Author: Aziz Haniffa in Washington
Publication: Rediff on Net
Date: May 30, 2003
URL: http://www.rediff.com/us/2003/may/30us.htm
United States Congressmen Frank
Pallone and Sherrod Brown have expressed concern over the plight of Kashmiri
Pandits and urged Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to create a 'political
and economic' safety net for them.
In a letter to Vajpayee, the founding
members of Congressional India Caucus said Vajpayee's 'inability' to mention
the Nadimarg massacre -- in which 24 Pandits were killed by terrorists
-- during his visit to Kashmir in April left a lasting impression that
the community was being ignored by state and central governments.
"On April 18th in Srinagar, you
expressed your sentiments towards Kashmiri Muslims who feel disenfranchised
within the Indian polity. We request that you make a public address informing
Pandits about how they can be included in Kashmir polity and in the peace
process between India and Pakistan," they said.
"We fail to understand how the state
and central governments can continue to ignore the long-standing situation
in Jammu and Kashmir," they added. "Unfortunately, there does not appear
to be a coherent and sustained process to restore the valley to its diverse
history."
Pallone and Brown said no community
in the state suffered more violence than the Kashmiri Pandits, who have
been brutalised by Islamic fundamentalists. This resulted in their mass
exodus from the valley since 1990s, making them refugees in their own country,
they added.
The two lawmakers pointed to a series
of cold-blooded murders against Pandits in Sangrampora (1996), Wandhama
(1998), Talwani (2000), and Nadimarg (2003), as the government's failure
to protect the community.
Pallone and Brown, however, congratulated
the prime minister on yet another peace initiative with Pakistan.
Vijay Sazawal, national president
of Indian American Kashmiri Forum, told rediff.com that his organisation
had been approach by the Kashmiri Pandit community in India, including
flagship outfits like the Kashmiri Samiti (New Delhi), Kashmiri Pandit
Sabha (Jammu) and the All-India Kashmiri Samaj to lobby the US Congress
.
"The community expressed considerable
disappointment that the prime minister during his last trip to Kashmir
had made absolutely no public mention of Kashmiri Pandits and their welfare,
considering that the community has been ethnically cleansed out of the
valley," he said.
Sazawal said the IAKF was 'very
concerned' that the Indian government has taken a very 'ambivalent' approach
towards the future of the Kashmiri Pandits.
