WSN SPECIAL STOCKTON, CASA Sikh lawyer Activist D.S. Gill, Chairman of the Punjab based International Human Rights Organization, visited’ WSN face here last week. WSN asked him to share information on the current human rights and political Situation in Punjab, the homeland of Sikhs in India.

The THRO was formed in the wake of the Indian army’s invasion of the Golden Temple complex in 1984. It is basically a body to agitate, both in India and internationally, for protection of Sikh human rights and those of ethnic minorities. It has chapters in Europe, North America, Australia and other Asian and African countries.

“It has published a number of reports in India and worldwide detailing Indian security forces” atrocities ‘Against Sikhs, in the main, but also ‘against Muslims, Assamese and other Indian minorities,” says Mr, D.S. Gill, Who is also a Presidium Member of the Punjab Sikh Lawyers Council, which is mainly engaged in providing free legal assistance to the victims of state repression.

Full text of the interview is given below:

Question: What is te mission of THRO and purpose of your visit to USA? :

Ans: We mainly document violations of human rights in the Indian subcontinent and highlight the same at national and international levels. We have our own international network. We liaison with other human rights agencies including the United Nations, Amnesty International and ‘Asia Watch through our chapters abroad. We also interact with different democratic governments to put diplomatic pressure on India to sop brutalities on its people.

Recently, we have expanded our framework and produced)a research paper on the Punjab political conflict called “Plebiscite in Punjab The Sikh Case” which has studied historical, social, religious and political perspectives of the conflict, It also mentions why Sikhs demand sell determination. In the paper we have suggested that for peaceful resolution of the conflict Sikhs must, under international law, be given the right to exercise their sovereignty. They must be accorded the right of a full, free and true plebiscite in Punjab to ascertain the wishes of the majority. The purpose of my visit to the USA to Sikh case and try to’ mobilize the public opinion. For this we are holding a seminar on June 2, in Washington, D.C. Rights Commission (NHRC). What is its effectiveness in your opinion? A: India’s Human Rights Commission is an eyewash. It’s foramen ‘was aimed at neutralizing the international pressure on New Delhi. India was never serious about human rights, In addition, we doubt the credentials of commission’s members as most of them have been puppets of the government. Although it is possible to register complaints with the NHRC, it has failed to properly investigate cases are get justice. The commission serves only to give people a place to complain and put these facts on record. We also take cases and file claims on behalf of the victims in order to make those claims matter on record. It is a toothless body. Q: New Delhi and ordinary media make constant claims about the peace that now reigns in Punjab, from your perspective what’s the status of peace in Punjab?

AY it is a peace of the graveyard. Most of the Sikh activists, their relations and lawyers, and even journalists and human rights activists, who exposed’ state excesses, have been “disappeared” or tortured to death by the security forces. During the past two years there has been little or no ‘violence from the militants, while state repression on the people of Punjab, especially Sikhs, remained unabated. So, the so-called peace is one-sided.

But innocent people remain victims of brutalities at the hands of the law enforcing agencies. Even foreign nationals are not safe when they visit Punjab. We are all familiar with the Katia case, a French woman who was kidnapped and raped while in Chandigarh, and recently two Canadian Sikhs were harassed when they visited their homes in Punjab. One Harpal Singh Gosal from Toronto has been falsely charged under TADA, now sitting in Patiala jail, Peace in Punjab is one sided and it is peace of the graveyard.

Q: There is much in the Indian Press about TADA being repealed, what do you think?

A: Cong (Dis likely to announce By-elections with this as an issue. TADA, far from being used against “terrorists” is used primarily against lawyers, politicians, union leaders and rights activists, Examples include Justice Bains and Simranjit Singh Mann because he filed a case for Miss Katia and because he advocates Khalistan openly. TADA is used to suppress freedom of the press and peoples liberation movements in places like Andra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and the north eastern states.

Sanjay Dutt who is the son of Cong(I) MP, Sunil Dutt, has been charged under TADA because he and his father have given succor to the victims of Hindi fund due in the wake of the Babri Masjid demolition. Unfortunately, the higher judiciary has failed to act and have put these cases off on one pretext or another. Similarly, in the case of Justice Bains, the SC didn’t hear his cases and rejected cases on technical grounds as did the high court in Chandigarh. There is great resentment because ADA is used to silence political parties and activists, So i Song (1’s) political compulsion to repeal or NH Set Reter the SIO VISIORE Se TADA.

Q: What is the role of the Media in your struggle?

A; “India’s media is controlled.” ‘The role of the Media is to be the Sword of freedom. The Media in India is controlled by the govt., anyone trying to highlight the excesses are terrorized into silence. Journalists have been eliminated for trying to expose the facts, Ram Singh Biling,

Jaspal Singh Pali and Amar Singh Mander to name just three. Mr. Sukhdev Singh of Chandigarh was booked under TADA forhis writings. Gurdip Singh of AjDiAwaz was booked under TADA and dubbed as exposed Beant Singh.

Q: What do the people you work with feel about the role of Sikhs, Kashmiris and others who have immigrated to the West?

A: Sikhs feel that the outside world of a lot of lobbying to try and ring freedom to the oppressed people. The THRO feels that Sikhs have a great role to play on the diplomatic front for the people struggling in Punjab.

‘Q: What do you think is the role of Akal Takht, the symbol of Sikh Sovereignty in the ongoing Sikh freedom movement?

A: Akal Takht is the symbol of Sikh sovereignty. All struggle against state tyranny were fought from the Akal Takht, including the morcha against emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi and the Dharum Yudh Morcha in 1982, Today Sikhs are fighting their freedom struggle under the patronage of Akal Takht.

Q: What is the role of Jathedar of ‘Akal Takht in this context and what do you think of the Akali unity?

‘A: Akal Takht Jathedar should out the spirit of the institution of MiriPiri (Saint Soldier). He should not in any way dilute the decisions (Gurmat as) taken at the Akal Takht, Rather, it is his responsibility to get these decisions implemented by issuing religion political directives to the Sikh Sangat. But, unfortunately the present incumbent has failed to do that. Regarding Akali unity, he has betrayed the aspirations of the selling Sikhs by imposing pro-India traditional Akali leadership on them. The net result of his unity efforts is that Badal, now heads the Akali Party and pro-India Sikh leaders have been promoted while Khalistan leader Simranjit Singh Mann has been isolated. This amounts to a’ betrayal of the Sikh freedom movement.

Q: Role of World Community?

A: They have a special role to play especially world powers like U: Germany, France and Britain. The must help resolve the conflicts in India like Punjab and Kashmir for a lasting peace in the subcontinent.

Article extracted from this publication >> May 26, 1995