By Rajwant Singh

WASHINGTON: Mr. Dalbara Singh Gill, secretary of PHRO was the guest speaker at the National Press Club as the morning News maker. This was the first time that a Sikh human rights activists was invited by the National Press Club.

While addressing the room full of reporters and free-lance writers, Mr. Gill said in his opening re marks that “In Punjab, the present socio political situation is the direct outcome of the demand for self-determination by the Sikhs on one side and its suppression by the dark forces of the Indian State on the other, which have become a point of clash and bloodshed in Punjab and for the Sikhs elsewhere in India”.

He added, “although, as a who le, an overwhelming majority of the Indian people lack freedom of conscience (the fundamental right and primary urge of every individual), the down trodden and minorities including the Sikhs are the worst sufferers in this area”.

Comment on Violence

When asked about the violence used by Sikh activists, Ms. Gill responded, “state terrorism has resulted in active resistance by few individuals, At the same time, the right to peacefully agitate or demonstrate has been taken away by the state. The ruling party at the center increasingly used state violence to “settle” the matters in Punjab that could best be sorted out otherwise, Lawless laws are made to suppress and crush democracy in Punjab. The most dreaded of these undemocratic legislations is the 59th amendment to the Indian constitution which empowers the center to impose emergency in Punjab.”

Reports of torture and state repression

Answering the question on repression, Gill stated, “Indescribable methods of torture like rolling wooden logs on the legs, putting chilies in private parts and in eyes, hanging from the ceiling upside down, giving electric shocks, sexual abuse especially on Sikh women have been introduced. Large scale “arrests”, disappearances” and killings of dozen of Sikh to the everyday are the height of the State repression. PHRO receives Daily at least 2 telegrams reporting cases of illegal detention by the Police”.

“Fake Encounters”

  1. Gill further stated that, “there have been extrajudicial killings and tortures even in judicial lock ups. Four marked Sikh Youths were killed in Sangrur jail. Many Sikh activist leaders were taken out from different jails and murdered after showing them to have escaped from police custody during transit which has been reported by PHRO.” He added that, “the secretive pro government death Squads are operating in Punjab which has been assigned the job of assassinating Sikh activists which has been admitted officially by J.F. Ribeiro, a former to Punjab Governor. This has been reported by N.Y. Times on June 12, 1988.” PHRO has also investigated a case of another undercover agent who. had admitted of carrying out the massacre of Hindus in Lalru, Har yana to malign the Sikh movement.”

“Suppressed judiciary”

While answering the question on judicial system, Mr Gill, said, “It has been estimated by the PHRO that more than 8,000 Sikhs belonging to all shades of opinion are detained in prisons for more than 3 years without trial, the tight of bail, the jurisdiction of the state High Courts to try these cases have been taken away. Fair trial is not possible in face of these draconian legislations, The world known concept of criminal jurisprudence that a person is presumed to be innocent unless proved other wise, has been turned on its head and onus has been laid on the individual to prove his innocence.” He further, added, “that the judiciary have not been spared. It has been terrorized into silence and subordination due to certain policies, interferences, and enactments by the central government of dreaded legislations which have curbed the powers of the judiciary”.

Sikh women being tortured

Further stating facts of police repression, Gill added, “Operation Humiliation,” in which massive aggression on the Sikh women had been launched by the police and security forces. He declared that, “we have evidence on how women have been made to suffer abuses in public, in the presence of their family members. They are taken to police stations where they are stripped naked and paraded before their male relatives. In some cases they were gang raped by the police. “Details of these abuses are described in the recent report,” The Rape of Punjab” issued by PHRO”.

“PHRO members harassed”

Answering the question whether he has been harassed, Gill said, that, “my house has been raided the day I left for London. My wife was harassed afterwards. The police intelligence officer in charge of keeping track of my activities has been suspended”. Many other PHRO members have been harassed and in some cases put in the jails and harassed.” I might be, he added, harassed the day I land in Delhi”.

Punjab Polls

Gill answered the question on Punjab polls, by saying, “the Polls in Punjab are not likely to change the situation because any government in Punjab will be a puppet ‘one which cannot solve the issues. People of Punjab want change in the present set up.” He was then asked what if there is a plebiscite by the U.N. where would the people of Punjab vote he said, ”Sikhs most Likely will opt for separate state”.

Article extracted from this publication >>  December 8, 1989