STOCKTON: Only days after agreeing to let Amnesty International within its borders to investigate human rights violations, India has rescinded this order claiming that the organization was invited only for talks in New Delhi and Not to investigate atrocities in Punjab and Kashmir,
This new development comes at a time when India, trying to quell the demand for freedom by Sikhs in Punjab and Muslims in Kashmir, seeks to conceal its abominable human rights record from the rest of the world.
India declared Kashmir a “disturbed area.”
Now the police are given the power to shoot to kill.
Rajiv Gandhi, leader of the opposition party has told students, “Take to the streets, stage a sit in at the airport, but on no account should you let Amnesty International investigators to enter the country.” As former Prime Minister, Mr. Gandhi has a vested interest in keeping human rights monitors from investigating India. He knows full well the atrocities committed against Sikhs. Under the new V.P. Singh regime, Mr. Gandhi’s death squad apparatus is still intact and the number of extrajudicial killings by police in Punjab have increased since Mr. Singh took power.
Indian forces even opened fire on Muslim mourners attending the funeral of religious leader, Maulvi Mohammed Farooq, killing at least 150 and injuring over 400.
Though India likes to call itself “the world’s largest democracy,” it seems that liberty is reserved only for upper caste Hindus. Sikhs, Muslims, Christians and lower caste Hindus are not to be included in this “democracy.” In India it is against the law to even speak of Khalistan, the free and sovereign ‘Sikh homeland. According to The Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act (TADA) of 198 7, if you are a Sikh and you question, “whether directly or indirectly and territorial integrity of India,” you are subject to arrest including torture and, all too often, death. What kind of democracy denies the basic right of free expression?
Major General Narinder Singh, Vice Chairman of the Punjab Human Rights Organization has been repeatedly denied a passport by the Indian government. What kind of a democracy denies the freedom of movement?
Over 3000 Sikhs were arrested on June 6, 1990 as they tried to make their way to their own Golden Temple to pay homage to those Sikhs who died there in the June 1984 Indian Government attack on the shrine. Among those arrested were, again Major General Narinder Singh; Justice Ajit Singh Bains, Chairman of the Punjab Human Rights Organization; Bhai Manjit Singh, leader of the Sikh Student Federation; and two Members of Parliament, Simranjit ‘Singh Mann and Bimal Kaur KhaIsa. What sort of a democracy prevents people from entering their own place of worship?
Retired army major, Baldev Singh Ghuman was gunned down in front of his home on June 28, 1990 by plain clothed Indian agents driving unmarked cars and armed with automatic weapons. What kind of democracy kills its own army veterans?
Sikh Member of Parliament, Simranjit Singh Mann was just recently released from an Indian prison after five years of torture which included electrical shocks being applied to his genitals. What kind of democracy tortures political prisoners for five years, detaining them without trial and without bringing charges against them.
Apparently India has quite a bit to hide from Amnesty International. The world, however, is beginning to realize the despotic character of the regime.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 31, 1990
