NEW YORK: The protest week organized by the W.S.0. before the United Nations Headquarters here ended on September 25, 1987. The protest was started on September 21 with Ardas by Bhai Sahib Giani Gurdeep Singh. The first batch of five persons comprised Dr. Manohar Singh Grewal, President, S. Ji Singh Mangat, President Sikh Cultural Society, New York, S. Ajit Singh Azat, Bhai Sahib Giani Gurdeep Singh and Bhai Gurmel Singh.
Besides nearly thirty other volunteers also participated in the sit down protests, Pamphlets highlighting the Sikh problem were distributed and pictures of Indian repression and killing of Sikhs mounted on card-boards were displayed The Sit in Strike and the Candle Light Vigil were fully converted by the news media. President Reagan and Nancy Reagan waved to the Sikh strikers as they drove past to address the 42nd UN. session.
- representatives of some other countries also visited the strikers and evinced considerable interest in the Sikh plight. The following press release was issued by the W.S.O. Secretariat:
“We are assembled in front of the United Nations today and throughout this week (o peacefully protest the gross violations of human rights against the Sikhs and other minorities in India.
Since the Indian Army attack on the Golden Temple, on June 6, 1984, tens of thousands of Sikhs have been brutally killed. Special Black Laws have been enacted in the state of Punjab, where most Sikhs live. Trials are held in secret and the accused mostly Sikhs, have to prove their innocence. Thousands of Sikhs have been in prison since 1984, without trial either on suspicion of crimes or because of their political activities. Sikhsare routinely interrogated by means of torture, and those who speak of freedom for Sikhs are murdered in alleged police encounters”, on the false pretext of being “terrorists”, All of the Sikh leaders who were sympathetic to the Sikh cause have been Jailed.
Punjab is virtually occupied by army and paramilitary forces who inflict tyranny and oppression on the people. The free press of the world is restricted from entering Punjab. Also, special permission is Required for foreigners who wish to enter the state, which most of the time is denied. Those who are allowed to go are harassed, and terrorized by the paramilitary forces and the Central Reserve Police Force.
Over four decades ago in 1945, the United Nations Charter en-shrined “the faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of human person, in equal rights of men and women and nations large and small”. These fundamental human rights are being denied to Sikhs and other minorities in India.
We appeal to the United Nations Human Rights Commission
- Discuss the issue of the human rights violations of Sikhs and other minorities in India.
- Send an investigating team to ‘expose the human rights violations which the Indian government is trying to hide.
- Impress upon the Indian government to allow the world press to report freely from Punjab to bring the truth to the world,
In the words of Elie Weisel, “What hurts the victims most is not the cruelty of the opressor but the silence of the bystander”.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 2, 1987
