller of New York, appointed Mr. Burton the Chief Civil Engineer in charge of the planning phase of the multi-billion dollar project known as the World Trade Center. In the minds of most Americans, the deeply disturbing images of the inferno that engulfed the Twin Towers and then the crumbling to the ground after being hit by two hijacked commercial airliners 5 years ago on 9-11-01, will never be forgotten. Most of us are unaware that over 40 years ago, Chief Civil Engineer Alton A. Burton designed and fortified the infrastructure, which accounted for the reliability of the Twin Tower structures to withstand tremendous force, including that of an earthquake. Chief Civil Engineer Alton A. Burton and his team of civil engineers had no idea that some 40 or so years later, terrorists would fly jets into the towers. Because of the fortification of the infrastructure, due to Mr. Burton's vision and preparation for the unexpected, the towers as damaged as they were, managed to hold--giving our first responders, EMS, NYPD, FDNY and other emergency units a grace period to do what they do best, save lives. If not for Chief Civil Engineer Alton A. Burton's vision of a fortified infrastructure, the World Trade Center's Twin Towers would have immediately toppled to the streets below. With steel beams heating to over 3000 degrees F, the infrastructure still managed to endure. The North Tower held for 1 hour 42 minutes and the South Tower for 56 minutes before the total collapse. We note with regret that approximately 3,000 lives were lost that infamous day and we offer our sincere condolences to their families. However, keeping in mind Mr. Burton's efforts to fortify the infrastructure with the best materials known to architectural and civil engineering at that time, between 10,000 and 20,000 individuals were safely evacuated from the towers and surrounding areas, so many more lives were saved. Chief Alton A. Burton's prolific civil engineering work carries with it profound moral and philosophical insight, possessing power without arrogance, bringing redemptive clarity whose truths have never been more necessary, as we honor the lives of those that were lost and their legacy by how we live. Alton A. Burton, PE has risen at the age of 82 years-old to become a Great American Hero, and we claim him as one of our own, both in title and in spirit. As our Nation moves forward with a unified purpose, we realize that purpose is perhaps more significant than outcome. It is what we all become in the process to embrace all of the opportunities this country has to offer is the real purpose. Alton A. Burton continues to live his life with purpose. The people of the City of New York, the United States of America and the world became a better place because Mr. Burton has given us all his best; and he has created a mark in American history and the world that cannot be erased. Mr. Speaker, I believe that there are no words too magnanimous to fully describe our gratitude; we thank former Chief Civil Engineer Alton A. Burton for inspiring modesty, selfless devotion of the advancement of humanity, through his devoted service to the United States of America. Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is incumbent on this body to recognize that in Alton A. Burton, PE, we have an outstanding citizen worthy of the highest respect and esteem, from his community, the City of New York and our Nation.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Mrs. Ernestine Thomas Morrison. Mrs. Morrison was a distinguished member of the Brooklyn, New York community. It behooves us to pay tribute posthumously to this outstanding leader and I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing her impressive accomplishments. Ernestine Thomas Morrison was born on June 8, 1935 in Birmingham, Alabama to Virginia Kirkland Allen Thomas and Ernest Thomas. During her early childhood years, she lived in Birmingham and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania after the death of her father, who passed away when she was just 2 years-old. At age 12, her mother passed on and Ernestine went to live in Brooklyn, NY with her sister and brother-in-law, Cleopatra Allen Riley and Clifford Riley. Although her sister was just 22 years-old, Ernestine recognized her not only as her sister, but as a mother. Ernestine attended P.S. 41 and graduated from the old Girls High School in Brooklyn. She married the late Roscoe Morrison, a Korean War veteran and later they had three children, Ruth, Lavinia and Charles. Mrs. Morrison more than loved her children; she doted over them, as they were her life. While they were in elementary school, she worked part-time in the schools that they attended to be certain that her children had the best teachers and received the best services that the schools had to offer. All who knew her, knew that her love for children went beyond her own children, as she adopted her friends' children, her children's friends, her clients, her clients' kids etc., and she had the pictures to prove it. She was elected president of the Parent Teachers Association at P.S. 243 and JHS 210; and in those roles she served as a member of the local school board for Districts 16 and 17. Additionally, she managed a summer recreation program for the youth of Albany Houses, which included several athletic teams that competed against other teams from the housing developments around New York City. Mrs. Morrison coached the Albany Houses Girls' Volleyball Team and as a first-time coach, her beloved team brought home the city championship trophy. Mrs. Morrison was a strong voice for African-American studies in schools and open enrollment. She compelled the principal of her children's elementary school to not only order more black history books, but to allow the children to borrow those books that were already in the library. She worked with Reverend Milton A. Galamison on open enrollment for New York City public schools, a tumultuous issue of that time. Mrs. Morrison's activism in the NYC school system presented her with the opportunity to meet on several occasions with the late Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller. Open enrollment in New Yark City went from a concept to a reality and children all over the city were now able to attend schools outside of their neighborhoods. It was no surprise that Mrs. Morrison's activism led her to politics. She was a very active member of Unity Democratic Club. She worked on the campaigns of the then Assemblywoman Shirley Chisholm, who later became the first African-American woman elected to the U.S. Congress. Other elected officials she worked with included the late Assemblyman Thomas R. Fortune; District Leader Narcissus Frett; Judges Thomas R. Jones, James Shaw and James Hutchinson; Assemblyman Edward Griffith and Congressman Edolphus ``Ed'' Towns. She was also a member of Community Planning Board 5, which covers East New York, Spring Creek and Cypress Hills. As her children grew older, she started a career in social work with the New York City Human Resources Administration. After her retirement in 1992, she went back to live in her birth home of Birmingham, Alabama, the place that she loved so dearly and longed to go back to. After being away for 50 years, Mrs. Morrison was in for a rude awakening. She was a New Yorker, no longer a Southerner and she didn't quite fit into the Southern lifestyle. Consequently, in 1999, she returned home to Brooklyn. On Friday, August 22, 2003, God called home one of his best soldiers. Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is incumbent on this body to recognize the accomplishments of Mrs. Ernestine Thomas Morrison as she spent many years offering her love, talents and services for the betterment of our local and national communities. Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Ernestine Thomas Morrison's selfless service continuously demonstrated a level of altruistic dedication that makes her most worthy of our recognition today.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Patricia Williams, a community leader and entrepreneur. It behooves us to pay tribute to this outstanding woman and I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing her impressive service. Born to the Honorable Kathryn Williams and the late James Williams, Patricia Williams credits living and growing up in evolving neighborhoods like Harlem, Bedford Stuyvesant and East New York as an inspiration to work for social and economical change. Ms. Williams knows hard work is an investment. She currently is the President/CEO of Ecotech Enterprises, Inc., a firm she established to provide consultant services to government agencies, private sector corporations, and small, minority-owned business enterprises. In the past, Ms. Williams provided community outreach and event planning for the Brooklyn Museum of Art Construction Project. She has delivered bottom line services such as marketing and sales to well known small businesses and she provides fundraising and workshop development assistance to several non-profits. Ms. Williams has been called upon as a panelist and guest speaker on numerous occasions and is considered an authority on business development. Prior to starting her own consulting firm, Ms. Williams was executive Director of the Minority Business Opportunity Center under the U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency where she provided business services to more than 70,000 minority/women-owned and small businesses. As senior Administrator of Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity for Morse Diesel International, she successfully implemented policies to ensure 100 million dollars of contracting opportunities for minority-owned and small businesses where she exceeded labor force and contracting goals set for women and minority skilled workers at JFK Airport's Terminal 4 construction project. She was Senior Employment Specialist and Career Development Instructor for Non-Traditional Community College, Operations Manager for Madison Avenue firm Durham Temporaries Inc., and has several years of experience at the U.S. Small Business Administration, Finance Division. Ms. Williams attended John Jay College where she majored in Criminal Justice and Labor Law. Her work has not gone unnoticed. Ms. Williams has been recognized by several government agencies and community organizations. She is also the recipient of the Columbia University Non-Profit Executive Management Scholarship. Ms. Williams is the proud mother of two, Leah and John. Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is incumbent on this body to recognize the work of Patricia Williams. Her deep commitment to her community makes her most worthy of our recognition today.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Ruth D. Hunt, a distinguished citizen of Brooklyn, NY. It behooves us to pay tribute to this outstanding woman and I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing her impressive service. Ruth D. Hunt is the director of Marketing and Outreach for the New York City Health and Hospital Corporation North Brooklyn Health Network. She has greatly improved the public image of the network, expanded partnerships and promoted health services. Last year, Ms. Hunt coordinated and provided over 300 community outreach health events in Brooklyn and screened over 15,000 participants. Ms. Hunt is an accomplished manager and developer. She has an extensive background in special events planning, fundraising and has coordinated major events with the Jackie Robinson Foundation, the Doll League, Inc: Women and AIDS Resource Network, Meharry Alumni Association and the National Association of Health Services Executives. Ms. Hunt has also had an extensive career in fashion. She has modeled professionally for more than 100 New York City fashion designers and manufacturers and has graced countless runways, showrooms and trade- shows. She founded Ruth Hunt Associates in 1988. The mission of the company is to help build self-esteem by teaching clients how to look, act and speak their best to achieve career advancement. Ms. Hunt is most proud of working with Rachel Robinson during the inception of the Jackie Robinson Foundation. She served as the foundation coordinator and implemented the production of four major Jazz concerts. Under the guidance of her mentor, Mrs. Robinson, Ms. Hunt administered and creatively established the historical collection of Jackie Robinson's life and career. This collection later became a traveling exhibition that was sponsored by the Coca-Cola Company. Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is incumbent on this body to recognize the work of Ruth D. Hunt. Her deep commitment to her community makes her most worthy of our recognition today.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, in the June issue of the International Journal of Sikh Affairs, Dr. Awatar Singh Sekhon reviews a book entitled ``Tabai Ros Jagio,'' which translates into English as ``Details of Fundamentalist Hindus' Attacks on the Sikh Faith,'' by Dr. Sukhpreet Singh Udhoke. The book details how the fundamentalist Hindus who run India have been attacking Sikhism and other faiths since the very earliest days of the Indian republic. Despite the fact that the Brahmin caste is only 3 percent of the population, they run Indian society, according to Dr. Udhoke. Dr. Udhoke details those Sikhs who have supported the Hindu fundamentalists in their effort to enforce Hinduism on the entire population of India. He details those who connived with India on the attack on the Golden Temple, the seat of the Sikh religion. He recorded the brutality of the Brahmins and the Hindu fundamentalists. He writes about how their umbrella organization, the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), was founded to support the Fascists in Europe. He describes the RSS as a terrorist organization. India claims to be our ally in the War on Terror, but their preeminent ideology is a brand of Fascism that practices violence against minorities and their neighbors. We should stop aid and trade with India and we should be vocal and active in supporting self-determination for all the people there. That is how we can help bring freedom to all in the subcontinent. Mr. Speaker, I highly recommend Dr. Sekhon's excellent review of Dr. Udhoke's excellent book to my colleagues, and I would like to place the review in the Record now. [From the International Journal of Sikh, Affairs, June 2006] Book Review (By Awatar Singh Sekhon) Title: Tabai Ros Jagio, translation in English Details of Fundamentalist Hindus' Attack on the Sikh Faith 2005, by Dr. Sukhpreet Singh Udhoke, is an eye opener. with regard to the premeditated attacks by the fundamentalist Hindus, belonging to the Rashtriya Swamsewak Sangh and the members of the ``Sangh Parivar/family'', on the followers of the Sikh Faith. It was a great pride and pleasure for the reviewer, who is the Editor in Chief, The International Journal of Sikh Affairs ISSN 1481-5435, published from Canada, to write a few words on the publication of Dr. Sukhpreet Singh Udhoke. Dr. Udhoke is a medical professional but is devoting most of his precious time in recording the much needed events of the Sikh history of the 20th and 21st centuries. These events pertain to the persecution of the Sikh youth in particular and for the present and coming generations of the Sikh faith, the Guru Khalsa Panth. Dr. Udhoke's first publication, Tabai Ros Jagio, published in July 2004, was an excellent treatise relating to the ``Attacks on the Sikh faith, Sikh culture, Sikh heritage, Sikh pride, Sikh esteem, Guru Granth Sahib (Holy Scripture of Sikhs), the Sikh identity, and the Sikh nation, Punjab, Khalistan, struggling for its independence by peaceful means.'' His book clearly reflects the intimidation of the Sikhs of their holy and historic homeland, Punjab, by their traditional and notorious enemy, the fundamentalist Hindu organizations as well as the politicians of the preceding and present administrations of the Indian democracy, its New Delhi administrations of J.L. Nehru to Manmohan Singh, run primarily by the Brahmins (who are only 3 percent of the total population of India of over a billion hungry mouths) and about 15 percent pro-Brahmins. This group has captured more than 80 percent of the total decision- making jobs of the Indian administration. Dr. Sukhpreet Singh Udhoke's task at hand was not an easy one, especially when his, his forefathers, and the Sikhs' holy and historic homeland is under the occupation of the Sikhs' enemy, the Brahmins, ``Butchers of our world'', according to the founder of the Sikh faith, Guru Nanak Sahib. The Indian administration and their international news media's term, the ``largest democracy of the world'', India, made Dr. Udhoke's task highly difficult in describing the reality and tragedy of the Sikh nation, Punjab, and beyond the understanding of an ordinary citizen of the Sikhs' holy and historic homeland. It is amply clear that the Sikh leaders, of Punjab so to speak, and most commonly known as the Dastaardhari (turbaned) Hindus in the Sikh identity, have failed to respond to the psyche and aspirations of the Sikhs of Punjab, the Sikh Diaspora and the Sikh nation. Rather, these Dastaardhari Hindus in the Sikh Identity have fallen into the trap of the Brahmins and pro-Brahmins. The day in and the day out, the Sikhs' Darbar Sahib Complex (Golden Temple Complex), which includes the Supreme Seat of Sikh Polity, Akal Takht Sahib, Amritsar, and other religious and political places of the Sikhs, Gurdwaras (Houses of God), are desecrated, to humiliate the Sikh nation. The saddest moment of the Sikh history of post-15th August, 1947, is that a Dastaardhari Hindu in the Sikh Identity, Prakash Singh Badal, his clan and the Badal faction of Akali Dal were the party for the desecration of Darbar Sahib Complex. So much so the custodian, the so-called jathedar, of Akal Takht Sahib, Vedanti Joginder Singh Saran actively watched the ball game of his employer, the executive of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandhak Committee (SGPC), and SGPC's member as well as the president of the Akali Dal-Badal faction, Prakash Singh Badal himself. What an unfortunate part of the Sikh history! The present and former custodians of the Akal Takht Sahib, Vedanti Joginder Singh Saran, Puran Singh of Luv and Kush, Manjit of Kesgarh, Kirpal Singh, etc. failed to provide any directions to the Sikh Nation, Guru Khalsa Panth or the Sikhs of Punjab. They however, collaborated with the enemy of the Guru Khalsa Panth. Dr. Sukhpreet Singh Udhoke, a young Sikh full of energies, recorded in his book, the brutality of the Sikhs' traditional enemies, the Brahmins and pro-Brahmins belonging to the Hindumahasabha (mother of all evils) and its offshoots such as Swam Sevak Sangh, Jansangh, Rashtriya Swamsewak Sangh (RSS), a terrorist organization as declared by the United States administration, Rashtriya Sikh Sangat (formed at the directions of A. B. Vajpayee and his clique in 1990s) the ``Sangh family'', responsible for anti-non-Brahmin and anti- non-Hindus activities, and other such organizations, as well as the activities of the Saffaronized fundamentalist Hindu organizations Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Hanuman Sena, Shiv Sena, Bajrang Dal, to cite a few. The RSS was formed in support of the Fascists of Europe. Dr. Udhoke has exposed Saffaronization of the Sikh history, disrespect and character assassination of the Sikh Gurus, Guru Nanak Sahib to Sahib Guru Gobind Singhji, by these organizations and their supporters. Finally, I wish Dr. Sukhpreet Singh Udhoke, who is a gifted and prolific writer and speaker all the best. May the the Almighty Lord shower. His blessings on him.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, recently, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh publicly stated that India is the victim of cross-border terror. The Council of Khalistan under the leadership of Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh wrote to Prime Minister Singh and reminded him that India has been sponsoring cross-border terrorism in Sindh, a province of Pakistan, as the Washington Times reported on January 2, 2002 and that it created the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eclam, which our government has identified as a terrorist organization, according to Indian Today, which is the leading news magazine in India. It has also sponsored domestic terrorism against the minorities within its borders, including murdering a quarter of a million Sikhs and holding another 52,000 as political prisoners; killing Muslims by the tens of thousands in Kashmir, where more than 90,000 have been killed, Gujarat, where between 2,000 and 5,000 died in a massacre pre- planned by the government, and elsewhere; killing Christians throughout the country, including over 300,000 just in Nagaland; and mass killing many other minorities. Yet India proclaims itself the victim of terrorism and proclaims itself a democracy. Well, Mr. Speaker, it certainly doesn't act that way. The repression and terrorism must be stopped. We should end all aid and trade with India until such time as the repression ends and people enjoy the most basic human rights, and we should throw our full support behind self-determination in Punjab, Khalistan, in Kashmir, in Nagalim, and wherever people are trying to be free. In addition, we should designate India a terrorist state and impose the sanctions that that designation brings. Mr. Speaker, I would like to insert the Council of Khalistan's open letter into the Record. It is a frightening record of Indian terrorism. Council of Khalistan, Washington, DC, October 10, 2006. Open Letter to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh: India Is a Terrorist State, Not a Victim Dear Prime Minister Singh: On October 4, you said that India is it victim of crossborder terrorism. India is a terrorist state itself and should be subject to the penalties that are imposed on terrorist states. On January 2, 2002, the Washington Times reported that India is supporting cross-border terrorism in Sindh, a province of Pakistan, the very same kind of thing that Prime Minister Singh was claiming is victimizing India. In addition, India's leading newsmagazine, India Today, reported that the Indan government created the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), identified by the U.S. government as a terrorist organization, and its leaders were put up by the Indian government in the finest hotel in Delhi, How can you blame Pakistan when India started cross-border terrorism with its own actions? The Indian government has committed terrorism against its own minorities. It has murdered over 250,000 Sikh infants, children, youth, men, women, and elderly since 1984, as well as more than 300,000 Christians in Nagaland, over 90,000 Mulims in Kashmir, tens of thousands of Christians and Muslims throughout the country, and tens of thousands of Assamese, Bodos, Dalits, Manipuris, Tamils, and other minorities. A report by the Movement Against State Repression (MASR) states that 52,268 Sikhs are being held as political prisoners in India without charge or trial, mostly under a repressive law known as the ``Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act'' (TADA), which expired in 1995. Many have been in illegal custody since 1984! There has been no list published of those who were acquitted under TADA and those who are still rotting in Indian jails, Tens of thousands of other minorities are also being held as political prisoners, according to Amnesty International. Tell the families of these innocent Sikhs and others that there is no terrorism in India. lndian police arrested human-rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra after he exposed their policy of mass cremation of Sikhs, in which over 50,000 Sikhs have been arrested, tortured, and murdered, then their bodies were declared unidentified and secretly cremated. Khalra was murdered in police custody. His body was not given to his family. No one has been brought to justice for the kidnapping and murder of Jaswant Singh Khalra. The only witness to the Khalra kidnapping, Rajiv Singh Randhawa, has been repeatedly harassed by the police, including having been arrested for trying to hand a note to then British Home Secretary Jack Straw. Last year, 35 Sikhs were charged and arrested in Punjab for making speeches in support of Khalistan and raising the Khalistani flag. How can making speeches and raising a flag be considered crimes in a democratic society? The police never released the body of former Jathedar of the Akal Talkht Gurdev Singh Kaunke after SSP Swaran Singh Ghotna murdered him, He has never been tried for the Jathedar Kaunke murder. In 1994, the U.S. State Department reported that the Indian government had paid over 41,000 cash bounties for killing Sikhs. The MASR report quotes the Punjab Civil Magistracy as writing ``if we add up the figures of the last few years the number of innocent persons killed would run into lakhs [hundreds of thousands.]'' The Indian Supreme Court called the Indian government's murders of Sikhs ``worse than a genocide.'' Missionary Graham Staines was murdered along with his two sons, ages 8 and 10, by a mob of militant, fundamentalist Hindu nationalists who set fire to the jeep, surrounded it, and chanted ``Victory to Hannuman,'' a Hindu god. Missionary Joseph Cooper was beaten so badly that he had to spend a week in an Indian hospital. Then the Indian government threw him out of the country. None of the people involved has been tried, The persons who have murdered priests, raped nuns, and burned Christian churches have not been charged or tried. Police broke up a Christian religious festival with gunfire. Recently, militant Hindus from the Bharatiya Janata Yuva (a youth movement affiliated with the BJP and the Fascist RSS) attacked the Convent of Loreto and the school there. A spokesman for the BJP, Mr. H. Dikshit, demanded an investigation of the school! The murderers of 2,000 to 5,000 Muslims in Gujarat have never been brought to trial. An Indian newspaper reported that the police were ordered not to get involved in that massacre, a frightening parallel to the Delhi massacre of Sikhs in 1984. The most important mosque in India, the Babri Mosque, was destroyed by militant Hindu fundamentalists who have never been held responsible for their actions. It is good that you have admitted the guilt of the Indian government for the Delhi massacres, in which over 20,000 Sikhs were killed, by apologizing for the massacres, but what good does it do the Sikh Nation? Where are the apologies for the Golden Temple attack, the destruction of the Akal Takht, and the desecration of Darbar Sahib, and the other atrocities? Where is the compensation for the victims' families? That operation was yet another act of Indian domestic terrorism. The Guru granted sovereignty to the Sikh Nation, saying ``In Grieb Sikhin Ko Deon Patshahi.'' We must remind ourselves of our heritage by raising slogans of ``Khalistan Zindabad'' and beginning a Shantmai Morcha to liberate our homeland, Khalistan. Whoever is honest and dedicated in leading that Shantmai Morcha deserves our support. Every rooming and evening we recite, ``Raj Kare Ga Khalsa.'' Now is the time to act on it. Do we mean what we say every morning and evening? The flame of freedom continues to burn blightly in the heart of the Sikh Nation. No force can suppress it. Recently, Dal Khalsa and the Shiromani Khalsa Dal announced that they are uniting for sovereignty for Khalistan. This was met with chants of ``Khalistan Zindabad.'' The Punjab Legislative Assembly proclaimed the sovereignty of Punjab when it cancelled the water agreements. Only by liberating Khalistan can we put an end to the repression and terrorism against the Sikh Nation by the Indian regime. Now is the time to rededicate ourselves to the liberation of Khalistan. Last year, Sikh farmers were expelled from Uttaranchal Pradesh and their land was seized. They were beaten up by the police. Their homes were bulldozed by paratroopers. Their homes in many cases were built using their life savings and by their own hands. We condemn this act of state terrorism by the government of Uttaranchal Pradesh. As you know, Sikhs are prohibited from buying land in Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh. Now Uttaranchal Pradesh joins that list. Yet there are no restrictions on land ownership in Punjab by non-Sikhs. People from anywhere can buy land in Punjab, including people from Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh. India is trying to subvert Khalistan's independence by overrunning Punjab with non-Sikhs while keeping Sikhs from escaping the brutal repression in Punjab. It is incumbent on the Sikh diaspora to free Khalistan. We must redouble our efforts. That is the only way to keep these atrocities from continuing and to protect the Sikh Nation and the Sikh religion. The Akali Dal conspired with the Indian government in 1984 to invade the Golden Temple to murder Sant Bhindranwale and 20,000 other Sikhs during June 1984 in Punjab. Among those who conspired with the government, according to Chakravyuh: Web of Indian Secularism, were Dr. Chohan, Ganga Singh Dhillon, and Didar Singh Bains It appears the Indian regime is even willing to arrest its own agents to suppress the movement for Khalistan! Now Badal and Chief Minister Amarinder Singh have been accusing each other of being tied in with ``terrorists.'' These leaders view support for Khalistan as terrorism, as the Indian government does. They have shown where their loyalties lie. How will these so-called Sikh leaders account for themselves? Remember the words of former Jathedar of the Akal Takht Professor Darshan Singh: ``If a Sikh is not a Khalistani, he is not a Sikh.'' Sikhs will never get any justice from Delhi. Ever since independence, India has mistreated the Sikh Nation, starting with Patel's memo calling Sikhs ``a criminal tribe.'' What a shame for Home Minister Patel and the Indian government to issue this memorandum when the Sikh Nation gave over 80 percent of the sacrifices to free India. There is no place for Sikhs in supposedly secular, supposedly democratic India. Our moment of freedom is closer than ever. Sikhs will continue to work to make certain that we shake ourselves loose from the yoke of Indian oppression and liberate our homeland, Khalistan, so that all Sikhs may live lives of prosperity, freedom, and dignity. Sincerely, Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President, Council of Khalistan.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of African Lodge 459 No. 63, ardent supporters of the community. It behooves us to pay tribute to this outstanding organization and I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing their impressive accomplishments. African Lodge 459 No. 63 was founded in 1921 from a group of Brooklyn's outstanding young men: Bro. Francis F. Giles, Widow Sons' No. 11, Mr. A.P. Portias, J. Francis Mickens, W.R. Lee, William Odell, Cornelius Moore and Samuel W. Green. Due to their success in Masonic circles, African Lodge 459 No. 63 was granted bona fide Lodge status and on November 19, 1921, they became an integral part of the Masonic Fraternity of the State of New York and the nation. The Lodge is appropriately named after African Lodge 459, the original lodge of the illustrious founder of Masonry among men of color in the United States, Prince Hall. Down through the years, the Lodge has achieved and maintained a very prominent place in the jurisdiction. It has furnished the fraternity with numerous officers and is currently represented in the Grand Cabinet by R.W. Richard A. Grady, Judge Advocate, R.W. Elwood E. Gregory, District Deputy Grand Lecturer. With 13 living members and 9 honorary members, their mission as Prince Hall Masons is to serve God through selfless service to others. They strive to give our youth a positive direction and high self- esteem; our elderly the love, respect and attention they deserve; and our poor and down trodden brothers and sisters whatever assistance they can provide. Over the past 84 years, they have raised funds for college scholarships, summer camps, reading clinics, community feeding programs, Christmas gifts for needy and/or hospitalized children, and their Knights of Pythagoras youth group. Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is incumbent on this body to recognize the accomplishments of African Lodge 459 No. 63. This groups' deep commitment to love, support and assist one another makes them most worthy of our recognition today.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Trudy Hayes- Sargeant, a dedicated citizen of New York. It behooves us to pay tribute to this outstanding woman and I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing her impressive service. A native of the island of Trinidad & Tobago, Trudy Hayes-Sargeant is proud to call New York her home. She serves as a Clinical Technician Assistant with Forest Research Institute and is the CEO/Owner of her own construction firm--Trucomm Construction. Quoting Maya Angelou, ``If you find it in your heart to care for somebody else, you will have succeeded,'' Mrs. Hayes-Sargeant dedicates her time to several organizations such as the Canarsie Lions, The American Breast Cancer Society, Pleasantville Senior Sec. Old Boyz, East New York Diagnostic & Treatment Center and the East New York Scholarship Fund. Mrs. Hayes-Sargeant received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Washington, D.C. in Computer Information and System Science and holds several Microsoft certifications. She is the loving mother of one son, Jarrell. Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is incumbent on this body to recognize the work of Trudy Hayes-Sargeant. Her deep commitment to community makes her most worthy of our recognition today.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Esmeralda Brown, a distinguished citizen of Brooklyn, New York, and contributor to the world community. It behooves us to pay tribute to this outstanding woman, and I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing her impressive service. As the Resource Center Specialist for Economic and Environmental Justice at the United Methodist Office for the United Nations, Esmeralda Brown deals with issues of concern to the Women's Division constituency in the area of economics, the environment, and development. Ms. Brown has been involved in organizing several workshops and meetings in Latin America, the Caribbean, and North America. Issues discussed include racism, militarization, and the situation of women in the Americas. Ms. Brown is the chairperson of the United Nation's NGO committee on the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples. Ms. Brown is also the Southern Co-Chair of the NGO Steering committee to the NGO Commission on Sustainable Development. Ms. Brown holds the chairperson position for the Southern Caucus of NGO's that form part of the Regional and National Networks on Sustainable Development in developing countries of the world. She is also the Economic and Environmental Justice Specialist at the United Methodist Office for the United Nations. Additionally, Ms. Brown is a United Nations representative for the Commission of Human Rights in Central America and the Pan African Movement for the Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). In 1992, Ms. Brown was co-founder of the Peoples' Alliance for the Earth Summit. This organization did the preparatory work for the Non- Governmental Organizations invited to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). Ms. Brown's work has not gone unnoticed. In June 1990, she was honored by the Ecumenical Program for Inter-American Communication and Action (EPICA) in Washington for Outstanding Contributions to the Struggle for Human Rights in Central America. Esmeralda Brown is a native of Panama, and holds a B.A. in Political Science from Hunter College of the City University of New York. Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is incumbent on this body to recognize the work of Esmeralda Brown. Her deep commitment to the international community makes her most worthy of our recognition today.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the jazz musician, Carmen S. Comas, distinguished musician. It behooves us to pay tribute to this outstanding artist and I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing her impressive accomplishments. With a smile of grace that can light up a room, Carmen S. Comas was born on November 9, 1939 in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico to Arthur Comas and Patricia America Justiniano. At the young age of eighteen, Mrs. Comas was voted ``Misses Smile of Mayaguez.'' This was just a reminder that her smile had an impact on her neighbors and her community. At the age of twenty-one, Mrs. Comas was married with two daughters, when she decided to move to New York City. Mrs. Comas is a woman of many talents and was unsure which she would use to become the entrepreneur that she was determined to be. While attending secretary school she changed gears to open a clothing factory. She became a mentor to people in the community, showing them that opportunity does exist with guidance and determination. Mrs. Comas' drive and expectations allowed her to continue to pursue the land of opportunity. After thirty wonderful years of learning and growing, she pursued her second passion--cooking. After working for Heart Share Human Services of New York for ten years as a resident cook she changed gears to Cypress Hills Child Care Corporation. This experience allowed her to do her best work of nurturing children. Loved and adored by many, Mrs. Comas acknowledges the support of her growing family. Aside from her four beautiful daughters, she has her life partner Luis who has provided her with support and empowerment throughout their lives together. She has three granddaughters: Christina, Alisson and Javalia and six grandsons: Hector, Nelson, Javier, Thomas, John and Anthony. Mrs. Comas is also a part of the extended family at the Democratic Club of North Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Highland Park Lions club. Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is incumbent on this body to recognize the accomplishments of Carmen S. Comas. Her willingness to get involved and the smile she brings makes her most worthy of our recognition today.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Brittany Simpkins, one of Brooklyn's rising stars. It behooves us to pay tribute to this outstanding young woman and I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing her impressive service. Brittany Simpkins is a very active and gifted young woman with a determination to become all that she can be. The daughter of Nanette Simpkins, Ms. Simpkins is a graduate of Fashion Industries High School and she has a deep passion for the creative arts and fashion design. She is wonderfully gifted in that area and has designed fashionable dresses for young ladies. Ms. Simpkins has participated in various modeling assignments and provided assistance to teachers in her school's annual fashion shows. Recently, she did community work with Artmaker, Inc., painting a mural on the wall of one of Bedford Stuyvesant's edifice at Nostrand and Green Avenues in Brooklyn, portraying famous African American women who contributed tremendously to the African American community. Ms. Simpkins currently attends Baruch College in New York City where she majors in Business/Marketing. As a dedicated member of Berean Baptist Church since the age of 4, she has been active with the choir, Girl Scouts, and the Ministry of Sacred Dance. Ms. Simpkins was recognized by her pastor, congregation and peers as a ``Member of the Week.'' She enjoys working with children from the community and her church home and was employed by Berean's Summer Day Camp as an assistant teacher. She has also been a strong advocate for the cure for breast cancer and has demonstrated her concern by participating in the annual American Cancer Society Breast Cancer Walk-A-Thon. Ms. Simpkins has received numerous awards, namely an art award from the United Federation of Teachers, as well as an Incentive Award for her academic studies. In addition, she has won several medals participating on the track team. Ms. Simpkins desires to become one of New York's greatest entrepreneurs in fashion design, and she is currently working on her business logo and developing her clientele. Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is incumbent on this body to recognize the work of Brittany Simpkins. Her deep commitment to her family and community makes her most worthy of our recognition today.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Carl Jameson, a distinguished citizen of Brooklyn, NY. It behooves us to pay tribute to this outstanding man and I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing his impressive service. Mr. Jameson retired after 24 years of service as a police officer with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1960 to 1970. While serving, Mr. Jameson was called upon to provide instruction and enlist men in the physical therapy programs. Mr. Jameson was also heavily involved with the All- Marine Judo Team. He toured 22 countries as captain of the team and received his second degree black belt in 1969. For the past 18 years, Mr. Jameson has been participating in the New York State Police Olympics. He has won several bronze and silver medals for cycling and track and field. In 1974, Mr. Jameson started the Union United Methodist Self Defense School. By 1985, he had awarded 150 black belts to students. This community outreach program was started to foster good minds and strong bodies for local youth. Mr. Jameson currently serves as the Imperial director of the Imperial Bicycle Department of the Prince Hall Masonic Temple. Mr. Jameson is currently employed as a customs enforcement officer with the United States Customs Border Protection. He has also volunteered extensively with the Federal Emergency Management Agency on search and recovery missions. Mr. Jameson has worked in the Disaster Recovery Centers of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Born in Brooklyn, NY, Carl Jameson is a product of the New York public school system and he remains a part of the Brooklyn community today. Mr. Jameson received his associate in applied science degree in physical therapy from LaGuardia Community College and his bachelor of arts degree from the College of New Rochelle. He also did post- baccalaureate work at Queens College. Mr. Jameson is a member of Greater Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church, where he serves as a trustee and member of three choirs. Mr. Jameson has been married to his lovely wife Ella for the past 43 years and is the proud father of four. Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is incumbent on this body to recognize the work of Carl Jameson. His deep commitment to service and community makes him most worthy of our recognition today.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 864, the STOP Underage Drinking Act. First and foremost, I would like to thank the sponsors--Mrs. Roybal-Allard and Mr. Osborne--for their diligence over the years on this issue and am pleased to see their work pay off today. Keeping alcohol out of the hands of America's youth is of the utmost importance and this bill will ensure that the federal government is doing its part, working hand-in-hand with private industry and other public interest groups while strengthening the intent of congress that states have the primary jurisdiction to regulate the sale, production and distribution of alcohol under the 21st amendment. Alcohol, Mr. Speaker, has always been regarded as a unique product throughout American history. No one would suggest that it is the same as a flat screen television or ball bearings. No, alcohol can have tangible societal costs--from underage drinking, drunken driving deaths, and other issues stemming from overconsumption. Be it through the tax law or the 21st amendment, Congress has never intended alcohol to be just another consumer good--as evidenced by the unique regulatory model put in place after prohibition was repealed. We have always placed this distinction on the product, because of the societal dangers involved--not consumer irresponsibility. Because of these concerns, it is of the utmost importance for us to keep alcohol away from children. We need to prevent abuse in our communities and detach the stigma associated with these challenges so that we can meet them head on. As we confront underage drinking today and the responsibility issues that go along with them, we must also face the reality that while the federal government is well-suited to coordinate national ad campaigns and other valuable research studies; we must understand that states should and do have the primary jurisdiction to regulate the distribution, production and sale of alcohol under the 21st amendment. States and their individual regulatory models are our best ally and the people's best ally in the fight against underage drinking. We in Brooklyn do not want Boise's laws and they probably do not want ours either under the guise of Big Brother knows best. In addition to the programs which are authorized in this bill, I hope this will serve to put groups who look to dismantle our regulatory system on notice that Congress will continue to utilize its bully pulpit to advance best practices and responsibility from the industry and the public. Again, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the sponsors of H.R. 864 and laud their efforts and urge my colleagues to pass this much-needed legislation into law.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Tanya Rand, a distinguished citizen of Brooklyn, New York. It behooves us to pay tribute to this outstanding woman and I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing her impressive service. Born to Natalie and Caesar Campbell in Brooklyn, New York, Tanya Rand remains a part of the Clinton Hill community today. Ms. Rand is a product of the New York public school system and currently attends New York Technical College where she is working towards a Bachelor's degree in Technology. In 1992, Ms. Rand joined the Health and Hospital Corporation as a part-time receptionist/clerk at one of Cumberland Diagnostic and Treatment Center's off sites. While with the Health and Hospital Corporation, Ms. Rand has enjoyed numerous promotions. She has worked in the Cumberland Diagnostic and Treatment Center Chemical Dependency Department, the Office of the Director of Community Affairs, and the North Brooklyn Health Network Community. Ms. Rand's many talents did not go unnoticed. In 2004, Tanya was asked to manage the Community Affairs Office and became the liaison to both the Community Advisory Board and Auxiliary Board for Cumberland Diagnostic and Treatment Center. Ms. Rand is the proud mother of two children, Lindsey Marie, age 17, and Jassiem Jahi, age 13. Although Ms. Rand was busy with her job and raising two children, she also found time to be active in her children's education and her community. She was PTA President for the District 13 PTA Council and was recognized as a ``Parent on the Move''. The Board of Education changed and her children moved on to different schools, but Ms. Rand still found time to help parents that were in need of support. She also helps in the political arena. Most Brooklyn elected officials know they can count on Ms. Rand whenever they call on her. Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is incumbent on this body to recognize the work of Tanya Rand. Her deep commitment to her family and community makes her most worthy of our recognition today.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Patricia Williams, a community leader and entrepreneur. It behooves us to pay tribute to this outstanding woman and I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing her impressive service. Born to the Honorable Kathryn Williams and the late James Williams, Patricia Williams credits living and growing up in evolving neighborhoods like Harlem, Bedford Stuyvesant and East New York as an inspiration to work for social and economical change. Ms. Williams knows hard work is an investment. She currently is the President/CEO of Ecotech Enterprises, Inc., a firm she established to provide consultant services to government agencies, private sector corporations, and small, minority-owned business enterprises. In the past, Ms. Williams provided community outreach and event planning for the Brooklyn Museum of Art Construction Project. She has delivered bottom line services such as marketing and sales to well known small businesses and she provides fundraising and workshop development assistance to several non-profits. Ms. Williams has been called upon as a panelist and guest speaker on numerous occasions and is considered an authority on business development. Prior to starting her own consulting firm, Ms. Williams was executive Director of the Minority Business Opportunity Center under the U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency where she provided business services to more than 70,000 minority/women-owned and small businesses. As senior Administrator of Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity for Morse Diesel International, she successfully implemented policies to ensure 100 million dollars of contracting opportunities for minority-owned and small businesses where she exceeded labor force and contracting goals set for women and minority skilled workers at JFK Airport's Terminal 4 construction project. She was Senior Employment Specialist and Career Development Instructor for Non-Traditional Community College, Operations Manager for Madison Avenue firm Durham Temporaries Inc., and has several years of experience at the U.S. Small Business Administration, Finance Division. Ms. Williams attended John Jay College where she majored in Criminal Justice and Labor Law. Her work has not gone unnoticed. Ms. Williams has been recognized by several government agencies and community organizations. She is also the recipient of the Columbia University Non-Profit Executive Management Scholarship. Ms. Williams is the proud mother of two, Leah and John. Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is incumbent on this body to recognize the work of Patricia Williams. Her deep commitment to her community makes her most worthy of our recognition today.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute to the Austrian Consulate in New York as they honor one of my district's outstanding human rights groups, The Rav Tov International Jewish Rescue Organization. Founded in 1973, at the behest of the former Grand Rabbi of Satmar, Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum of blessed memory, in 1973, Rav Tov was initially established to rescue the persecuted Jewish community living in the former Soviet Union. Rabbi Teitelbaum, himself a survivor of the Holocaust, saw his family perish at the hands of the Nazis. He envisioned Rav Tov as the protective shield for the global Jewish community living in tyrannical regimes. Rav Tov's heroic accomplishments of rescuing and resettling Soviet Jewry was only possible with the unflinching cooperation and support of the Austrian government, which hosted the refugees as they waited for their final resettlement. It is estimated that 367,000 Jews stayed in Vienna between 1968-1989 rebuilding their often shattered lives in free countries. Following the fall of the Soviet Union, the focus of Rav Tov's and Austrian efforts have been to save other endangered Jewish communities that still exist around the world. As a result of the enduring bonds between Rav Tov and the Austrian government, the Austrian Federal President, Dr. Heinz Fischer, has decided to confer the prestigious Grand Decoration of Honor in Gold to Rabbi David Niederman, Rav Tov's Chief Executive for over three decades, which will be presented to him at a ceremony today at the Austrian Consulate in New York. This wonderful event is not only a testament to the resolve of the Austrian government in saving Jews in peril, but a celebration of the strong relationship between the United States and Austria. Mr. Speaker, as Rav Tov's representative in Congress, I have been privileged to work with them and the Austrian government on many pressing issues facing Jews in danger. I would like to particularly make mention of Austria's New York Consul General Brigitta Blaha and the Deputy Consul General Andreas Launer for their tireless work on Rav Tov's behalf. I encourage all of my colleagues to join me today in commending the Austrian government and Rav Tov for their phenomenal partnership in rescuing Jews around the world living in fear and danger.