Sikh groups write to Obama, seek justice for 1984 victims

Last Updated: Sunday, November 22, 2009, 22:06

Tags: Sikhs write to Obama, seek justice, 1984 victims

Chandigarh: Two Sikh organisations have written to US President Barack Obama, seeking his intervention in getting justice for thousands of victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots by taking up the issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh when they meet this week.

In an open letter to Obama, US-based human rights advocacy group Sikhs for Justice and Punjab-based All-India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) have urged the US president to take up the matter during Manmohan Singh's US visit.

"In November 1984, thousands of innocent human beings were killed, butchered, slaughtered, maimed and burnt in Delhi and more than 100 cities in 18 Indian states. The victims were only Sikhs and they were targeted and killed solely because of their religion. The killings were instigated and led by leaders who had taken oath under the Indian constitution to protect the lives of citizens," the letter says.

It names top Congress leaders like Kamal Nath, Arjun Singh, Arun Nehru, Vasant Sathe, Jagdish Tytler, Sajjan Kumar, HKL Bhagat and Dharamdas Shastri as ones found by inquiry commissions to be involved in organising and spearheading the killing of Sikhs.

The letter states that successive governments in India had shielded those behind the genocide and had even given them important public positions as a reward.

"We are also getting a few Congressmen to sign the representation sent to President Obama," Sikhs for Justice' legal advisor Gurpatwant Singh Pannun told IANS from New York.

Manmohan Singh left for the US Saturday as the first state guest of Obama at the White House. The two will hold talks Tuesday on bilateral, regional and global issues.

AISSF president Karnail Singh Peermohammed said here that Sikh organisations would continue to fight for the rights of the riot victims and to bring perpetrators of the 1984 riots to justice.

Thousands of Sikhs were killed in Delhi and other places across India in the four days of anti-Sikh riots that broke out following the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi by her two Sikh bodyguards Oct 31, 1984.

IANS

First Published: Sunday, November 22, 2009, 22:06

Comments

NRI desi - USA
Whatever happed to Sikhs is very unfortunate .
Raja `s comment below show that he is not aware that terorism and genocide are different cases.
Terrorist is a disgruntled single or small group and they must be punished .

But mass genocide of a community
because one person killed a leader is very immoral and shows we are not just to our minorities.
If I was the PM I will remove all the leaders who caused carnage of 1984 and burnt innocents for wrong reasons.

Raja can u see the pain of a person burnt alive in front of you . I saw it and never forget it.
We Indians are very senseless and I am a Hindu by the way but aware of it.

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Rahul - Shimla
It is sorry state that people of the Largest Democracy in the world have lost faith in their own Judicial system. The letter to the American President is not a welcome move, India is a free country and no one from outside has a say in the internal affairs. What happened to sikhs was inhumane but seeking foreign help is uncalled.

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ANOOPAM MODAK - DELHI
The letters to President Barrak Obama from US-based human rights advocacy group Sikhs for Justice and the Punjab-based All-India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) is absolutely unwarranted, as it would prompt a foreign country to interfere with the internal matters of India, which will encourage America to meddle with other issues, which are strictly within the domain of India. the said organizations ought to have taken recourse to law or should have pursued the matter with the Prime Minister that is himself a Sikh.

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Dr harbeer singh - usa
when i read comments filled with anger seems that world is far behind on moral issues and religious beliefs, as no religious teaches hatred but we have to show it in practical life, no matter what ones religion is injustice should be addressed according to the hum,an ldemocratic law, we need to create mor tolerence for each other and respect culture and relgion of other people who are around you or not. let us work together to strengthen the human race on moral issues doesn`t matter where one lives.

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Hassan - Nigeria
First of all the matter is an internal affair and no need for Obama or anyone else to interfere in the country`s affairs. Second the Sikhs should refrain from terroriists activities. Finally the Sikhs should write to Obama that Sikhs should not be labelled as terrorists in the USA and treated as a terrorists.

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Raja - Usa
subj: Sikh groups write to Obama, seek justice for 1984 victims why don`t they seek justice from Obama for Air India Kanishka tragedy?

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Dr. Harbeer singh - USA
It`s a good news that the people who are involved in the henious crime not to let them go with out any punishment. I hope all human organizations take serious notice of such crimes and make sure culprits got punished not rewarded on the basis of their religion or political affilation so that such kind of acts could be protected all over the world. no criminal should be left on the loose to protect the kindness of human beings, laws are for reasons to punish the guilty and save the innocent..I hope Indian politics will understand the democratic way of life and punish the guilty people and give justice to innocent people and protect all religions ,cultures on the earth without giving favours to criminals.

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Sangat Singh - Delhi
THESE CRIMINALS WHO WERE PART AND PARCEL OF THE GENOCIDE SHOULD BE HANGED. NO OTHER JUSTICE IS REQUIRED.

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M singh - India
Persons and Organizations named here, if are not affiliated to any political party (like Akali Dal/ Badal Bharua/ Anparh people take him as good and matured politican etc, or any other political party)., would certainly get excess. We would pray Almighty to give you success for the just cause.

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rishi - chennai
india shud teach little bit lessons to the khalistani sikhs in us and canada thru some intelligence games.I feel they have enjoyed a lot bcz of indian generous treatment.