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 Inter-
national Relations
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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.
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 recog-
nized 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;
HCON 37 IH
Whereas the Sikh nation was denied resumption of its inde-
pendent 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 DC-
based 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;
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 inde-
pendent Khalistan closely mirrors America’s struggle for
independence and democracy: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that the
Sikhs of Khalistan have the right to national self-deter-
mination in their homeland, Punjab, Khalistan; and be it
further
Resolved, That it is the sense of the Congress that
an internationally supervised plebiscite should be held in
Punjab, Khalistan, on the question of independence, under
international supervision, so that the Sikhs of Khalistan
can determine their political future in a free and fair vote
in accordance with international law.
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