OTTAWA: New Democratic Deputy leader Nelson Riis MP (Kamloops) rose in the House of Commons on June 10 and made a statement on the on-going persecution of Sikhs by the Indian government.
Mr. Riis remarks were as follows:”
“Mr. Speaker Canada is home to the largest population of Sikhs living outside of India Canadian Sikhs have declared this week as a week of mourning in commemoration of those who lost their lives during the vicious attack by the Indian army on the Golden Temple of Amritsar that took place on June 4,1984.
“The Indian governments two day military assault resulted in the death of thousands of Sikh men women and children.
“To this day the Indian Government continues to engage in activities that violate the most fundamental of human rights. Amnesty International reports that Sikh prisoners have been detained for months or years without trials that incidents of torture during interrogation are common and that the arrest and detention of some detainees remains unacknowledged for weeks or months. This is a damning record for a Country that bills itself as the world’s largest democracy.
“Mr. Speaker Canada has very good relations with India. 1 would ask the Minister of External Af fairs to urge the Indian government to cease its persecution of Indian Sikhs. Indias actions against its own population are deplorable and thought should be given that Present or future bilateral aid to India is made conditional on the commitment of the Indian government to solve its internal problems peacefully”
Article extracted from this publication >> July 3, 1992
