WASHINGTON, D.C: The International Human Rights Organization (IHRO) announces the appointment of Satjiwan Singh Khalsa, an American Sikh as Executive Director of its North America chapter. Georgia Otto, another human rights activist, has been appointed secretary of the chapter,

This announcement follows two successful functions on Capitol Hill this summer by the organization. IHRO Chairman, D.S.Gill, who especially came from India, briefed the U.S. Congressional Human Rights Caucus, and the U.S. Congress was given a reception to launch the organization’s North American human rights campaign. The non-party, India based human rights group has extended its organizational network throughout the United States with representatives in Washington, D.C,, Chicago, and Southern California.

S.Kuldip Singh from Toledo, Ohio, has been appointed as the vice-president of the body. Dr. Narinder Singh Grewal and Dr.Harbans Singh Sraon have been taken in as Directors for Southern California while Shivjit Singh Hundal will be Director for the Chicago Office.

Taking into consideration the emerging role of the United Nations, particularly in the area of human rights, IHRO officials have made a decision to make the organization more visible in order to create greater awareness among the world governments of the deplorable human rights situation in India.

IHRO Chairman D.S.Gill has visited major Sikh centers in the U.S. and Canada and conferred with Sikh leadership across North America. He also visited human rights organizations and Sikh leadership in Great Britain and Europe. He was also invited to meet with human rights organizations and government officials in Australia and New Zealand. Earlier, D.S.Gill has been to U.K., Germany, France, Belgium and Switzerland for his human Rights mission,

Meanwhile, in a joint statement, THRO, North America President, Dr.Rajwant Singh and its coordinator Gurdev Singh Gill called upon the Sikhs and human rights organizations to oppose the appointment of S.S.Ray as India’s ambassador to United States because of his being an instrument in violating human rights of the Sikhs and other non-Sikh Indians in the past.

IHRO has recently brought out a report on human rights violations occurring in India, particularly in Punjab and Kashmir. Entitled “Indo-U.S. Shadow over Punjab,” it highlights the fact that the U.S. government clearly supports trade and trust with India rather than vigorously pursuing an end to human rights violations.

Article extracted from this publication >> October 30, 1992