BOSTON, Ma: Given below is the first set of steps taken by the new office bearers to put the WSOUSA on a sound footing and get things moving. We, however, regret to say that we have been ‘operating on a shoe-string budget and have had to cut back on many important and necessary activities due to lack of funds. No funds ‘were available in the WSO-USA accounts in mid-February when Dr, Grewal took over and most of the activities listed below have been financed by a few local Boston and New York Sikhs. WSO needs everyone to actively participate and co-operate in this effort. Dr. Grewal says in his report that it is very easy to succeed in our goals if we stand united and exhibits a reasonable level of commitment to the organization. He said, “I welcome any suggestions or ideas that anyone may have; they can be assured that we will give their inputs a serious consideration”.

Dr, Manohar Singh Grewal, President-WSO (USA), plans to send similar quarterly reports to the entire WSO membership in subsequent quarters.

*Unified the National Council meeting on February 15, 1986, held at the Marriott Hotel in Saddle brook, New Jersey. The meeting was well attended with 30 delegates in presence *Various press releases issued on February 16, 1986.

*Sent telegrams of the resolutions passed to Baba Joginder Singh and President Zia-vl-Hag, *Established an office of WSOUSA at 575 Boylston St, Boston, Mass.

*Sent letters to various civil liberties groups and individuals in India and the US who have written on the plight of the Sikhs in India. Have since received replies and will attempt to follow up by arranging for lecture tours to US, UK and ‘Canada.

*Helped facilitate the release of several young Sikh men who are tried on immigration charges in New York.

*WSO membership drive letters and forms sent to all council members.

*Organized a drive to write clemency requests to President Zia of Pakistan (through the Pakistani consulate in New York). This was done with the participation of the sangat of the New York and New Jersey Gurdwaras.

*Participated, along with WSO Canada, in the delegation to Geneva to present the case of the Sikhs before the UNO.

*Obtained a copy of “Oppression in Punjab” from UK.

*Co-ordinated and assisted in the printing of 10 thousand copies of the report collectively (actual printing done at Columbus, Ohio by Prof. Ranbir Singh Sandhu).

*Distributed copies to various Sikh societies and gurdwaras. *Distributed copies of the report to various political organizations in ‘New England and Washington, DC.

*Undertook a local subscription drive for World Sikh News, the Silch newspaper.

*Sent cables to Bhajan Lal, Barnala and Rajiv Gandhi concerning the illegal arrest of Bhai Darshan Singh.

*Presented Bhai Darshan Singh’s case to Amnesty International.

*Sent the Golden Temple slides to several groups in UK and the US.

*Formed a new WSO chapter in Hartford, Connecticut.

*Attended a lecture by Maj. Gen. Bhullar, Secretary General of ‘WSO-International, MIT. Video and audio tapes of the lecture and Q&A session were made and are available on request.

*Proposal for ownership of a building for WSO office in Washington sent to all National Council Members.

*New England (New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine and Massachusetts) WSO chapter formed.

*Co-ordinate a response to the Penthouse article titled “Sikh Terror Plot”. A response article is expected to be published in the July issue.

*Attended the “Young Republican Leadership Conference” in Washington, DC. Arranged for an advertisement depicting the plight of the Sikhs in India in their newsletter. Distributed copies of oppression in Punjab” and “Sikhs Today Struggle for Human Rights” to the attendees.

*Arranged and co-ordinated a “fact-finding” mission to Punjab.

*Sent cables to Baba Joginder ‘Singh’s son who died under mysterious circumstances.

*Made a video tape showing enlarged pictures of the November, 1984 Sikh massacres in New Delhi and the aftermath of the Indian Army’s attack on the Golden Temple. The theme of the tape was to compare the actual facts with those put out by the propaganda machine of the Indian Government.

*Initiated the formation of a new ‘WSO chapter in New Jersey.

*Sent cables to Barnala, Rajiv, AISSF, Damdami Taksal, Indian Express and Tribune on the day after the second Golden Temple attack. The contents of the cables were published in the World Sikh News.

*Sent cables to President Reagan, Prime Minister Thatcher, Prime Minister Mulroney and Chancellor Kohl concerning the second Golden Temple attack.

*Sent letters to various US Senators and Congressmen, especially those on Human Rights committees, on the second Golden Temple attack.

*Issued various press releases about the second attack to wire services and several newspapers.

*Obtained a video film of the January 26, 1986 Sarbat Khalsa held at Darbar Sahib when the dismantling of the Government built Akal Takht was begun. Copies of the tape are available to other Sikh societies and gurdwaras,

*Participated in a seminar titled “Sikh Terrorism and World = Peace” at the University of Wisconsin. On short notice arranged for attorney William Kunstler to attend, He was effective in pointing out the erroneous title and was successful in getting press attention.

*Participated in the “Hands Across America” rally.

*Met with Bishop Tutu and other anti-apartheid leaders for generating mutual support.

* Attended a human rights seminar organized by the Sikh Women’s International Organization in New York. Dr. Gurcharan Singh was one of the featured speakers and did an excellent job of convincingly presenting the Sikh point of view.

*Arranged for a protest rally on June 6, at the Indian Consulate in New York to mark the second anniversary of the Golden Temple attack. Various press invitations and releases were sent.

*Made 24” X 16” enlargements of selected photos of the Golden Temple attack, These were then mounted on large placards with appropriate captions and were effectively used at the protest rally. Copies of sets of these enlargements are available to other societies and gurdwaras.

*Prepared a “publicity package” (consisting of a variety of background material) and distributed to the press and media people at the rally.

*Wrote several articles and “letters to the editor” to various newspapers newsmagazines (Time, Newsweek, India Abroad, India Today, etc.)

* Attempting to arrange for a telephone hotline in every major state in the US (and Canada). This will be used to quickly disseminate current news, Views and appeals to the Sikh communities in North America.

Article extracted from this publication >> July 11, 1986