READING, England: The General Committee of the British Labour Party (Reading District) deplored the Indian government’s imposition of a virtual Iron Curtain around Punjab at its meeting held on December 4, 1986. The motion was carried by 62 votes in favour and 4 against given below is the full text of the resolution:

This Conference deplores the Indian Government’s policy of sealing off the Punjab area to the ‘media, British citizens and international organizations. This policy has led to people from the Punjab not being allowed to return and visit their families, unconfirmed reports of police and military brutality and the possibility of people in the Punjab being arrested and detained without trial on the assumption that arrest equals guilt unless proved otherwise,

  1. That the all-party delegation headed by Lord Avebury be allowed to visit the Punjab in order to assess any potential or actual violation of human rights.
  2. That the policy of not issuing visas for the Punjab be stopped.
  3. That human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and the international press and media be allowed access to the Punjab.

More and more political and human rights organizations of the World are increasingly becoming aware of the repression let loose against Sikhs in Punjab. They are beginning to realize that Sikhs in India suffer worse fate than Blacks in South Africa.

Article extracted from this publication >> December 26, 1986