WASHINGTON: The Indian Embassy here has strongly protested against the holding of a briefing on the issue of human rights and the Sikh situation in India in an annex of US Congress, with participation by avowed anti India secessionists. In a letter to the Human Rights Internet director Lautie Wiseberg the embassy said it was unacceptable to US that you should hold a briefing on the subject. The embassy asserted that the Sikhs have always constituted and have been regarded as one of the greatest of the many communities that enrich the society and culture of the pluralism that is India. The embassy refused to take part in the briefing on the ground that such actions do not help the process of an amicable settlement to the problem. The briefing was held under the aegis of the congressional human rights caucus, a public interest lobbying group and the minority rights group, in collaboration with a Washington based organization, Human Rights Internet. The meeting was attended by Khalistan protagonists addressed by Sikh community spokesman Ralph Singh. Well informed sources here feel that the purpose of the meeting was to pave the way for a full-fledged hearing by US Congress on Punjab and to create diplomatic and political embarrassment for India prior to the June visit to the US by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Claiming to speak on behalf of the Sikh community, Mr. Ralph Singh accused the Indian government of violating human rights of the Sikhs in Punjab. He told the gathered members of the various associations that Sikhs in Punjab could at any time be subjected to an arbitrary interrogation by the security forces. He also said that the entire male population of Punjab was wiped out, stating that it will take 20 years for an eligible bachelor to appear. Prof Leo Rose of the University of California, who according to the sponsoring associations appeared on behalf of the state department, told the gathered participants at the briefing that the Sikh population living abroad should not focus on creating trouble.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 4, 1990
