By Joyce Pettigrew

…[A]ccording to Sikh religious and historical tradition, peaceful conditions can survive only when the community is left untroubled by the state…

at pg.4

Kashmir has been on fire since 1968 or so. There are now 500,000 troops locking the place down, and every day, another young Kashmiri or two at least is killed.

India was born in blood and sin, like the Americas, Australia, New Zealand, Israel and various settler-colonial states.

The difference is that the Indian state, incredibly, attacked her very own peoplefrom the start of the Indian state enterprise, and has been at war with them ever since. In this sense, India is an utterly failed state like Myanmar or Indonesia, two other former colonial states who have been battling insurgencies from the start from parts of the former colony who never wanted to join the new state.

India has about as much right to exist in its current form as Myanmar does. India is a failed state. It’s has failed to properly rule or provide for its people, and tens of millions of its citizens never consented to join the new state in the first place, but were dragged in kicking and screaming amidst slaughters.

Read more: https://robertlindsay.wordpress.com/2010/06/30/india-has-no-right-to-exist/

“India has about as much right to exist in its current form as Myanmar does.” - It’s no wonder India and Myanmar have become good buddies!

http://www.sikhsforjustice.org/?q=content/punish-the-guilty

A global human rights advocacy group working for Sikh rights on Thursday called for international support after the Sikh high priests in Amritsar announced that the 1984 anti-Sikh riots across would now be called a ‘genocide’.

Read more at: http://www.sikhsforjustice.org/?q=node/2088

Central religious authority of Sikhs the Jathedars of the Takhats – Five High Priests -, have declared that November 1984 killings of Sikhs in India, in which thousands of innocent Sikhs were killed across 18 states and more than 100 cities was a Genocide.

According to Giyani Gurbachan Singh, Akal Takhat Jathedar, the targeted and planned killing of Sikhs and attacks on Gurdawaras in November 1984 was a direct attack on the Sikh religion itself.

According to Attorney Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, legal advisor to Sikhs for Justice, a US based human rights advocacy group working to get the Sikh Genocide recognized globally, the declaration from Akal Takht is very significant because it brings finality for the Sikhs as to whether November 1984 killings were genocide or not.

In its directive, Akal Takht has also directed the Sikh community, Sikh organizations, Sikh media and other groups around the world to call November 1984 as Sikh Genocide and to support Sikhs for Justice in its efforts to get this Genocide recognized internationally.

AS a Sikh Canadian, who was born in a Toronto suburb, roots for the Leafs, did law at the University of Ottawa, and works for a human rights organization, I’m astounded to hear claims from politicians that so-called “Sikh extremism” in on the rise.

If that’s the case, there’s no word of it among the more than 400,000 members of the Canadian Sikh community. The only thing we see on the rise is racism fuelled by these reckless comments.

As someone who wears the garb of his faith, I can tell you that the backlash we’re feeling is beginning to look like state-sanctioned vilification of Sikhs.

The evidence justifying this hate campaign is minimal. Most cite an offensive Facebook page attacking Vancouver MP Ujjal Dosanjh. I share his outrage and can understand his fear. Everyone knows Dosanjh’s personal history includes being beaten by thugs, and I sympathize with how that experience must have shaped his life.

But that doesn’t give him the right to turn Sikhs into the bogeyman. Or whip up hatred for a visible minority.

The other piece of Canadian evidence comes from 2007: a float in the Surrey, B.C. Vaisakhi parade displayed a picture of Talwinder Singh Parmar, who died in Indian police custody in 1992 and is widely believed to be one of the masterminds of the Air India bombing. What most people don’t know is that Parmar’s handful of supporters call him a martyr because they believe he is wrongly accused in the Air India tragedy. Some people, particularly of past generations, can’t believe anyone connected with the faith could be involved in a mass murder.

That makes them naive, not radical.

Perhaps the most persuasive piece of “evidence” comes from Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who has been telling news media that Sikh extremism is on the rise for more than three years — although he offers little in the way of proof.

But his allegation is an effective tool for quashing legitimate discussion of India’s human rights abuses, which is the real purpose of India’s claim that the Sikh diaspora is harbouring “extremists,” particularly in England and Canada.

Both countries are known as champions of free speech and civil rights, which means human rights groups like the one I work for, the World Sikh Organization of Canada, can and do highlight abuses in foreign countries. That’s a problem for India as it seeks to rehabilitate its reputation and establish more trade in the West.

While India is a democracy — citizens vote — it lacks some critical liberal democratic values. The justice system is notoriously corrupt, there are few protections for minority groups, and the ruling government is just as likely to enforce its will with guns as parliamentary debate.

As Amnesty International’s 2010 report on human rights abuses details, Indian security forces continue to terrorize their own citizens. The report also notes India’s reluctance to prosecute those behind the 1984 massacre of more than 3,000 Sikhs that followed the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Canada has long been a leader in encouraging less developed countries to treat their citizens justly because oppressive regimes are ultimately unstable. That’s dangerous internationally and bad business for a trading nation like Canada.

So it’s shocking to hear Canadian politicians trying to erode our own free speech guarantees by labeling discussion as “extremism.”

Recently Dosanjh took a distinctly Indian point of view when he told the Toronto Sun that disagreeing with the authorities is a sign of a radical.

“(Extremism) is much more entrenched, much more sophisticated (than it was in 1985),” Dosanjh said, after the release of the Major Commission report on the Air India tragedy. “It is much more moderate in appearance than you might otherwise see. People run peaceful campaigns and behind the peaceful campaigns is the evil design to hurt other people and to dismember other countries.”

That’s an interesting view for a member of the Opposition to hold. Are we to assume that when the federal Liberal caucus campaigns against the Tory government they’re harbouring the urge to attack them with baseball bats?

We can trust they won’t because that’s not how we do it in Canada.

That the Sikh community has been linked to the Air India tragedy which took 331 innocent lives is a shame and sorrow the community will always bear.

But it’s also worth remembering that the Major Commission found that in the 1980s Canadian Sikhs informed the RCMP of terrorist activities — and were ignored.

Today, more than a generation later, even more Sikhs are Canadian-born and the community is fully integrated. To claim, “Sikh extremism is on the rise” without evidence is akin to linking Gilles Duceppe and the Bloc Québécois to 1970s FLQ terrorists.

To be blunt: Sikhs are a tight-knit community, if one of us was fomenting terrorism someone would have heard by now, and reported it.

But all we hear are accusations. And the warning to keep quiet about human rights abuses in India lest we be labeled “extremists.”

I plan to ignore that intimidation tactic. There is a long, proud tradition in Canada of encouraging foreign states to improve their human rights practices.

My organization will continue to stand up for Sikhs in oppressive states, just as we will continue speaking up for our fellow Canadians when their right to don a kilt or a hijab or build a succah hut is denied.

Despite what foreign politicians are saying, there is no evidence of Sikh extremism and Canadian Sikhs are much like the rest of the country: We don’t believe in violence (except at hockey games).

Balpreet Singh Boparai is legal counsel for the World Sikh Organization of Canada, a human rights organization that recently championed an Alberta teenager’s right to wear a kilt to graduation.

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/technology/Disputing+Sikh+extremism/3284801/story.html”>OTTAWA CITIZEN JULY 16, 2010

s a Sikh Canadian, who was born in a Toronto suburb, roots for the Leafs, did law at the University of Ottawa, and works for a human rights organization, I’m astounded to hear claims from politicians that so-called “Sikh extremism” in on the rise.

If that’s the case, there’s no word of it among the more than 400,000 members of the Canadian Sikh community. The only thing we see on the rise is racism fuelled by these reckless comments.

As someone who wears the garb of his faith, I can tell you that the backlash we’re feeling is beginning to look like state-sanctioned vilification of Sikhs.

The evidence justifying this hate campaign is minimal. Most cite an offensive Facebook page attacking Vancouver MP Ujjal Dosanjh. I share his outrage and can understand his fear. Everyone knows Dosanjh’s personal history includes being beaten by thugs, and I sympathize with how that experience must have shaped his life.

But that doesn’t give him the right to turn Sikhs into the bogeyman. Or whip up hatred for a visible minority.

The other piece of Canadian evidence comes from 2007: a float in the Surrey, B.C. Vaisakhi parade displayed a picture of Talwinder Singh Parmar, who died in Indian police custody in 1992 and is widely believed to be one of the masterminds of the Air India bombing. What most people don’t know is that Parmar’s handful of supporters call him a martyr because they believe he is wrongly accused in the Air India tragedy. Some people, particularly of past generations, can’t believe anyone connected with the faith could be involved in a mass murder.

That makes them naive, not radical.

Perhaps the most persuasive piece of “evidence” comes from Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who has been telling news media that Sikh extremism is on the rise for more than three years — although he offers little in the way of proof.

But his allegation is an effective tool for quashing legitimate discussion of India’s human rights abuses, which is the real purpose of India’s claim that the Sikh diaspora is harbouring “extremists,” particularly in England and Canada.

Both countries are known as champions of free speech and civil rights, which means human rights groups like the one I work for, the World Sikh Organization of Canada, can and do highlight abuses in foreign countries. That’s a problem for India as it seeks to rehabilitate its reputation and establish more trade in the West.

While India is a democracy — citizens vote — it lacks some critical liberal democratic values. The justice system is notoriously corrupt, there are few protections for minority groups, and the ruling government is just as likely to enforce its will with guns as parliamentary debate.

As Amnesty International’s 2010 report on human rights abuses details, Indian security forces continue to terrorize their own citizens. The report also notes India’s reluctance to prosecute those behind the 1984 massacre of more than 3,000 Sikhs that followed the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Canada has long been a leader in encouraging less developed countries to treat their citizens justly because oppressive regimes are ultimately unstable. That’s dangerous internationally and bad business for a trading nation like Canada.

So it’s shocking to hear Canadian politicians trying to erode our own free speech guarantees by labeling discussion as “extremism.”

Recently Dosanjh took a distinctly Indian point of view when he told the Toronto Sun that disagreeing with the authorities is a sign of a radical.

“(Extremism) is much more entrenched, much more sophisticated (than it was in 1985),” Dosanjh said, after the release of the Major Commission report on the Air India tragedy. “It is much more moderate in appearance than you might otherwise see. People run peaceful campaigns and behind the peaceful campaigns is the evil design to hurt other people and to dismember other countries.”

That’s an interesting view for a member of the Opposition to hold. Are we to assume that when the federal Liberal caucus campaigns against the Tory government they’re harbouring the urge to attack them with baseball bats?

We can trust they won’t because that’s not how we do it in Canada.

That the Sikh community has been linked to the Air India tragedy which took 331 innocent lives is a shame and sorrow the community will always bear.

But it’s also worth remembering that the Major Commission found that in the 1980s Canadian Sikhs informed the RCMP of terrorist activities — and were ignored.

Today, more than a generation later, even more Sikhs are Canadian-born and the community is fully integrated. To claim, “Sikh extremism is on the rise” without evidence is akin to linking Gilles Duceppe and the Bloc Québécois to 1970s FLQ terrorists.

To be blunt: Sikhs are a tight-knit community, if one of us was fomenting terrorism someone would have heard by now, and reported it.

But all we hear are accusations. And the warning to keep quiet about human rights abuses in India lest we be labeled “extremists.”

I plan to ignore that intimidation tactic. There is a long, proud tradition in Canada of encouraging foreign states to improve their human rights practices.

My organization will continue to stand up for Sikhs in oppressive states, just as we will continue speaking up for our fellow Canadians when their right to don a kilt or a hijab or build a succah hut is denied.

Despite what foreign politicians are saying, there is no evidence of Sikh extremism and Canadian Sikhs are much like the rest of the country: We don’t believe in violence (except at hockey games).

Balpreet Singh Boparai is legal counsel for the World Sikh Organization of Canada, a human rights organization that recently championed an Alberta teenager’s right to wear a kilt to graduation.

AFTER INDEPENDENCE; THE SIKHS WERE LIED TO BY THE CONGRESS LEADERS

(AN ABOUT FACE!?)

To preserve the unity of India, if we have to eradicate 2-kror [ 20 millions ] Sikhs, we will do so. (Balram Jhakhar, a colleague of P.V. Narsimharao, the former Indian Prime Minister)

” The Sikhs are a lawless people and a menace to the law abiding Hindus … The [Government] should take strict measures against them.” (Pandit Nehru, Indian Prime Minister, on Sikhs)

“Kya main taqat dushman (the enemy -the Sikhs) ke haath main de dun (How can I entrust power into the hands of the enemies).” (Jawahar Lal Nehru, 1961)

” I hate the very physique of a Sikh because of the turban and beard. ”(Vallabh Bhai Patel, late Indian top politician)

“I don’t give a damn if the Golden Temple and whole of Amritsar are destroyed, I want Bhindranwale dead.” (Indira Gandhi, Indian Prime Minister, communicating with Gen. Vaidya during “Operation Blue Star”)

“We have broken the back of the Sikhs and we will get them elsewhere.” (M. M. K. Wali, Indian Foreign Secretary, June 7, 1984, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Radio 740, As It Happens)

“Let us teach these bastards (the Sikhs) a lesson.” (Rajiv Gandhi, October 31, 1984)

“… a threat to the villagers that all males would be killed and their women taken to army camps to breed a new race if there was any militant activity in their village.” (Brig. R. P. Sinha, Indian Army, March 8, 1991)

“You do not know the might of our armed forces. We will eliminate 10,000 Sikh youths and the world will know nothing about it.” (Chander Shekhar, former Prime Minister of India, CK, 21st October, 1991)

THE SIKHS SACRIFICE OVER THE PAST CENTURIES, INTER ALIA PROTECTING HINDUS FROM TYRANTS, PROVIDES THEM THE RIGHT BE ALLOWED THEIR OWN DIGNIFIED SOVEREIGNTY?

Hon’ble Chief Justice
Punjab and Haryana High Court
Chandigarh

Through the Deputy Superintendent, Model Jail, Chandigarh

In the case of Government of Punjab versus Gurmeet Singh and Others (Beant Singh Assassination Case)

Your Honour, I had informed the High Court, in an earlier communication too that I have not appealed against the death sentence awarded to me in this case by the Sessions Court, as I have no faith nor do I believe at in the judicial system of this country, whereas the other convicts in the case have filed appeals in the Court as they have faith in the system.  Therefore my death reference case should be tried separately and whatever decision the High Court proposes to takes that may be done in an expeditious manner.  I have neither asked the High Court to hang me soon, as has been reported in all the newspapers, nor have I asked that death sentence be delayed and nor have I begged for my life from the High Court.

Your Honour, on my request the High Court in its order on 7 August has taken a decision that my case be heard alongside others and that the court has appointed one S. S. Dinarpur as my lawyer to plead on my behalf. I respect the sentiments of this court and that of the lawyer, whom I do not even know.

Your Honour, without my request, without my desire, without me asking for it, without my approval, if the court has appointed the said lawyer, with due respect, I decline to accept the services of the said lawyer. Without any authorization through a Vakalatnama (lawyer’s brief acceptance note), if any one, attempts to represent me, then it would be nothing but a judicial farce; nothing else.  Had I wanted a lawyer for myself, I would have done it 14 years ago.

Your Honour, may I mention for the kind information of this court that even in the Sessions Court, I did not have a counsel. I did not contest my own case and did not cross-examine any of the witnesses.  During the case proceedings, the Sessions Judge too had suggested that a lawyer can be appointed by the court for me. Even then I had respectfully declined to have a lawyer.  I had told the judge that it was with my own hands that I had tied a bomb around the body of my friend (Bhai Dilawar Singh); with my own eyes I saw my dear friend, who was more than a brother to me, who for the fulfillment of his mission,  vanished into thin air after the explosion. Then, how can I claim that I am innocent, why should I have a counsel, my soul does not allow me to do so, why should I have a counsel; my soul does not allow me to do so. After hearing this, the Hon’ble Judge accepted my assertion of not having a lawyer.

Your Honour, even on a previous occasion, I have categorically stated to this High Court that in a country where the religion of Sikhs is attacked with tanks and heavy artillery, where the Supreme Court of the Sikhs –Sri Akal Takht Sahib is reduced to rubble; that law which does not apply to the killers of thousands of innocent Sikhs, that legal system which while contesting it, thousands of my brethren attained martyrdom, I refuse to file an appeal against the death sentence awarded to me and I do not accept the domination of such a system.

Your Honour, the legal and judicial system of this country has always followed double standards. In June 1984, when the Congress government from Delhi launched a massive tirade against the Sikhs and attacked Sri Akal Takht Sahib with tanks and artillery, then these officers who were responsible for the brutal killing of thousands of innocent pilgrims, such officers were decorated with medals and promotions to high offices by the rulers of this country, thereby rubbing salt on the wounds of the Sikhs.  Again, when in November 1984, after the assassination of Indira Gandhi, when in the capital city of Delhi and other prominent cities of the country, Indian patriots hounded thousands of Sikhs on the streets of Delhi and then massacred them.  Daughters and sisters of Sikhs were raped, brutally assaulted and killed.  The elderly, children and women were killed mercilessly and their home and hearth set afire.  Sadly, no law, no military, no commandos prevented the killers from going on their killing spree.

The dead bodies of the Sikhs were plucked and eaten by dogs and jackals. Their only crime was they were Sikhs. Thousands of Sikhs were killed. Your Honour, even after 25 years, no law of the country has arrested the killers under any provision of law; no court has awarded any punishment to the perpetrators.  On the contrary, they have been honoured with high offices and cabinet posts.

Your Honour, when their other brethren (BJP) demolished the Babri Masjid, the sentiments of millions of Muslims was deeply hurt, No law prevented them from doing the heinous act. Again, after the ‘Godhra incident’ in Ahmedabad, thousands of Muslims were killed, merely on grounds that were Muslims. Even then the whole judicial system was benumbed into silence and allowed the perpetrators to continue their acts, totally unchecked. Yet again, when the religious places of Christians were destroyed in Orissa and their properties set on fire, even then the system remained a mute spectator.

Judge Sahib, I wish to ask of thee –these people who killed thousands of innocent Sikhs, innocent Muslims and innocent Christians, are they not terrorists? Why don’t the armed forces of the country and the law of the land make efforts to stop them? On the other hand, if a five-star hotel is attacked in Mumbai, then the army of the country reaches the scene double-quick. Commandos rush from Delhi to Mumbai and start action; merely in the matter of one night it is known to them as to which village in Pakistan is the home village of the killers. On the other hand, exactly opposite to this, despite the passing of 25 years, it is still not known who the killers in Delhi were. In such a scenario when they killers are too well known, how can one trust the honesty of those are defenders of the law.

Judge Sahib, those rulers who attacked the Sikh religion, those who demolished the Babri Masjid, those who killed thousands of innocent Sikhs, they are designated as sons of Mother Bharat and defenders of Bharat whereas when someone kills these mass murderers , he is dubbed as a ‘terrorist’. On the other hand, you have people who are protected with security guards, bullet-proof vehicles and bullet-proof jackets and on the other hand, those who become human bombs to fight the injustice of such people, those who gladly embrace martyrdom –you may kindly ponder over the question –who is a terrorist? Who is a patriot? Please do ponder.

Judge Sahib, Beant Singh too was a pawn of this killer system of the Congress government at the Centre, which had consciously and deliberately foisted him as the Chief Minister of Punjab and through whom the genocide of Sikhs was attempted. During his tenure, thousands of Sikh youth were dragged out of their homes, killed extrajudicially and their bodies cremated as ‘unidentified bodies’.  Those who were mandated to protect the defend justice, became judges, courts, police and killers –all rolled into one and in return for all this, they were regularly rewarded bravery awards.  All this was done by the Congress party Chief Minister Beant Singh under directions and instructions from Delhi.

Judge Sahib, Beant Singh was the killer of thousands of innocent Sikhs, who was punished by Bhai Dilawar Singh for his deeds. If fighting against such tyrannical people and killing them is terrorism, then, yes, I am a terrorist. I have absolutely no regrets about participating in this murder conspiracy. For this deed, the death penalty awarded to me would be accepted by me as a blessing from Lord Almighty awards me death penalty.  I accept this punishment; however, I refuse to kowtow before such an impotent system which protects killers.

Your Honour, on the one hand, ministerships and chief ministership in lieu of the murder of innocent people and on the other hand, capital punishment for killing a mass murderer. I accept this. I accept this. I accept this. I refuse to accept the subjugation of such people.

Balwant Singh Rajoana
Model Jail, Chandigarh
Kothi No. 5

10 August 2009

http://ia311035.us.archive.org/1/items/BhaiBalwantSinghRajoanahandWrittenLetterFromBurailJail/LetterOfBhaiBalwantSinghRajoanaFromBurailJail.pdf

While the hyper sensitive Punjab Police loses no time in even arresting and putting behind bars those who distribute stickers with the image of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, a perfectly legal right of any Sikh, the gory killings in West Bengal are being bypassed by the Indian intelligence agencies’ radars.

…

The Congress is happy watching the bloodbath between the CPI(M) cadres and the Trinamool rivals. It is surprising that the Indian media, ever reacting with remarkable alacrity at any planted story about a terrorist in Punjab, has little to report from West Bengal where among the killed are students, schoolteachers, agricultural workers, small peasants, labourers and petty shopkeepers.

These killings are not happening in mass anger. There is no Nandigram happening now. There is pure and simple terrorism going on with a Red tinge. It is fight to the finish between various shades of Red at times and between the CPI(M) and the Trinamool. But the Indian state will find little time because it is busy dousing the fires in Manipur, watching the ones in Kashmir and setting new ones in Punjab.

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