“All people have the right of self-determination,” declares the International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights. In broad terms the word people is synonym of nation. Dictionary meaning of the two terms is almost identical. Chambers 20th Century Dictionary defines them as “A body of people marked off by common descent, language, culture or historical traditions: the people of a state,” In the context, the Sikhs unambiguously qualify to be a nation fulfilling all the criteria specified, Additionally, they belong to a common, sovereign religion.
In the historical prospective, the Sikhs have been and continue to be a separate nation ever since the advent of their founder, Guru Nanak. He broke away from the entrenched Hindu religion, much the same way as did Jesus from Judaism. In the Sikh scripture Gunt Granth, the Gurus have clearly as well as impliedly stated that” We are neither Hindus nor Muslims.” Guru Gobind Singh welded them into an even more cohesive nation, the Khalsa maraharhend Brotherhood.
The state currencies cast by Banda Singh Bahadur and Maharaja Ranjit Singh were in the name of the first and the last Gurus, and the Khalsa, Not only did the British treat the Sikhs as a distinct community after annexation of their kingdom but during their prolonged parleys for transferring power to the Indians they were associated and equated with Hindus and Muslims as the successive power notwithstanding that the Christians were almost double their number, The basic fact of their identity has been stressed to set the record straight vis-a-vis the oft repeated falsehood that the Sikhs do not constitute a nation.
Throughout the century long freedom struggle the Sikhs remained in the vanguard, Their sacrifices to mention only the most serious ones, eg, those who were hanged, killed; a mind boggling scenario when one considers that their population in the undivided India was mere 1.66 percent, 60 percent of the officers and men of the Indian national Army (INA) founded by General Mohan Singh and later led by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose were Sikhs, This is yet another example of their basic character and urge for freedom.
Besides other factors it was for their Valiant’ and self-sacrificing spirit for enhancing a good cause and unrelenting fight against injustice and state repression, The pro-independence Indian National Congress and the majority community offered them a place of honor and autonomy in the free India, When, despite their vehement protest the selfish Congress leadership spear” I headed by Jwahar Lal Nehru petitioned the country, the Sikhs fad a choice to join either India or Pakistan or at the very least world have ensure for themselves constitutional safe guards which the British were only if, eager to arrange.
The bogy of their not having absolute majority in any sizeable area needs to be given a decent burial, Jews formed only 10% of the population and yet they got a sovereign state, Israel!. With the transfer of population, the Sikhs would have been in clear majority in the present Punjab and the adjoin Punjabi speaking areas or vice-versa in Pakistan. Thus, there was a strong case for creating an independent Sikh home and or a high degree of autonomy with full control over their economy, special links with foreign powers and international bodies like the UNO, and nonfederal tie up with India or Pakistan, somewhat in the nature of Quebec in Canada, In those critical times of India’s partition and independence both were only 100 willing to do so, But, for historical kinship with Hindus and other factors the Sikhs threw in their lot with India without any precondition, depending solely on the goodwill and promises made by the Congress leaders. They could never believe that immediately after becoming rulers of India, the very same leaders would enunciate and pursue a policy of betrayal and discrimination, that their holiest shrine would be destroyed and that they would be subjected to dreadful genocide and ethnic cleansing.
Reverting to the theme of this piece, it may be recalled that the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and, more specifically, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which was ratified by the Indian Government on March 27, 1979 stipulate that all people have the right of self-determination. Relevant excerpts ‘are reproduced below:
“The States Parties to the present covenant.
Considering that in accordance with the principles proclaimed in the Charier of the United Nations recognition of the inherent dignity and of equal and inalienable rights of or members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.
“Agree upon the following articles: ‘Article 1,
- All people have the right of self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic social and cultural developments.
- The States Parties to the present Covenant shall promote the realization of the right of self-determination find shall respect that right in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations, article 2.
- Each state, undertakes to respect and to ensure all individuals with in its territory and subject to its jurisdiction the that’s recognized in the present Covenant, without distinction of any kind, Such as race, color, sex, languages religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth Or other status.”
- Where not already provided for by existing legislative or other measures, each Stale Party to the present Covenant Undertakes to take the necessary steps, in accordance with its constitutional processes and with the provisions of the present Covenant, to adopt such legislative sand other measures as may be necessary to give effect to the rights recognized in the present Covenant.
At the recent 50th anniversary of the United Nations, legitimate action to realize the inalienable right to self-determination was stressed albeit with some clarifications, The declaration states that this right…shall not be construed as authorizing or encouraging any action that would dismember or impair, totally or in part, the territorial integrity or political unity of sovereign and independent states conducting themselves in compliance with the principles of equal rights and self-determination of peoples and, thus, possessed of a government representing the whole people belonging to the territory without distinction of any kind.”
This statement is likely to cause some confusion among the legitimate aspirants to exercise this right and may provide a handle to such “sovereign” states which have a horrendous record of human rights violation, brutal suppression of ethnic and religious minorities or other groups of disparate, victimized people who happened to become a part of such countries under historic compulsions. In the same Declaration of the United Nations have affirmed its resolve to promote methods and means for the peaceful settlement of disputes, The India-Sikh dispute in its totality, is a case in point. Will the UNO take cognizance of this contentious issue and evolve a mechanism whereby life, liberty and dignity of the Sikhs are not jeopardized?
The Indian State has systematically become destructive of these ends almost ever since Independence, Since the Sikhs have no representation in the world body or diplomatic links with other countries, the UNO and those nations who believe and promote the aforementioned universally accepted principles as the foundation of good ‘governance should take suo-moto notice of the plight of the Sikh people under the present dispensation, help them fulfill their aspirations and save them from the State tyranny, The dictatorship of a majority (mis) rule, which by the name of the democracy, ‘can be far worse than many a benign monarchy and dictatorship in the eras gone by.
In the context of the sum total of these historical factors and the international provisions, the Sikh contribution to the freedom movement, India’s prosperity, the brutal state repression, betrayal, discrimination and the fact that they constitute a distinct nation they are fully justified in demanding a referendum You ascertain their will whether they wish of remain a part of India or not, A simple ‘yes or ‘no” as in the recently held referendum in Quebec could serve as a model, assuming that the verdict is in favor of separation, the leaders of the two countries could work ‘out the modalities for their mutual good. In a manner of political appreciation it is visualized that the following benefits will flow out of this exercise:
*A Defense part concluding with the solemn undertaking that attack on one country would be deemed to be attack on the other, Joint planning including interlaid deployment of troops, train of Officers in institutions of either country, exercises and some commonalties in production and acquisition of military hardware. The Pact could initially be for a period of, say, 10 years renewable with or without modifications every five years.
“Free trade with minimal restrictions on movement of goods and customs duty etc. The emerging FU and NAFTA could serve as model, other countries of the region can, in time, join the arrangement.
* Open border on the US Canada pattern.
* Another important benefit that will accrue would be that Punjab as a buffer State will help keep the two traditionally antagonistic neighbors at bay. They ‘can consequently divert larger part of their budgets from defense is development hereby improving the quality of life of their poverty stricken people.
Equally important is the fact that the Sikhs who have suffered so much at the hands of the Indian State will be able to decide their own destiny, The Indians through centuries of slavery have become So unjust, inhuman, lusting for power over others, particularly the minorities that there is little possibility of their attitudinal transformation. The ‘way the Shudras have been treated by the upper castes during some five thou sand years, who virtually ruled this country, has benumbed their sensibilities. Hypocrisy, corruption, politicians, police and the criminal nexus is the rule Justice political, economic, social and even religious has been put on the back burner.
Countries which manage their political, social and secular affairs under the well-established norms, give prominence to human rights and rule of law ensuring equality to all citizens and Create an environment that none of its Constituent parts would ever seek separation, For example, none of the 50 states of the USA has ever contemplated secession.
India, like the erstwhile USSR, Yugoslavia and some so-called banana republics has grossly failed to nurture these principles. She will therefore be solely responsible for its in evitable disintegration, People all over are thoroughly disillusioned, In so many states there are armed revolts and insurgencies.
In an overall view of the prevailing scenario, there is every legitimate justification legal and moral to enable the Sikhs to exercise their right of self-determination. Moreover, it will be no Jess in the interest of India, in fact, South Asia as a whole as that of the Sikhs, Will India see reasons and thus usher in an era of peace, prosperity and harmony?
Article extracted from this publication >> December 22, 1995
