From times immemorial mankind has been involved in conflict and violence bringing sorrow and tragedy to those at the receiving end of the struggle. However, leaders and soldiers have invariably prided themselves in the fact that women, children and the elderly are spared the humiliation of the conflict by an unwritten honor code.

When Alexander the Great debouched in the plains of the Punjab and soundly defeated the Indian ruler Pourus he was meticulously careful to ensure that women and children were treated with respect and due consideration.

Similarly the Christian and the Muslin armies that fought over centuries had strict orders that the women folk of the defeated armies were to be treated with respect and honor like one of their own. This tradition continues even today in otherwise ugly Iran Iraq war, Lebanon civil unrest, Arab Israeli conflict, Vietnam war and so on.

Qazi Nur Mohammad who came to India with the army of Ahmad Shah Durrani and chronicled the account of wars with the Sikhs wrote “They (the Sikhs) do not plunder their wealth and ornaments of a woman, be she well-to-do or a maidservant. They spare and respect the women of the beaten army and do not even cast an eye on the women.”

However, there is exception to every phenomenon. In the case the exception is the Indian Police, Central Reserve Police Force and Border Security Force. Several scores of authentic episodes have appeared involving the brutalization, abduction, torture and rape of Sikh women — young and old alike — who have been the victims of cowardly attacks and insults at the hands of drunken, ill-disciplined and mindless Indian police personnel.

A brief review of the accompanying reports in this edition shows as to what extent the behavior of the Indian police and paramilitary — officers and men alike — have degraded. No civilized country will tolerate such animal like behavior on the part of its uniformed force. These charges are not anyone’s figments of imagination but the conclusive findings of respected human rights groups, lawyers association, exjustices and so on.

Day after day reports are appearing about rape of teenage and old age Sikh women at the hands of Indian Police; of naked parading of innocent women folk; of gang rapes and so on. Men, especially boys, are being hunted by gangs of 50 to 60 policemen in the name of law and order. What madness is this we ask the Prime Minister of world’s so called largest democracy? What justice is this we enquire the Government of so called world’s nonviolent country? What strategy is this we demand of KPS Gill, Robeiro and Governor Ray?

When these atrocities are highlighted in the US Congress the Indian government shouts foul and accuses the Congressmen of being on the payroll of Khalistan. There is little doubt that these policies meant to shock the brave men of Punjab in to submission will prove to be counter productive for they will only strengthen the resolve of the Sikhs fighting for freedom, justice and equality. We urge the Indian government to put an immediate end to this madness.

Article extracted from this publication >>  July 21, 1989