STOCKTON: Inan exclusive interview with World Sikh News the newly elected President of World ‘Sikh Organisation, Mr. Gurcharan Singh Dhillon ruled out any other negotiated settlement of the Punjab issue except that of determining the boundaries of the sovereign Sikh state. He said WSO was willing to coordinate with only those organisations that subscribe to the creation of Khalistan. He also said that Akalis had become irrelevant because of their narrow politics and had “forfeited their claim to lead the Sikh nation.” The full text of the interview is reproduced below:
Editor: You have been unanimously elected President what factors do you think contributed to your unanimous election?
Mr. Dhillon: The factors as such cannot be identified in any concrete way. However, I feel the unanimity was evolved in view of the need for some positive and meaningful work at the WSO front. The emphasis was not on who should be the President but on who can best deliver the desired results. I am really beholden to my colleagues for reposing their trust in me.
Editor: What in your opinion is the role that WSO can effectively play in this hemisphere?
Mr. Dhillon: WSO can effectively play its role in any ways. First of all WSO needs to mobilise the public opinion and to educate the people. The American people had fought for the same principles two hundred years ago when they challenged the might of the British rulers and sought liberty justice and equality; Sikhs are also fighting for the same principles. Once ‘we succeed in conveying this to the people here, they will definitely support us. Secondly, we need to work with various organisations. There are a number of national and international organisations working for human rights and our cause is essentially for the basic human rights of life and liberty. Thirdly, we talk of helping the victims and victims’ families. But seldom consider it important to help the freedom fighters.
This attracts our attention only after they become victims. We therefore, need to support the freedom fighters at all stages of their activities. At present, there are two freedom fighters that are being held in jail. WSO has made their case a prestige issue and has pledge to support them openly and wholeheartedly with Tan, Man and Dham. As long as we perform these roles with sincerity and commitment I feel, we are playing the role that we are expected to play. This is the minimum that we can do. It is our moral duty and those who shirk from these roles are cowards and morally bankrupt.
Editor: What steps do you propose to take to remove the prevalent misconceptions about the Sikhs in the western media?
Mr, Dhillon: The government of India has lots of resources of their disposal. They have utilized their entire government machinery to propagate misinformation against the Sikhs. They have put the Punjab beyond the foreign journalists and true information is not issues and even joined the congress party to secure some Ministerial positions. They have become irrelevant in the present struggle and forfeited their claim to lead the Sikh nation.
Editor: Do you anticipate any negotiated settlement of the Punjab issue with the militants?
Mr. Dhillon: Before we can talk about settlement, we need to recognize what the issue is. We are fighting for the universally accepted human rights and our basic demand is for liberty, equality and equal justice. Forty years of Hindu rule in India has made it clear to us that we can never hope to enjoy the basic human rights. So any plan of settlement that now envisages living within the framework of Hindu domination is totally ruled out. There can be no negotiations on this point. The negotiations can only be held to demarcate the territorial limits of the sovereign Sikh state. The freedom fighters are willing to sit with the Indian rulers to sort out the ‘boundary question and for pets ‘less than that,
Goal of forming their own government in Punjab without ever bothering to protect the interests of either the community or the state. On more than one occasion they comprised on the basic issues and even joined the congress party to secure some Ministerial positions. They have become irrelevant in the present struggle and forfeited their claim to lead the Sikh nation.
Editor: Do you anticipate any negotiated settlement of the Punjab, issue with the militants?
Mr. Dhillon: Before we can talk about settlement, we need to recognize what the issue is. We are fighting for the universally accepted human rights and our basic demand is for liberty, equality and ‘equal justice. Forty years of Hindu Tule in India has made it clear to us that we can never hope to enjoy the basic human rights. So any plan of settlement that now en visages living within the framework of Hindu domination is totally ruled out. There can be no negotiations on this point. Negotiations can only be held to demarcate the territorial limits of the sovereign Sikh state. The freedom fighters are willing to sit with the Indian rulers only to sort out the boundary question and for nothing else. Living within the framework of Hindu domination is totally ruled out. There can be no negotiations on this point. Negotiations can only be held to demarcate the territorial limits of the sovereign Sikh state. K The freedom fighters are willing to sit with the Indian rulers only to sort out the boundry question and for nothing else.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 19, 1988
