Continued war mongering between India and Pakistan, which has reached fever pitch since 26/11 has brought about a rare unity amongst Sikh groups from Punjab and across the world seeking intervention of the international community, particularly the United Nations for building public opinion against war between the two countries and usage of nuclear arsenal of the two countries built up by them over the decades.
Making their intentions absolutely clear in unmistakably direct terms, the document submitted by a consortium of 36 Sikh organisations from Punjab, United Kingdom, Canada, Europe and the United States to the Indian, Pakistani and French Embassies on 26 January, calls for immediate de-escalation of the hostile rhetoric between the two countries and urging the international community to do exert diplomatic pressure enabling the two countries to engage in dialogue and avert war, which is likely to bring about nuclear catastrophe in the region, particularly in the homeland of the Sikhs –Punjab.
The Sikh nation, presently sandwiched between the two warring cultures, stands for universal peace and brotherhood. Historically we have been wronged a lot and the present war hysteria, which presents a dangerous situation for the entire region, is likely to engage the Sikh people in their severest test ever and is also likely to annihilate thousands of innocent people on both sides of the Radcliffe line, but the majority of the brunt is likely to be borne by the Sikhs and Punjabis.
Advocate activist Ranjit Singh Srai, who was instrumental in bringing about this rare feat amongst the Sikhs said that, "Sikhs are looking for the UN to intervene on their behalf if the Indian government fails to act on their demands."
The 36 Sikh organisations which submitted the Appeal
American Gurdwara Prabandakh Committee, Anti-defamation Sikh Council for Freedom of Khalistan, USA, Baba Banda Singh Bahadhur Society Abbotsford, Canada, Council of Khalistan, Dal Khalsa International, UK, Daljit Singh Bittu, Presidium Member, Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) (Panch Pardhani), Punjab, Dr. Amarjit Singh, Director, Khalistan Affairs Centre, Washington DC, USA, Gurdwara Sahib Kalgidhar Darbar, Abbotsford, Canada, Gurdwara Sahib Dasmesh Darbar, Surrey Canada, International Sikh Youth Federation (Germany), Italy Sikh Council, Justice (Retd.) Ajit Singh Bains, Convenor, Punjab Human Rights Organisation, Kanwarpal Singh, Political Affairs Spokesman, Dal Khalsa, Punjab, Kashmir Singh, Gen-Secretary, British Sikh Federation, Khalistan Government in exile, Khalsa Human Rights, UK, Kulwant Singh Dhesi, British Sikh Council, Mohkam Singh, Convenor Khalsa Action Committee, Punjab, Narain Singh, Shiromani Sikh Council International, Punjab, National Council of Gurdwaras, UK, National Sikh Committee Italy, Navkiran Singh, Advocate, General Secretary, Lawyers for Human Rights International, Punjab, Ontario Gurdwara Committee (OGC), Canada, Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), UK, Shiromani Akali Dal (Punj Pardhani), Canada, Shiromani Akali Dal (Punj Pardhani), France, Shiromani Sikh Council, UK, Sikh Council of Belgium, Sikh Federation (UK), Sikh Foundation Switzerland, Sikh Secretariat, UK, Sikh Youth of America, Simranjit Singh Mann, President, Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), Punjab, United Sikh Federation, Canada, Voices for Freedom, Young Sikhs (UK).
He further pointed that leaving nothing to chance, the list of demands has been forwarded to various UN forums in Geneva as well. On behalf of the multifarious religious, social, human rights and political bodies of the Sikh Nation, the urgent appeal was presented to the embassies in London by Amrik Singh Gill, President Sikh Federation (UK), Amrik Singh Sahota, OBE, President, Council of Khalistan, Balbir Singh, Shiromani Sikh Council, UK, Councillor Gurdial Singh Atwal, Chairman, Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), UK and Co-ordinator SAD(A) International Committee, Gurmej Singh Gill, Prime Minister, Khalistan Government in Exile and Manmohan Singh, Vice-President Dal Khalsa International.
"Neither India nor Pakistan has been willing to sign up to the UN\'s non-proliferation regime or unilaterally renounce their nuclear weapons capabilities in order to create a nuclear weapons-free South Asia, underlining their willingness to use such weapons. The Sikhs, for whom the consequences are unimaginable, therefore have no alternative but to appeal to the international community to take immediate steps to stop yet another calamity imminently befalling them" says the well-drafted appeal.
Spelling out the need for such a united step by the Sikhs, the spokesperson said that, Sikhs stood for peace in the Indian sub-continent and wanted the two countries to resolve all disputes politically, taking into account the aspirations of the Sikh nation. He said that if it is not so done as part of a conflict-resolution process, the geo-political situation has the full potential to degenerate into a Gaza-type human rights nightmare for the Sikh people in their homeland Punjab.
Tracing the track of Sikh sufferings from 1947 to the present times, the appeal condemns the consistent denial of the right to self-determination to the Sikhs, upholds Sikh nationhood and proclaims that "Until those sovereign rights are restored, which we submit will help provide an enduring solution to the problems of the region as a whole, it is the duty of the international community to deliver that protection and prevent the potential annihilation of the world's fifth largest religion."
Speaking for Sikhs, Muslims, Christians and all others living in this region, this urgent action appeal categorically asks "The UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, the UN Human Rights Commission and other UN bodies to establish a dialogue with Indian and Pakistani leaders to make them fully aware of their human rights obligations towards the Sikhs and to formally warn those leaderships that any breach of international law or mass rights violations in this context will result in action by a duly constituted criminal court."
When was the last time you came across such a unified Sikh effort? It surely calls for commendation by the Sikhs in Punjab and the Sikh Diaspora across the globe which is ever anxious about the political situation at ground zero in the Sikh homeland.
28 January 2009
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