New York/New Delhi (April 28, 2012): Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), an international human rights organization, striving to disseminate true and correct information, statistics, figures and data regarding the November 1984 Genocide of Sikhs called upon United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to appoint a “UN Special Commission” to investigate the systematic and organized killing of Sikhs during November 1984 to reveal the true nature, scope and scale of massacre. A memorandum was submitted to UN Secretary General on behalf of widows, victims, and survivors of November 1984 Sikh Genocide urging him to raise the issue of “denial of justice” to the thousands of innocent Sikhs who were ruthlessly murdered in the streets of Delhi and other cities of India in November 1984.
During the first week of November 1984, the then ruling party of India, Indian National Congress, also known as Congress (I), organized and carried out attacks throughout India on Sikhs with intent to destroy the Sikh community, an identifiable religious minority. These attacks on Sikh lives, properties and places of worship were carried out in a meticulous but identical manner resulting in more than 30,000 (thirty thousand) Sikhs killed; Sikh women raped; Sikh Gurudwaras burnt; Sikh properties looted and more than 300,000 (three hundred thousand) Sikhs uprooted and displaced.
SJF Memorandum to UN General Secretary Mr. Ban Key Moon (P. 1 of 2)
SJF Memorandum to UN General Secretary Mr. Ban Key Moon (P. 2 of 2)
The intentional and deliberate nature of the attacks on Sikh lives, properties and places of worship during November 1984 makes them crime of “Genocide” as per Article 2 of the U.N. Convention on Genocide.
According to Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Legal advisor to SFJ, Honorable Ban Ki-Moon, in February 2008 while appointing Mr. Edward Luck as Special Advisor on Genocide pledged “to protect populations from genocide, ethnic cleansing, war crimes and crimes against humanities.” While UN Secretary General is visiting India it will be most appropriate for him to remind PM Singh that victims of November 1984 Sikh Genocide should be provided justice and the policy of impunity to those who are involved in violation of human rights should be stopped added attorney Pannun.
Attorney Pannun stated that U.N Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (1948) requires the UN Secretary General to take all actions necessary to prevent and punish acts of genocide. Thus, raising issue of denial of justice to victims of November 1984 Genocide with the Government of India during his visit will be in complete conformity with Hon. Ban Ki-moon’s obligation as Secretary General of United Nations. This obligation, as Secretary General, regarding Genocide, is neither absolved because of the economic status of the country where Genocide is committed (India) nor is it mitigated by the number and status of victims (Sikhs) added attorney Pannun.
The memorandum urged UN Secretary General to appoint a “UN Special Commission” to investigate the systematic and organized killing of Sikhs during November 1984 to reveal the true nature, scope and scale of massacre and demanded that UN recognize the deliberate and intentional killing of Sikhs during November 1984 as “Genocide” under Article 2 of the UN Convention on Genocide.
“SFJ will also start an international signature campaign to press United Nations to appoint a “UN Special Commission” to investigate the systematic and organized killing of Sikhs during November 1984 to reveal the true nature, scope and scale of massacre” Attorney Pannun informed “Sikh Siyasat”.