DES MOINES, Iowa: Amnesty International which is a worldwide nongovernmental movement working for the release of “prisoners of conscience.” It is dedicated to restore human rights of individuals, working with different governments to bring an end ton inhumane torture and executions in all nations.

Through the “Urgent Action” organ, Investigation Michael L. Messina of Des Moines, Iowa, reports that political violence has been widespread in Punjab. Deliberate killings of Sikhs by security personnel of Indian Government are of daily occurrence. The press regularly reports that Sikh freedom fighters are being killed by the police in “encounters” or while “trying to escape”. Local civil liberties group allege that many of these “encounters” have either been staged or the descriptions of “encounters” faked to account for the capture and deliberate killing of people wanted by the Indian police.

Credible Reports

Although these reports are hard. to verify, reports of such staged

“encounters” killings have been persistent and have gained credibility through circumstantial evidence. Police have rarely been killed or injured during such “encounters” and the victims have, in nearly all cases, been killed outright rather than wounded. Moreover, several witnesses have testified that they saw people, whom. the police later said had died in “encounters”, in police custody while being tortured. There have also been a number of cases of unacknowledged detention in Punjab. Despite repeated requests the central government has so far not attempted to have these allegations investigated by an independent, impartial body. Highlighting the barbarous state terrorism of Indian Government, Amnesty International quotes the following example of one innocent Sikh: Disappearance of Hardeep Singh

Hardeep Singh, aged 25, son of Amarjit Singh of village Verka, Amnitsar district, Punjab, was arrested by police from Sector 27 in Chandigarh at 9 pm on 21 April, 1989, reportedly when he went for a walk after having had dinner at his uncle’s house.

The following day, when relatives went to make inquires at the Sector 27 police station, they were told that Hardeep Singh had been: transferred to the police station in sector 11, Chandigarh. When they went there, the police told them that Hardeep Singh was being interrogated and that it was not possible for his relatives to visit him. Relatives were apparently able to see Hardeep Singh but were not allowed to talk to him.

After news of his arrest had been published in a local Punjabi paper on 29 Apnil, relatives made further inquiries at the police station in both sector 1¢11 and 27. They were told that Hardeep Singh had been taken to Amnitsar by police from Saddar Police Station, Amritsar. However, when relatives when to Saddar Police station the police denied he was there. Hardeep Singh’s whereabouts remain unknown.

In the following days, in late Apnil, relatives sent appeals to the deputy commissioner, Amritsar: Sessions Judge, Amritsar: the Governor of Punjab and Inspector General K.PS. Gill of Punjab. Further appeals were sent to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Home Affairs on May 5, 1989. But, to Amnesty International’s knowledge, no replies were received.

Article extracted from this publication >>  May 26, 1989