The kidnapping of Romania’s Charge D’ Affaires in Delhi, Liviu Radu, has created a controversy worldwide. The action was first owned by a lesser known Sikh militant group, Liberation Tiger Force of Khalistan, however, claim was convincingly refused by a combine of four militant groups associated with the Panthic committee (Dr. Sohan Singh and others). It is now well settled that the man behind the kidnapping is Bhai Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwala and his Khalistan Liberation Force. In a handwritten note in Punjabi, Bhai Budhsinghwala gave no more explanation for the action than his desire to force India to set free Bhai Harjinder Singh Jinda, Bhai Sukhdev Singh Sukha and Bhai Nirmal Singh “so that they are enabled to serve the country still better after, the killing at their hands of the butcher of operation Bluestar, General Vaidya of the Indian Army.”
We, however, hasten to add that India as a fascist state could not use the event to parade its morality. It is well known to the world that India’s armed forces indulge in kidnapping of innocent men and women. They detain torture and murder people in Kashmir, Punjab, Assam, Tamil Nadu and elsewhere in the country without any acknowledgement. Many of the detainees are tortured and killed in fake encounters. Amnesty International, Asia Watch, Punjab Human Rights Organization and other human rights groups have documented numerous such cases. Thus India’s spokesman will be fooling no one when they point an accusing finger towards Sikhs for endangering the life of innocent Romanians.
The kidnap drama is bound to shock well-meaning people all over the world. Those who abhor violation of human rights by governments naturally cannot approve of kidnapping of individuals by private groups either. The involvement of a Romanian diplomat, unconnected with the problems between India and Sikhs as a target has far less justification. The reputation of the Sikh struggle directed as it is to the realization of a righteous cause may suffer a setback internationally.
True, Romania accepted J.F. Ribiero’s credentials as India’s ambassador knowing full well his involvement in the hundreds of killings of Sikh youths in Punjab while he was its Director General Police in 1986-88. One could have reluctantly rationalized Radus detention if it was directed to seeking Ribeiro’s expulsion from Romania or even to seeking the release of all the Sikh youths detained in that country following an attack on the Indian envoy. We appeal to Bhai Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwala to ensure well-being of the Romanian diplomat.
While no preconditions must be set, it is the duty of the Romanian govt to boldly review its stand vis –a-vis the Indian ambassador in Bucharest and the arrests of several Sikh youths. Ribeiro may be declared a persona non grata. The Sikh youths arrested there should be released and allowed to go to a country of their choice. In the meantime, Romania and the international community in general have to appreciate the Sikh problem in its correct perspective. Sikhs are not terrorists out to kidnap innocent people. They are engaged in a grim struggle for very survival and have lost over half a million persons during the past one decade. The Sikhs have to contend with an enemy that is as ruthless as it is unscrupulous. Sikhs treat Romania as a friendly nation. They have nothing against the Romanian people.
The Panthic committee has to provide a more mature political leadership the Sikh youths so that the Sikh nations struggle has wider appreciation worldwide. Nothing should be done that could be exploited by the enemies of and weaken the struggle
Article extracted from this publication >> October 18, 1991
