Congressional Statements

Wilson Condemns Terrorist Attack on Kashmiri Civilians

Statement in House of Representatives
July 17, 2002

(Mr. WILSON of South Carolina asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I condemn Saturday´s terrorist attack in Kashmir that killed 28 people. This attack was just another reminder to the Kashmiri Pandit community that Hindus are still being targeted by Islamic militants in order to drive them from the Indian state of Kashmir. This was cold-blooded murder of civilian men, women, and children, who were innocently listening to a radio sports event at a tea stall.

More than 400,000 Hindus in Kashmir have been forced from their homes due to targeted attacks of Islamic militants. For many years, Pakistan´s military worked together with its intelligence agency, the ISI, to coordinate attacks against civilians in Kashmir. These very same forces helped in creating the Taliban and al Qaeda.

Pakistan must stop the movement of al Qaeda members from the northwestern part of Pakistan into the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Pakistan must also shut down its terrorist camps, remove the influence of extremist religious clerics from government affairs, and make generous peace offerings to India. Only then can a dialogue between India and Pakistan take place.