On one hand, India makes big a deal in the international arena about setting up a Human Rights Commission to deal with the justified claims of friends and family seeking information about their “disappeared” loved ones..
On the other hand, two weeks ago a human rights activist, Jaswant Singh Khalra, suspiciously disappears from in front of his home only days after giving a report to US and Canadian politicians about the 25,000 Sikhs who have mysteriously disappeared many without a trace.
His family, friends and interested parties in the US, Canada and the UK have taken up his cause. Amnesty has issued a urgent action appeal but the police still claim that they know nothing.
They are undoubtedly involved, but like the three famous monkeys they hear, see and speak nothing.
India, democracy though it claims to be, is no different than the totalitarian regimes infamous from Peru to Uganda – fear of the truth and a group of criminals is uniform have made life unbearable. But for the average citizens and for those citizens who dare to voice the truth or even an opinion that those in power do not approve of awaits an unspeakable fate that we fear is truly worse than death.
With death comes peace. Without a body to say our earthly farewells to, the thoughts of unspeakable horrors and tortures rise unbidden to everyone who is familiar with the ways of this nether world.
We add our voice to those other individuals crying for justice. And we add that it is threats to individuals such as this that result in the frustration that causes the assassination of individuals like Indira and Beant – oppressors take note! Dear Khalsa Ji,
Open letter to the Sikh Nation.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 1, 1995
