BRAMPTON: The Sikh Human Rights Group this week gave a statement at the 52nd Commission of Human Rights at Geneva, Switzerland. The United Nations was informed about the situation in Punjab and the quest for self-determination by the Sikhs.
‘The statement raised concerns about the dispute in Punjab. It said that the Sikhs have a desire to protect their cultural, economic and political future through a self-determined political status in South Asia. The Sikhs have an inherent democratic structure and concept of nationhood that promote communal harmony and human rights standards sought by the U.N. ‘The Sikhs of Punjab do not share the cultural, linguistic, historical and political concepts of the Indian state, The U.N, was also informed that Currently the Indian government as ‘surnes its legitimacy over Punjab while the Sikhs dispute it. The Indian state refuses to discuss or allow any peaceful resolution of the matter except on its own terms. The Commission was told that the Sikhs seek a peaceful resolution to the Punjab problem. Presently it appears that the U.N.O. offers no solutions to the problems in Punjab.
Article I of the International Covenant on economic, social and cultural rights clearly states that all the people have the right to self-determination and freely determine their political future and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural developments. The Indian government continues to deny this right to the people of Punjab.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 27, 1996
