Sacramento, California: After the issue of 1984 violence against Sikhs in India haunted the Congressional election of Ami Bera, Rights group “Sikhs For Justice” (SFJ) have now approached Hon. Jerry Brown, Governor, State of California asking him to declare 1984 anti-sikh violence as “Genocide”. The State of California has the highest Sikh population in the United States and has recently made 1984 issue a part of mid-term Congressional election debate.
Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) has launched an initiative to directly approach the US elected officials through American voters to support victim’s quest for justice and community’s effort for recognition of 1984 anti Sikh violence as Genocide. SFJ plans to get Genocide resolutions by City council, State assembly and Governors in each of the fifty states as a foundation for taking the matter to the US Congress.
Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) is planning to have the “1984 Sikh Genocide” resolution tabled before the US Congress in November 2015.
A survivor of the 1984 massacres hands over a copy of Sikh Genocide 1984 Report to Gov. Jerry Brown
Urging the Governor Brown to pass the “1984 Sikh Genocide” resolution, SFJ stated in its November 16 request that “The systematic violence against Sikhs which continued unabated for several days throughout India was concealed and portrayed by the successive Indian regimes as “Riots”. 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 defined in 18 USC 1091 and as per Article 2 of the U.N. Convention on Genocide”.
Sikh rights group delegation headed by SFJ Director Political Policy, Amardeep Singh, Jasbir Singh, a key witness in Tytler’s case and Sukhwinder Singh, a Sikh political activists and SFJ Coordinator presented a report titled “November 1984 Sikh Genocide” to California Governor Brown during his visit to West Sacramento Gurdwara. The report carried details of the systematic, organized and deliberate killing of the Sikhs in 19 states of India, eyewash investigations by the successive governments, zero convictions and the failure of the Supreme Court to take cognizance of thousands of civilian deaths during the first week of November 1984.
Citing the “1984 Sikh Genocide” resolution passed by the City of Harvey, IL and presenting the “Genocide” report to Governor of California, attorney Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, legal advisor to SFJ stated that as part of our effort to present the Sikh Genocide Resolution to the US Congress in November 2015, rights group’s campaign will continue across United States where Sikh population is concentrated as we want Congress to hear the voice of Sikh constituents on the issue of denial of justice and impunity.
On November 10, the City of Harvey passed resolution number 2734 “to recognize the intentional, deliberate and systematic killing of Sikhs in India during November 1984 as “Genocide” as defined under the laws of the United States and UN Convention”.