IV

105TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 37

Expressing the sense of the Congress that the Sikh nation should be allowed

to exercise the right of national self-determination in their homeland,

Punjab, Khalistan.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MARCH 5, 1997

Mr. CONDIT (for himself and Mr. ROHRABACHER) submitted the following

concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the Congress that the Sikh nation

should be allowed to exercise the right of national selfdetermination in their homeland, Punjab, Khalistan.

Whereas the Sikh nation developed a national consciousness

in the 17th century and established an independent and

sovereign state in 1765;

Whereas the independent and sovereign Sikh state was recognized by other European and Asian states until conquest

by the British in 1849;

Whereas the Sikh nation was the last nation to fall to British

conquest in the Indian subcontinent;
2

HCON 37 IH

Whereas the Sikh nation was denied resumption of its independent state when the British divided their conquered

territory between India and Pakistan;

Whereas no Sikh has ever signed, and therefore ever ratified,

the Indian constitution;

Whereas the Sikh nation reasserted the independence of its

state, known as Khalistan, on October 7, 1987 and

formed the Council of Khalistan naming Washington DCbased Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh as its President to serve

as government pro tempore pending the end of Indian

Government occupation of Khalistan;

Whereas freedom is universally recognized as the birthright

of all nations;

Whereas national self-determination is enshrined in article 1

of the United Nations Charter;

Whereas an independent and sovereign Sikh homeland has

been in the past and is now economically, militarily, and

politically viable;

Whereas Khalistan remains under Indian occupation;

Whereas an independent and sovereign Khalistan will be a

force for peace, leading India and Pakistan to sign the

Non-Proliferation Treaty;

Whereas an independent and sovereign Khalistan will serve

as a buffer state between India and Pakistan;

Whereas the struggle to liberate Khalistan known as

Shantmai Morcha is a peaceful and democratic one;

Whereas Sikhs are committed to the principles of freedom,

justice, and democracy;
3

HCON 37 IH

Whereas an independent and sovereign Sikh nation will help

spread democracy and economic prosperity throughout all

of South Asia;

Whereas an independent and sovereign Khalistan, nurtured

by the Sikh tradition of democracy and justice, would be

a natural ally of the United States; and

Whereas the struggle of the Sikh nation to establish an independent Khalistan closely mirrors America’s struggle for

independence and democracy: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that the

3 Sikhs of Khalistan have the right to national self-deter4 mination in their homeland, Punjab, Khalistan; and be it

5 further

6 Resolved, That it is the sense of the Congress that

7 an internationally supervised plebiscite should be held in

8 Punjab, Khalistan, on the question of independence, under

9 international supervision, so that the Sikhs of Khalistan

10 can determine their political future in a free and fair vote

11 in accordance with international law.

Æ