NRIs vs Dan Burton Again

From “USINPAC”:http://www.usinpac.com/ Mailing List
bq. May 12, 2004 was not an easy day. Gearing up for this day demanded a lot of preparation and homework on our part, as one of the most persistent India-bashers in the US Congress Mr. Dan Burton initiated a hearing on Kashmir under the aegis of the House Subcommittee on Human Rights & Wellness (Committee on Government Reform). This was certainly not the first occasion when Congressman Burton had attempted to malign the image of India before the US Congress. In fact not too long ago, Burton was given severe jolts as USINPAC through its dynamic lobbying had managed to impose an indefinite halt to this move.
bq. But Burton acted again to revive the move and this time USINPAC decided to take up the challenge. We had to expose Burton?s ?lies?. We could just not let his march go unopposed. At this hour of crisis, we chose to mobilize the Indian American community and raised a unified voice of protest. The USINPAC volunteers across the U.S. approached important leaders and Congressmen from their respective areas for help. USINPAC made sure that the friends of India were well represented at the Hearing. USINPAC recommended and confirmed Selig Harrison as a witness for the Hearing. USINPAC’s leadership in Washington individually called, met with and briefed Members of the House Government Reform Committee and the House International Relations Committee urging them to attend the Hearing. USINPAC also submitted draft questions to the Members to ask the witnesses.

bq. The result was that well known friends of India ? Congressmen Ackerman, Crowley, Pallone and Faleamavaega all attended the Hearing. Congresswoman Diane Watson, the ranking member on the Subcommittee also attended. Congressman Wilson and Congresswoman Ross Lehtinen submitted written comments. In one of his questions to the witnesses, Congressman Ackerman pointed out that even in great democracies, the daily grind of battles with terrorists sometimes causes breaches in civilized behavior. But that never means that such behavior is official Government policy. Democracies also live by rule of law to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice. Congressman Crowley pointed out that Pakistan had not met the pre-condition to the U.N. Resolution, which required them to withdraw from the occupied territory in Kashmir. Congressman Pallone indicated his deep concern for the well being of the Kashmiri Pundits who live under deplorable conditions in refugee camps in Jammu. Selig Harrison insisted that human rights abuse in Kashmir was by and large the concerted efforts of Pakistan’s ISI backed Jehadi terrorists in an effort to destabilize India. He further pointed out that the only way to remedy the human rights situation in Kashmir is for Pakistan to accept the line of control as the International Border, and for U.S., aid to Pakistan to be conditioned on Pakistani compliance on terrorism.
There is some more information at the “the website”:http://www.usinpac.com/NewsContent.asp?CONTENT_ID=126&SEC_ID=14