H.E.Prime Minister P.V.

Narasimha Rao

Your Excellency,

I am writing to express my grave concern over recent arrest of Justice Ajit Singh Bains (Retd), Chairman of the Punjab Human Rights Organization and Lt. Col. Partap Singh (Retd.), President of the Khalsa Raj Party and author of Khalistan; The only solution

Justice Ajit Singh Bains was abducted near his home in Chandigarh at 10:30 am Friday morning (April3) by Indian police. No arrest warrant was produced; the Justice was not informed of the charges brought against him. He was slapped and publicly humiliated by the police. His house was searched despite the fact that police had no search warrant. According to G.S. Grewal, senior Advocate (former Advocate General, Punjab) Justice Bains told him that he was prevented from taking his heart medicine and from bathing.

Justice Bains has worked extensively on human rights and has travelled not only within India but also to North America and Europe and is well known for his work. Justice Bains came to this country about two years ago and met several of my colleagues in the Parliament where he informed us about the human right violations of Sikhs in Punjab.

Indian governments have rejected the entry of Amnesty International for the last 14 years by Stating that India has its own local civil liberties groups. But if this kind of treatment is given to the Chairman of a well-recognized Human Rights Organization, who also happens to be none other than a retired Justice of your own country’s High Court, then it does send a wrong signal to the rest of the world. This incident does indeed raise a question to mind that if this could happen to such an influential person, what would be the plight of the common man in Punjab,

The manner in which Justice Bains was abducted by police becomes more pertinent as only a few months back Justice Bains received a death threat from the Indian police warning him to cease his human right activities (“Congressional Record” January 3,1992).

Lt.Col. Partap Singh was arrested Friday morning (April 3,1992). Sources indicate that the 64 year old retired Colonel is being tortured by Punjab police,

Col. Partap Singh came here last September at the invitation of International Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) for a conference and also he met various members of the Foreign Affairs Committee, among others, where he presented the Sikh case. Having just returned from an extended ‘stay in the United States where he published the book Khalistan; The

Only solution  a brief hi fit Sikh freedom struggle, Col. Partap Singh was arrested and charged under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act (TADA), This I  understand was in response of his formally declaring the formation of the Khalsa Raj Party on May 15,1991. The party’s goal is the formation of a free an independent Khalistan. Its means were clearly stated as peaceful, democratic and non-violent.

According to the rules of free, democratic societies, Col. Partap Singh broke no law. Rather, he exercised his democratic right to free speech. Despite this, Col. Partap Singh was charged with a host of crimes under the Indian Penal Code and the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA).

As you are aware, India’s TADA laws fall far short of international standards for the protection of individual civil and human nights. The United Nations Human Rights Committee called them “disturbing” and “completely unacceptable.”

Human rights are a global and not a national issue. Furthermore as Norway and India are trading partners and India is one of our major Aid-receiving Countries, we strongly feel it to be our moral duty to act on these issues. As a Chairman of Foreign Affairs Committee of Norwegian Parliament, it disturbs me greatly to see that fundamental rights of these people are violated.

In view of these facts, Your Excellency, I am compelled to admonish the Indian government for its violation of human rights. As individuals who hold in the highest regard only those governments which respect political, religious and human rights, I request that the Indian government cease its blatant discrimination against the Sikhs.

Both Justice Ajit Singh Bains and Lt.Col ,Partap Singh are well respected people in Sikh community. Their maltreatment is well known; Amnesty International has been informed of both cases and at this writing has already sent out an “Urgent Action” report of the case of Justice Bains. I request you to release these gentlemen immediately, as their detentions are unjust. I also demand that no harm be brought to either of these two gentlemen. They have worked for freedom and human rights in a peaceful, legal manner.

Gunnar Skaug Chairman of Foreign Affairs Committee

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