Iraq occupation vet calls speaking in favor of religious freedom “dictating to a sovereign nation”

CHICAGO: April 1, 2014 – Representatives of the Indian minority diaspora in Chicago region were disappointed that Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth, a U.S. Army veteran, dismissed their appeals for her to support House Resolution 417, which requires the U.S. to discuss human rights and religious freedom issues with India, as “dictating” how India should run its affairs.

An eight-person delegation met with Rep. Duckworth (D-Schaumburg) on March 20 to ask her to join the bipartisan-supported resolution as a co-sponsor. As reported to Organization for Minorities of India (OFMI) by Balbir Singh, who organized the meeting, Rep. Duckworth responded: “In principle I agree with it, Balbir, as I am aware of the Sikh atrocities and minority issues in India due to my upbringing in Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia, but philosophically I have a conflict dictating to a sovereign nation what to do and how to treat its citizens.”

Congresswoman Duckworth meets with a delegation of Indian minorities.

Arvin Valmuci, Communications Coordinator for OFMI, expressed concern at Duckworth’s confusion about the intentions of the resolution, asking, “How Congresswoman Duckworth can equate dialoguing with India about its mistreatment of its minority population as dictating to a sovereign nation passes comprehension. On her campaign website, she supports sanctions on Iran, but when it comes to India, she confuses speaking in defense of human rights with interference. How can she support blockading one sovereign nation but refuse to peacefully and politely ask another to stop the slaughter of minorities?”

The resolution requires U.S. policy in talks with India be founded upon encouraging a greater respect for human rights, saying it “calls for religious freedom and related human rights to be included in the United States–India Strategic Dialogue, and for these issues to be raised directly with federal and state Indian Government officials when appropriate.”

First elected to office in 2013, Rep. Duckworth previously served as a combat helicopter pilot during the U.S.’s unilateral occupation of Iraq. After she was shot down by insurgents in 2004, she became the first double-amputee of the war. Surprised that an Iraq veteran would duck the opportunity to defend human rights abroad, Dr. Muni Subramani, a neuroscientist and Buddhist who is an advisor to OFMI, remarked:

“Although I commend Congresswoman Duckworth for serving honorably in the U.S. Army, I don’t understand why she seems to feel participating in the occupation of Iraq is less invasive than telling India they ought to protect human rights. Perhaps she feels differently about Iraq now, as she’s since been called a vocal opponent of the war, but she takes no issue with sanctions on Iran, which former Congressman Ron Paul called ‘an act of war.’ The U.S. gives India $100 million a year in foreign assistance; doesn’t that, at least, buy Congress the right to ask India to respect human rights?”

Introduced in November 2013 by Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) and Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), House Resolution 417 praises India as a land of diversity with strong democratic traditions, but recognizes the Indian State’s impunity for multiple instances of ethnic cleansing over the past 20 years. Specifically, H. Res. 417 cites the Babri Mosque massacre of Muslims in 1992, the Gujarat Genocide of Muslims in 2002, and the Odisha Pogrom of Christians in 2008. Speaking of Odisha, it denounces an “institutional bias on the part of the Odisha state government, its police, and judicial system, led to a lack of justice and accountability”; speaking of Gujarat, it declares “the Gujarat government has not adequately pursued justice for the victims.”

The resolution also highlights conclusions by the Pew Research Center, which, in 2012, placed India in a high category for government restrictions on religion, and by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, which has, since 2009, annually placed India on its list of countries which “require close monitoring due to the nature and extent of violations of religious freedom engaged in or tolerated by the governments.” With 22 Democrats and 22 Republicans as co-sponsors, it has solid bi-partisan support. It is also endorsed by Christian, Muslim, and Sikh communities throughout the United States.

OFMI advisor Pieter Singh, dismayed by Duckworth’s contrasting positions on Iran and India, said, “Duckworth’s distinction between Iran and India appears premised on a misunderstanding of history. Iran signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, giving it the right to develop nuclear capabilities, but India never signed the treaty. Iran is threatened with sanctions for pursuing nuclear technology, but the U.S. Congress voted to give India nuclear technology and materials in 2006. USAID reports approximately 65 percent of U.S. foreign assistance to India between 1992 and 2002 was for food aid, but in that same time frame, India was funding secret development of nuclear weapons, which it tested in 1998 immediately after assuring U.S. diplomats it would not. While the U.S. was sending food to starving Indians, the future deputy Prime Minister of India, L.K. Advani, was instigating anti-Muslim riots in 1992 and the current leading Prime Minister candidate, Narendra Modi, was instigating anti-Muslim riots in 2002. Yet Duckworth supports sanctions on Iran while simultaneously holding her tongue about atrocities in India.”