Memorandum
Legal advisor to Sikhs for Justice (SFJ)
Re: Genocidal Events of November 1984 in India.
Sub: Intervene On Behalf 30,000 Sikhs Murdered In November 1984 By Congress Party Of India.
Date: November 1st, 2010.
Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) is a US based non-profit, human rights organization, striving to disseminate true and correct information, statistics, figures and data regarding the Genocide of Sikhs (1984-1998) that took place in India with particular emphasis on the genocidal events of November 1984. SFJ with the help of Sikh Gurudwaras (Temples) of North America is working to bring international community, International Human Organizations and Governments to on a common platform to recognize the Sikh Genocide (1984-1998).
We write today to bring to your attention the continuous denial of justice to victims of November 1984 Sikh Genocide; plight of thousands of women who lost their male family members during the genocidal events of November 1984 and practice of impunity by the Indian Government towards the members and leaders of Congress Party of India who were directly responsible for organizing and perpetrating the murder of Sikh men, rape of Sikh women, attack on Sikh Gurudwaras and looting of Sikh properties throughout India and particularly in Delhi during November 1984.
During the first four days of November 1984, the self proclaimed secular democracy, started witnessing what was later to be termed by Indian Government as spontaneous “Anti Sikh Riots” and the world was hoodwinked into believing that Sikhs were killed in Delhi alone. In fact, Sikhs were targeted and killed in 100 cities of 18 states of India. In the states where Sikhs were attacked, Congress (I) was the ruling party at that time. The pattern of attacks; the modus operandi of violence; the connivance of police and local administrations; the timing and duration of violent attacks and identity of victims, was strikingly similar in Delhi and Agartala, two cities situated more than 1600 miles apart.
The saga doesn’t end here and the aftermath is even worse. During more than quarter of a century after the attacks, the successive Indian Governments have done nothing except shielding the leaders of congress party; police and administration official and hampering the investigations by forming toothless committees and commissions.
During this whole time, the perpetration of Sikh Genocide (1984-1998) has been systematically covered up by denial of access to international human rights organizations into India and particularly into Punjab, homeland and the epicenter of Sikh Genocide (1984-1998). As recent as June 2009, delegation of US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCRIF) who wants to visit different Indian cities to assess the state of affairs vis-à-vis religious minorities of India was denied visa by the Indian Government.
Kamal Nath, against whom a lawsuit in pending in a US Court for his participation in attack on Gurudwara Rakab Ganj and murder of Sikhs during November 1984 continues to be a member of the cabinet of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh highlighting the practice of impunity by government of India.
What happened and is happening to Sikh population of India shocks the human conscience and is in blatant violation of Charter of United Nations, UN Human Rights Declaration; UN convention on the punishment and prevention of the crime of Genocide; UN Treaty on civil and political rights; and several other UN treaties and resolutions.
The Sikhs deserve and demand that United Nations as protector and savior of human rights of all peoples, act and intervene on behalf of Sikhs and:
- Recognize that November 1984 massacre of Sikhs was genocide as defined Article 2 of UN Convention on Prevention and Punishment of Genocide.
- That genocidal events of November 1984 require an India-wide judicial inquiry to unravel the true and accurate scale of mayhem.
- That all perpetrators, organizers, collaborators and those who participated by way of commission or omission in genocidal events of November 1984 including workers and leaders of Indian National Congress (Congress-I), be charged, prosecuted and punished through the courts of law.
- That Government of India be asked to allow international human rights organizations to enter and work in India and particularly in the state of Punjab.
Gurpatwant S Pannun
Legal Advisor, Sikhs For Justice
Supported and Endorsed By:
NEW YORK
Gurudwara Sikh Cultural Society, Richmond Hill – Gurudwara Baba Makhan Shah Lobana Sikh Centre, Richmond Hill – Gurudwara Sikh Center of New York, Flushing – Gurudwara Singh Sabha of New York (Bowne St.), Flushing – Gurudwara Sant Sagar, Bellerose – Khalsa (Flushing School), Queens Village – Gurudwara Mata Sahib Kaur Glen Cove, Long Island – Gurudwara Guru Gobind Singh Sikh Center, Plainview – Ramgharia Sikh Society, Richmond Hill – Gurudwara Sant Baba Majha Singh, South Ozone Park – Gurudwara Shri Guru Ravidass Temple, Woodside – Hudson Valley Sikh Society, Middle Town, Sikh Gurudwara of Westchester, Chappaqua – Sikh Association of Staten Island, Staten Island – Gurudwara of Rochester, Penfield – Mid Hudson Sikh Cultural Society, Fiskhill, Majha Singh, Ozen Park – Sikh Youth of America
NEW JERSEY
Gurudwara Dashmesh Darbar, Carteret – Gurudwara Singh Sabha , Carteret – Gurudwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Inc., Glenrock – Gurudwara Garden State Sikh Association , Bridge Water – Central Jersey Sikh Association, Windsor – Gurudwara Sikh Sabha Central Jersey – Khalsa Darbar, Burlington – Gurudwara Guru Nanak Sikh Society of Delaware Valley, Deptford – Nanak Naam Jahaj, Jersey City
METROPOLITAN AREA (WASHINGTON/MARYLAND/VIRGINIA)
Guru Gobind Singh Foundation, MD – GNFA, MD – Sikh Association of Baltimore, Maryland – Gurudwara Singh Sabha, Brodeck – Sikh Center of Virginia –Sikh Foundation of Virginia – Sikh Gurudwara of Greater Washington, Virginia – Gurudwara Raaj Khalsa, Renden, Virginia
PENNSYLVANIA
Philadelphia Sikh Society (Philadelphia) – Guru Nanak Sikh Society (Philadelphia) – Guru Nanak Sikh Society of C. PA (Blue Mountain)
MICHIGAN
Guru Nanak Sikh Temple, Plymouth Twp – Guru Ram Das Ashram, Ferndale – Gurudwara Singh Sabha of Kalamazoo, Portage – Sikh Gurudwara of Michigan, Williamston – Sikh Society of Michigan, Madison Heights
CONNECTICUT
Gurudwara Guru Nanak Darbar, Southington – Gurudwara Tegh Bahadur ji Foundation, Norwalk
ILLINOIS
Sikh Religious Society of Chicago, Palatine
CALIFORNIA
Gurudwara Sahib, Sacramento – Sikh Center of Pacific Coast, Selma – Sikh Gurudwara, San Jose – Pacific Khalsa Diwan Society, Fresno – Sikh Temple, Livingston – Sikh Gurudwara Sahib, Stockton – Gurudwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha of Los Angeles, Alhambra – Sikh Temple, Turlock – Sikh Gurudwara Sahib, West Sacramento – Gurudwara Sahib, Fremont – Guru Nanak Sikh Society, Fresno – Gurudwara Guru Nanak Prakash, Fresno – Gurudwara Sahib El Sobrante – Gurudwara Guru Nanak Prakash, Tracy – Guru Ram Das Ashram, Los Angeles – The Sikh Temple, Los Angeles – Sikh Temple, Riverside – Sikh Temple, Yuba City – Sri Guru Nanak Sikh Temple, Yuba City.