STOCKTON,CA: The first week of June each year is a time, when Sikhs all over the world are reminded of the Indian governments attack on the Golden Temple at Amritsar, the destruction of the Akal Takht by the Indian Army and the killing of thousands of Sikh pilgrims by Hindu soldiers on the occasion of Guru Arjun Dey ji’s martyrdom day.

The event took place nine years ago in 1984 during the reign of Indira Gandhi but the wounds are as fresh as if it had happened only a short while ago. The attack on Golden Temple convinced the Sikhs that they have no place in the Indian political frame and thus was launched the demand for Khalistan, a separate country where Sikhs can rule themselves and enjoy the fruits of freedom. The attack on the Golden Temple was not spontaneous or sudden, it was 4 part of a well-planned and systematic campaign to show the Sikhs where they stood. If they wanted to live in India they had to do so as subordinate citizens and learn to play second fiddle to the majority community.

A long thought out policy to being pursued by the Hindu dominated Indian govt. to suppress any form of Sikh demand for independence and thousands of Sikh youth are being killed all over India, especially in Punjab, to subjugate them. The Sikhs arc determined to have Khalistan and in the struggle for Independence the first week of June is observed as Holocaust week, this year’s holocaust week was marked by worldwide demonstrations of protest in USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada where Memorandums calling for Khalistan were handed out to the Government representatives. UNO Memorandum to UN Secretary General

A memorandum addressed to Dr Boutros Boutros Ghalt, secre tary gencral of the United Nations Organization was presented by a committee of five members representing the Sikh nation, These included Dr.Amarjit Singh, Dr. Gurbhachan Singh, Dr.G.$.Aulakh, Bhat Jatinder Singh Dhaliwal and Bhai Kabul Singh, The memorandum listed the human rights violations against the Sikhs and the large scale blatant abuses which began with Operation Blue Star in June 1984. ft shows how the Hindu dominated government are out to destroy minorities and calls for the intervention of the United Nations to slop the atrocities being com mitted on the Sikhs, Muslims and Dalits in India. The memorandum appealed to the United Nations to recognize the Republic of Khalistan as a separate and independent Sikh nation.

SAN FRANCISCO: On June 3, nearly 500 Sikhs from all over California gathered in front of the Indian Consulate to stage a demonstration to commemorate the assault on the Golden Temple and the martyrdom of thousand of Sikhs in the wake of the Indian army attack launched: simultaneously on 40 Sikh shrines in Punjab in 1984. The protestor carried placards decrying the Indian government, They shouted slogans of ‘Khalistan Zindabad,’

Sikhs Demand Freedom’ and ‘Stop Human Rights violations in India.” The demonstration started at} p.m. and continued to 3 p.m. During this time leaders of different Sikh organizations gave stir ring speeches enumerating the atrocities of the Indian government against Sikhs, Among those who spoke were Dr.Gurinder Singh Grewal, Sardar Surat Singh Khalsa, Bibi Amrit Kaur Bopay ai, BhaiResham Singh, Bhai Tejinder Singh and a 13yearold Sikh girl, Rupinder Kaur who stated how India’s black laws were being used to subjugate and terrorize Sikhs in Punjab.

NEW YORK: Thenine yearssince 1984 have not reduced the hurt and sense of anger which the Sikhs here experience when they recall the events of that fateful year. The Sikh’s of New York and neighboring cities gathered in large numbers outside the Sikh Consulate, at 64 Street, 5th Avenue, Shouting anti India slogans and carrying “Freedom for Khalistan” banners, men, women and children marched from here to the UNO Headquarters in an orderly procession to express solidarity for Khalistan, Spokesman of the Panthic Committee, Dr. Amanat Singh address the protestors said, “The Sikh community will never forget the attack of the Indian army on Harmandir Sahib and its killing of thousands of innocent Sikhs, The blood of the Sikh martyrs will be Avenged and the final victory will be ours,” He warned Beant Singh and KP S. Gill to beware for the Khalsa can never be finished” and “the struggle for Khalistan will Continue until freedom is achieved.”

CHICAGO: Here too June 3 was Observed as a “black day’ and hundreds of Sikhs demonstrated out Side the Indian Consulate. Arrangements for the demonstrators were made by the Chicago Sikh Society Gurdwara Spokesman of the community speaking on the Occasion condemned the actions of the Indian government and called for stopping the aid to In din, They reiterated that until Khalistan becomes independent the struggle for independence would continue. Mr. Sheik of the ‘Kashmir Council participated in the demonstration,

SEATTLE: The Federal building ‘of the city was the avenue for the demonstration by hundreds of Sikh protestors here. Calling for an end Of Indian tyranny and shouting “Freedom: for Khalistan” young and old Sikh men and women ac companied by children expressed their resentment against the repressive policies of the Indian government.

WASHINGTON: A protest march was organized here on June 5by Dr.G.S.Aulakhin which hundreds of Sikh men, women and children demonstrated in front of the Indian embassy.

OTTAWA, CANADA: Thousands of Sikhs on June 3, staged a rally and demonstration here in front of the Indian embassy. Sikh’s of Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Ottawa participated in the protest which was organized by the Sikh community to express their re sentiment against the Indian governments treatment of Sikhs in Punjab.

Addressing the demonstrators, Speakers representing the World Sikh Organization, International Sikh Youth Federation, Babbar Khalsa and organizing commit tees of the gurdwara condemned the atrocities committed by India On its minorities groups which were being terrorized by special laws that violated all canons of Human rights. Gurdev Singh Gill of the International Human Rights Organization condemned the violation of human rights in Punjab, where the Indian govt. was pursuing a Hitler like Nazi policy of the extermination of Sikh youth. ‘The Ottawa rally saw the participation of other Sikh organizations like the Vancouver Khalsa Dewan, and Babbar Khalsa Human Rights Organization. This years’ rally here was one of the biggest witnessed since 1984 and it was widely covered by the National Press and T.V.

Article extracted from this publication >>  June 11, 1993