WSN Service
LUDHIANA: The Panthic Committee (Dr. Sohan Singh) and the Punjab Human Rights Organization (PHRO) issued calls for observing UN Human Rights Day on December 10 as protest day in Punjab.
The PHRO North America chapter President, Dr. Rajwant Singh, has also issued a call from Washington DC to all Sikhs to hold peaceful demonstrations in all major metropolitan areas in the US and Canada.
In a statement, PHRO Chairman D.S. Gill and general secretary Mohinder Singh Grewal said that the UN and the international community had failed to check India, the state repression on the people especially the Sikhs and therefore a peaceful protest was called for.
The PHRO activists said that the recent deployment of army on an active civil duty in the state was nothing but a culmination of the unabated repression by the security forces and suppression of the judiciary. By calling for a day of protest on the UN day, they said, the organization sought to shake the world public opinion to their responsibilities.
The PHRO called upon farmers not to bring their produce, fodder and milk to towns on December 10, Students should refrain from attending classes. The public should not travel except for medical reasons and the transport operators should cooperate by keeping their vehicles off the road on that day. Lawyers should not attend to court work. None should transact any business, that is a complete “bandh” should be observed on that day, added the statement.
December 10 is observed as International Human Rights Day at the call of UN. The importance of the day is nowhere as important as in Punjab. “We call upon all those who cherish human rights to support the call irrespective of religious or political beliefs, said the PHRO activists.
The non-party human rights organization has also sought the cooperation of all political parties including Akali Dals, students’ organizations, lawyers’ bodies and human rights groups.
Earlier all the Panthic committees along with their associate organizations, Bhartiya Kisan Unions (BKUs), staff members of the government controlled transport and bus, truck, and unions were especially called upon to endorse the call so as to make it a success.
STOCKTON: Dr. Amarjit Singh, Spokesman, Panthic Committee said here that Sikhs were gathering at the Civic Center in San Francisco on Dec 10 at noon. He said protests were being organized in New York, Houston, Los Angeles, Washinton DC, Seattle and Chicago among other places.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 6, 1991
