WSN Service

AMRITSAR: A group of Canadian M.Ps who visited Chandigarh and Amritsar told the Press here recently that both Indian government and Sikh militants were responsible for violation of human rights in Punjab.

Barbara Greene of the ruling Progressive Conservative Party aid that the group had been told of Pakistan’s hand in arming and betting militants. They had also been informed of Canadian Sikhs” assistance to Sikh militants. At one stage Greene went to the extent of stating that the M.Ps group could not back the Sikhs on the human rights issue

But this categorical assertion was neutralized to an extent by Derek Lee of opposition Democratic Liberal Party when he said it was too early to form any opinion on the issue of Pakistan’s involvement. On the question of human rights also Lee said no specific opinion could be formed unless they had studied the material given to them by different groups.

The group was almost firmly of the view that militants could not take responsibility for the widespread violence in Punjab.

It is interesting to note that the gunmen had no opportunity or occasion to hear the militant’s side on the Indian administrations charges against them. All militant groups are underground. They have no spokesman to explain their side of the story.

The group also did not have much time to spare for representative of Punjab Human Rights Organization (Ludhiana) or any other human rights activists except for accepting documents from them on the violation of human rights by the Indian security forces in Punjab. The P.H.R.O. was given six minutes at Chandigarh to explain its views on the Punjab’s situation.

General Jaswant Singh Bhullar based at Chandigarh who was made a coordinator by the Canadian Chapter of World Sikh Organization said he had no resources to conduct the MPs or arrange their meetings with human rights groups because he assigned this job to the Akali Dal (Mann) and its activists The Mann groups activist Prof. Jagmohan Singh Tony on instructions from his “office” (presumably Mann himself) ensured that the M.Ps met all and sundry except the representatives of Punjab Human Rights Organization (Ludhiana).

The M.Ps had lengthy sessions with Punjab Governor Surinder Nath Chief Secretary Tejinder Khanna and Director General of Police KPS. Gill. They also had separate meetings with Simranjit Singh Mann Singh Badal and Surjt Singh Bamala. They had an exclusive session with Amarinder Singh. The last mentioned inter. view was presumably done on the suggestion of Canadian high commission in Delhi which in turn was led into believing by the Indian external affairs ministry that Amarinder might be the next Punjab chief minister.

Thus all in all the Canadian M.Ps mission in Punjab had more to do with politics: than with human rights.

Bhullar said he was “disgusted” with the outcome. He blamed the Mann Akali Dal for hijacking the mission to serve their own purpose of making individual politicians centers of “power” rather than high-lighting human rights violation of Sikhs. When asked why he abdicated his own responsibility the former W.S.O secretary-general said:”1 have no financial resources at my command to handle the mission.” Bhullar also made critical remarks about the conduct of Indians accompanying the Canadian MPs group.

Punjab Human Rights Organization President Sukhdev Singh commented: “We appreciate the Canadian MPs concern for human rights of Sikhs in Punjab and thank them for all the trouble they took. We wish they had greater opportunities of interaction with victims of state violence as well as these struggling in pursuit of their political belief. In the absence of such opportunities stumbling on one-sided versions half-truths and hearsay is inevitable. We were keen on requesting the Honorable MBP to insist on India to hold credible investigations into every case of violence to come to a firm conclusion on the charges that certain non-government elements too are responsible for violation of human rights. While we hold no brief for any organization or individual guilty of violation of others human rights no one should be condemned

Article extracted from this publication >> February 7, 1992