NEW YORK, NY: “KHALISTAN”, thundered over a thousand voices, including those of 250 representatives of 35 organizations from United Kingdom, Canada and United States, declaring the independent sovereign State for the Sikhs, as their only goal and discussing means of achieving their own nation, in an unusual demonstration of unity of goal and purpose, at the Panthic Conference held at Sikh Cultural Society, Richmond Hill here on January 27,
The Panthic Conference unanimously adopted resolutions asserting the “inalienable fundamental right of self-determination (of the Sikhs) as enshrined in the UN Charter, asking the Government of India to “peacefully withdraw military and paramilitary forces from Sikh Homeland immediately,” readiness to negotiate on boundary and “transfer of power to the representatives of Sikhs,” expectation from all newly elected Sikh members” to actively strive for the establishment of an independent sovereign Sikh state, and seeking to establish peaceful and friendly relations with the international community of nations.
A resolution extended “full support to Kashmir National Liberation for its struggle to achieve freedom for the Kashmiris and urge the Sikh police and military personnel to refuse to participate in the massacre of the innocent Kashmiri men and women. Another resolution paid tributes to Bhai Harminder Singh Sandhu and Jathedar Jagdev Singh Khudian, while the last took strong objection to the writings of Dr. W H McLeod.
Common strands of the reaffirmation of the demand for Khalistan, the need to support organizations fighting for Khalistan the unity of purpose of various Panthic organizations, the importance and need for the media like the World Sikh News, the role of lobbying, the need for greater exposure of the Sikh religion in international enclaves, role of the Sikhs in their adopted countries and their role in helping their brethren in Punjab, and solidarity with the Kashmiri freedom struggle, wove themselves into a resolute cable of action.
They had come from far and wide; they represented the diversity of the community in their dress, in their mannerisms, in their attire, in their speech, occupations and academic backgrounds, but were united when it came to deciding that the future of the Sikh nation was inalienably in its freedom and sovereignty-in Khalistan.
Jagjit Singh Mangat, President of the Sikh Cultural Society compared the situation in Punjab with that of Europe. He said “We will also throw off the yoke of the oppressor just as the Eastern European countries have done, but we have to unite for that and we have to give a common message. This is why we are gathered here. He then gave the guidelines of the conference.
Prof Gurcharan Singh, of the Sikh Heritage Foundation who was the stage secretary then addressed the ‘congregation. The political map of South Asia 1s soon going to change with two new countries, Khalistan and Kashmir, he declared.
Tape recorded messages from both the Panthic Committees of Baba Wassan Singh and Baba Wadhawa Singh Babbar in which they conveyed their greetings to the sangat and said that those fighting the battle of Khalistan appreciated the help and support of the foreign based Panthic Sikhs. They also lauded the effort made by the Sikh Cultural Society in hosting this conference, and their support to the freedom movement.
Another recorded message of Dr. Jagjit Singh Chauhan, from London was also played. In this he lauded the efforts of the participants in articulating the views of the Sikh majority in three nations and in sending a message of unity to India.
Ajit Singh Kera of the Sikh
Information Center in London, UK said that the diverse organizations were the strength of the Khalsa Panth. He said that Sikh intellectuals in US need to lead in preparing and presenting the case of Khalistan to the rest of the world. “Governments are not afraid of militants because they can crush them, political process has to be organized in Punjab,” he added. Do not be afraid of diversity. What did the Akalis achieve for us in 60 years they were our sole representatives.
Jit Singh Bainiwal of the Babbar Khalsa International in California stressed on the need for Khalistan. Gurdeep Singh Sohal the Governor General Khalistan said that the Sikhs could not negotiate for anything less than the final goal of Khalistan. “We have been granted the boon of Gursikhi during the present struggle, let us strive to be Gursikhs,” he added.
Gurdev Singh Gill of the Punjab Human Rights Organization Canada said that there was no solution under the present constitution. Despite the new government, he pointed out that 13 Sikh youths were killed by the police on January 13 in apparent retaliation of the assassination of SSP Gobind Ram.
Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh of the Council of Khalistan said Khalistan was the only goal of the Sikhs. “A Sikh leader who says that we can live in India is a traitor. Freedom is our birthright.” He spoke of how 800,000 Kashmiris had defied the curfew in Srinagar and how Kashmiris and Sikhs had demonstrated at the residence of Indian ambassador Karan Singh on January 26.
Dr. Gurinder Singh Grewal of the World Sikhs News said “if we don’t identify with the freedom fighters, we will not get Khalistan, the Govt is more afraid of the freedom fighters than the resolution we pass here, He thanked the Sikhs who had attended the hearing in the extradition case of Sukhvinder Singh and Ranjit Singh Gill and paid a tribute to their contribution in the movement. “Unity is of thought, purpose, and work as we can see now. If someone says unite, he means unite under my banner.”
He said that the World Sikh News worked to dispel the misinformation which the Indian government spread about the Sikhs. He pointed out that it was amongst the few, if not the only Sikh paper since Ahluwalia Gazzette in 1876, which had lasted beyond five years. We want you to support us and point out our mistakes, he added. Congressmen like Wally Herger and N, Shumway, and attorneys fighting cases of political asylum of the Sikhs had also lauded the role of the paper, he pointed out. Only the people within the country can liberate it, as they did in Iran, outside help is being given to Afghanistan, but they have yet to succeed, he added.
Gumam Singh Pamma of the Council of Khalistan, California said no one person can accomplish this monumental task. We should increase love and avoid competition and one-upmanship.
Tejinder Singh a member of the Panthic Committee from Canada said that we should not expect any foreign government to help us, we have to help the freedom fighters financially, we should send at least our Daswands (tithes) to the freedom fighters.
Gurdev Singh Gill of the Babbar Khalsa in United Kingdom said “The freedom fighters have given their lives for you, no one has been able to crush the Sikhs, but we must face up to our own responsibilities.”
Didar Singh Bains, the founder president of the World Sikh Organization of California, said that all the Sikhs have to be united in their fight for Khalistan. He said the Sikhs in US had been lobbying with the Congressmen for 10 years as a result of which many of them understood the plight of the Sikhs and were speaking for them in the halls of the Congress.
Sewa Singh Lalli, the Acting President of Khalistan Government-in-Exile, in United Kingdom made a powerful plea for the united action by the expatriate Sikh community so as to provide a united front for Khalistan.
Gurcharan Singh Dhillon president of the World Sikh Organization USA said that the Sikhs had to thank whoever was supporting the freedom struggle. He reiterated that the WSO stood for the establishment of Khalistan, Our struggle is not only for religious freedom but for sovereignty. WSO is committed to achieve freedom.
Ahmed Shaikh of the Kashmir Association of North America said, “the Sikhs have Allah’s hand on them, Aurangzeb could not do anything to them, neither could the British, and nor can the Brahmins.” He said that he was sorry that the Kashmiris did not support the Sikhs in 1984, but we need your support now. He made a fervent plea for the gathering to adopt a resolution asking Sikh soldiers and Para military personnel not to attack Kashmiris in India and to help them instead.
Shaikh, displaying the November 10 issue of the World Sikh News, said he had been tremendously moved by the photograph of a torture victim published in the paper. This was my son, he declared, comparing the role of the WSN with that of the Dawn newspaper in Pakistan’s independence. “WSN is your paper, support it, subscribe to four copies to support it, don’t grudge if it does not print your name or photograph.”
He said that Nankana Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan should be given a Vatican status. Referring to the Indian regime, he said “they are fascists, they are going to attack us and afterwards, they will attack you. We will join with the Khalsa army to attack the Indian army and take their surrender in Amritsar, he declared. Slogans for Azad Kashmir and Khalistan raised by the Sangat resounded in the room.
Prof Gurcharan Singh, in his remarks, said that Kashmir and Khalistan would soon be two independent nations in South Asia.
Surinder Pal Singh Kalra, of the World Sikh Organization Chicago said that the Sikh nation equivocally rejected India and stood for Khalistan. He said that VP Singh had not supported the Sikhs in 1984 and his election would not help the Sikhs at all.
Mehar Singh of Sikh American Foundation Des Moines, Iowa said the Sikhs had the resources and needed to channelize them into support for the Sikh freedom fighters and the victims, lobbying in the Congress, exposing human right violations, helping the Sikh media especially the World Sikh News, teaching our heritage and culture to the Sikh children, working in the mainstream of American life, co-ordination the efforts of different organizations, and registering as Sikhs in the 1990 census.
He said that each Sikh should get 20-25 people to subscribe to the World Sikh News and narrated how he had personally written a note in his new year’s greeting cards asking all his friends and relatives to subscribe. “I got more than 100 subscriptions,” he said.
Surinder Singh Chauhan of the Guru Nanak Foundation, Cleveland OH said “Let us not criticize each other, we all have to work for a common goal, we all should endeavor to become Sant Sipahis.”
Dr.Jasbir Singh Mann of the Sikh Community of North America Los Angeles informed the sangat of how Sikhism was being studied and taught from the sociological and another topological point of view rather than the religious one. He said that Sikhism was a distinct religion and works like those of W.H. McLeod were an attack on the Sikhs. He also narrated how a conference had been organized at Berkeley to present the Sikh point view and a book “Advanced Studies on Sikhism” was compiled from those papers.
Amolak Singh of New Orleans who is Vice President of the World ‘Sikh Organization made a fervent plea for unity and Khalistan. He stressed on the contributions of the Sikh youth including those who are incarcerated in the US like Dr. Gurpratap Singh Birk, Sukhvinder Singh and Ranjit Singh Gill.
Rajwant Singh Secretary of the Guru Gobind Singh Foundation, MD said that Khalistan was the only goal of the Sikhs. He stressed on the importance of interfaith activities and told the gathering of his recent visit to Moscow to attend the First International Forum on Human Survival at which he met Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and UN Secretary General, Perez De Cuellar.
Dr. Manohar Singh Grewal of the New England Sikh Study Circle MA said that Khalistan would be established soon and that the Sikhs needed to united and presents a common front.
Nashatar Singh Chohan of the Khalistan Council in Ontario Canada reiterated that Khalistan was the only goal of the Sikhs.
Harbhajan Singh Gill Coordinator of the Sikh Youth Of USA in his speech, spoke of how Sikh youth were being massacred by the Indian government. He also introduced Sukhdev Singh who had been released on a $50,000 bond by the INS. Money for the bond was gathered by the Sikh youth.
Baldev Singh, a trustee of the Sikh Cultural Society thanked the delegates who had attended the conference on behalf of the society. He put the struggle of independence of the Sikhs in a historical perspective and said, “We should respect every organization of freedom fighters which is working for us,” He expressed his surprise at Simiranjit Singh Mann’s statement that he wanted sovereignty within India, “We have to ask ourselves, do we give the give the leaders the right to decide our future or not?” he said, adding that V.P. Singh’s government was old wine in new bottles noting that VP Singh and his cabinet members like Arun Nehru had not condemned the army invasion of Golden Temple, and indeed the latter had played the role of a chaperon to shut the mouth of the then president Zail Singh during his visit to the devastated Golden Temple.
Those who also addressed the issues of concern to the community also included, Dr. Nau Nihal Singh Grewal of Dasmesh Academy and Sikh Missionary Center MD, Balwant Singh Goraya of the Guru Nanak Foundation MD, Ujagar Singh of the Sikh Youth Federation of North America, Ram Rashpal Singh of the Sikh Federal Credit Union, Labh Singh Bhangu of Mid-Hudson Sikh Cultural Society, Kuldip Singh Sodhi of the Ontario Federation of Sikhs, Sujit Singh of the Niagra Frontier Sikh Society, and Professor Uday Singh of Buffalo.
Sikh Human Rights Internet UK, Singh Sabha Of New York, Columbia University Sikh Students Association, Garden State Sikh Association NJ, Sri Guru Singh Sabha NJ, Sikh Students Association at City University of New York, and Sikh Generations Magazine, participated
Article extracted from this publication >> February 2, 1990
