Nso Calls On Sikhs To Boycott Downing Street Baisakhi Function

[InderjitS]

http://www.sikhsiyasat.net/2014/03/30/disappointed-by-uks-attitude-to-sikh-human-rights-issues-nso-calls-on-sikhs-to-boycott-downing-street-baisakhi-function/

Disappointed by UK’s attitude to Sikh Human rights issues NSO calls on Sikhs to boycott Downing Street Baisakhi function

By PARMJIT SINGH

Published: March 30, 2014

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London, United Kingdom (March 30, 2014): “UK Sikhs are deeply disappointed by the UK government’s attitude to Sikh human rights. While the present government cannot in any way be held responsible for support given by a predecessor government of 30 years ago, the present government’s statement that the assistance then given was ‘only minimal’, was deeply hurtful to Sikhs, and insensitive to others concerned with human rights”, a press release by Network of Sikh Organizations (NSO) notes.

“The same seeming indifference to Sikh human rights was also evident in the House of Lords during questions on the UK government’s advocacy of a UN led investigation into human rights abuses in Sri Lanka. Director NSO, Lord Singh asked Baroness Warsi, the Senior Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, if the UK government would consider supporting a similar investigation into the highly organised mass killing of thousands of Sikhs in 1984” the press release reads further.

Lord Indarjit Singh [File Photo]

Lord Inderjit Singh cited evidence from the American Embassy in New Delhi that the number of Sikhs killed in just three days in 1984 exceeded the total number of victims of General Pinochet’s cruel and arbitrary seventeen year rule in Chile.

Baroness Warsi declined to answer the question, saying instead, that she had spent ‘an hour and a half’ in a meeting with the Sikh community.

Following discussions in the NSO and with other Sikh organisations, Lord Singh was asked to pursue the point and ask the UK government to show the same degree of commitment in addressing Sikh human rights, as they were showing in addressing human rights abuses against the Tamil population of Sri Lanka.

As per NSO press release: Lord Singh accordingly put a written question to Baroness Warsi, again raising the apparent lack of even-handedness. Baroness Warsi again gave a response which totally ignored the question. Lord Singh complained to House of Lords officials who agreed that his question had not been answered, and the Minister was formally requested to respond to Lord Singh’s original question.

During Questions on 26th March Adam Holloway MP asked the Prime Minister what more could be done to justice for the appalling events at Amritsar thirty years ago.

In his reply the Prime Minister acknowledged the continuing hurt to the Sikh community and described the events of 1984 as ‘a stain on the post-independence history of India’. He continued: ‘we cannot interfere in the Indian justice system, nor should we’.

“As British citizens, we are entitled to a clear answer to the question put by Lord Singh, ‘why is it fine for our government to concern itself with human rights abuse in Sri Lanka but wrong for similar concern to be shown to Sikhs in India?’ Are Sikhs lesser human beings?” reads NSO press release.

The Prime Minister concluded his reply with an all too familiar patronising comment: ‘The most important thing we can do in this country is celebrate the immense contribution that British Sikhs make to our country…’

According to NSO: The contribution detailed by the Prime Minister failed to mention the most important contribution Sikhs to society, whether here or in India. That is, in the spirit of our Gurus’ teachings, a total commitment to human rights, not only of Sikhs, but of all peoples everywhere. The true message of Baisakhi is that we should always be ready to stand up and be counted in our concern for the human rights of all people whatever the cost. It is a commitment that cost our 9th Guru, Guru Teg Bahadur his life defending the right of Hindus to worship in the manner of their choice against Mughal persecution. It is the same commitment that led to the 1984 genocide against Sikhs for their earlier opposition to the three year dictatorship of Mrs Gandhi.

“We believe that it will be a betrayal of still grieving families in India, for UK Sikhs to participate in a UK government celebration that not only ignores their trauma and suffering, but also ignores the underlying commitment to human rights central to the festival of Baisakhi” reads press release by NSO.

NSO has urged all Sikhs to boycott the Downing Street function as a charade that ignores the very meaning of Baisakhi.

[BobbyMann75]

David Cameron received an award from Sikhs not long ago ? Who were these Sikhs ? Was it an award that was voted for ? Cameron and the rest of the GOVT have been shockingly pro-India, they have dismissed all concerns, with the hypocritical claim ''They don't interfere in another countries affairs'', not unless they have Oil anyway.

[JhodaSingh]

You have this current government being pushed under the noses of the current sangat by pardhans and commitees with a personal agenda. Mp's are invited and even though they deserve credit for addressing the sangat with a wgjkkwjkf, they then repeatedly referr to the gurudwara as a temple. They play the good cop bad cop card by saying even though the PM has said we cannot interfere but he will personally push for the accountability of at least one person to be charged thus hitting a soft spot with sangat offering them false hope.

These people, including this current government are now using our Gurudwara and community leaders by offering them contacts within councils, and roles as councillors for their children, they are handed 'preferential' treatment by the police and as a result do not care about the wider community as long as there is a Benifit to themselves. It's sad but the panth, the kaum and the sangat have in our short history always suffered and lost at the hands of these selfish leaders.

If the british government respected the Sikhs for their hard work in the uk today and our sacrifices for standing by them in the world wars, and wanted to show us their gratitude by putting past what they did to us after considering g us as a thorn in their side during their raaj and being responsible for the punjab Pakistan divide and the more recent 84 assistance however small it be, they would 100% support genocide status and justice for it for Sikhs. Fact is we can't look at them for justice any longer, we know where we stand.

[InderjitS]

http://www.sikh24.com/2014/04/vaisakhi-reception-at-downing-street-and-why-i-attended/#.U1JKY1VdXQl

[garch]

We need to do a better job of demonstrating our anger.. we've played the reasoning game for 30 years!!!

Time now to begin positive (legal) agitation and protesting against UK govt for there role covering things up and supporting a terrorist govt!!

Votes and tax is where it will hit them!

[garch]

Time to start demonising the political power brokers like they've done to us..

Tory puppets like bhenji op/edit poster from sikh24 need to realise their diplomacy approach has been exhausted - its been 30 years for petes sake!!

The govt plays along with keeping dialogue going and dragging time out...

Time get ik -mut and hurt them politically/financially/publically!!