sarblohsingh2004

Found this video really good - has anyone else watched it

Vaheguru Jee Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Jee Kee Fateh ! http://www.sikhionline.com/videos/Saka-Sirhand.zip 500MB download

Vaheguru Jee Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Jee Kee Fateh ! http://www.sikhsangat.org/publish/article_219.shtml Sikhs Oppose Canadian Grant to Gill's Institute By SSNews Jul 29, 2005, 09:07 Email this article Printer friendly page Vancouver: An Indian Institute run by a former Punjab Police Head, who led a brutal and controversial crackdown on Sikh Freedom Movement in the late 1980s and early 1990s is receiving Canadian foreign aid through Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). From the mid-1980s until 1995, Mr. Gill, who currently is president of the institute, led an Indian-government-sponsored campaign against Sikh Freedom Seekers which involved umpteen, widespread and blatant violations of Human Rights. The World Sikh Organization, as well as human-rights groups Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, say the police used the harshest tactics imaginable -- including arbitrary arrests, routine extrajudicial killings and widespread torture. Thousands -- some estimates say tens of thousands -- of people were killed during the campaign to root out the Sikh Movement. Bodies of those killed by the police were disposed off without proper identification or a post-mortem. The report also states that Mr. Gill personally introduced a system of bounties and rewards for police officers who killed Sikh militants, "a practice which, not surprisingly, has encouraged extrajudicial killings and disappearances." In an 59-page report on the Punjab published in 2003, Amnesty International said that "human rights violations by police during the decade of the Sikh struggle were widespread . . . civilians were often arrested solely for being related to or living in the same village as members of armed freedom struggle groups. In a report entitled Arms and Abuses in Punjab, Human Rights Watch says that "in their zeal to suppress the Sikh movement, Indian government forces, under the leadership of Punjab Director General of Police K.P.S. Gill, have continued to commit serious violations of human rights and humanitarian law." "I'm outraged," said Sukh Preet Singh, a member of the executive committee of Dasmesh Gurdwara, a Surrey, B.C. , temple with 10,000 members. "What they'd [Punjab state police] do is they'd arrest young Sikh men, militant or not militant, and after torturing and beating them they'd be killed and a story would be made up that this was a Sikh Militant who tried fighting back." Mr. Singh added, "Here's a man who's responsible for this stuff and he's getting our taxpayers' money." The Amnesty International report also states that "torture was widespread and used both as a substitute for investigation and as punishment." Former federal cabinet minister Herb Dhaliwal is also opposed to this Grant. He remembers listening on Parliament Hill to a human-rights advocate from India talking about atrocities in Punjab province while KPS Gill was in charge of the police authority in the area. After the human-rights advocate returned to India, police picked him up. No one heard from him again. Mr Dhaliwal further said "There is no doubt about it. When he was in charge of police enforcement in Punjab, there were unprecedented human-rights violations at that time . . . tremendous brutality, no rule of law, . . . killings. It's a very sad part of history, what happened in Punjab. I think people will be very unhappy, and some may even be outraged that Canadian money is going to [the] program . . ." Mr. Gill was convicted of sexual harassment in 1998 for slapping the buttocks of a female civil servant while drunk at a cocktail party. The conviction was upheld earlier this week in a decision of India's Supreme Court and was asked to pay a hefty fine. But in recent years, he has rebuilt his reputation as an expert on terrorism. As a consultant on terrorism, Mr. Gill has advocated brutality as a solution, which he openly practiced in the State of Punjab for a decade as a police chief. CIDA should reconsider its support for the Institute of Conflict Management, Mr. Dhaliwal said. The research project has been allotted $85,000, of which $60,000 has been disbursed, CIDA spokesman Clément Bélanger said. Helena Guergis, the Conservative Party critic on international co-operation, said CIDA should undertake more thorough background checks before approving financial support for foreign institutions. CIDA spokesman Mr. Bélanger said the agency dealt not with Mr. Gill, but with the institute's executive director, Dr. Ajai Sahni, and therefore did not see a need to "check into [Mr. Gill's] record." A spokeswoman for CIDA minister Aileen Carroll said there are no plans to pull the institute's funding because of its connection with Mr. Gill.

Vaheguru Jee Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Jee Kee Fateh ! http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/crime/article297908.ece 11 July 2005 09:15 Home > News > UK > Crime Police investigate 'backlash' attacks By Robert Verkaik, Legal Affairs Correspondent Published: 09 July 2005 Police are investigating a number of assaults on Muslims and an arson attack on a Sikh temple which are believed to have been triggered by Thursday's terrorist bombings in London. Muslim leaders, fearing these incidents are part of a "racist backlash", met last night to discuss how best to reassure Islamic communities and deal with any further cases of Islamaphobia. Racist material contained in e-mails sent to the Muslim Council of Great Britain (MCGB) crashed its computer system while racist propaganda has been prominently posted on a number of internet websites. A West Yorkshire police spokeswoman confirmed they were treating as "suspicious" a fire in Armley, Leeds, believed to be at a Sikh temple. Kent Police are also investigating two assaults on Muslim men in Dartford. A spokesman for the MCGB said they were bracing themselves for the worst and there was a real sense of "fear and apprehension" in Muslim communities, particularly in London. But Muslim leaders were heartened by the fact that they had not witnessed the rash of racist abuse that had accompanied the September 11 attacks on America four years ago. Dr Ghayasuddin Siddiqui, leader of the Muslim Parliament, praised Londoners for facing this testing time with great courage. He said: "Many Muslims are quite agitated by what might happen next but we haven't seen the kind of things that happened post 9/11 when people openly spat at Muslims on the streets and vandalised Mosques." He said Muslim leaders had built bridges with other communities so there was a sense that what had happened was an attack on everyone who believes in a free democracy. "I think some of these initiatives have paid dividends, and [on Thursday] there were many Muslims who went to St Mary's Hospital to volunteer to give blood. We are all part of the same country and we feel the suffering." Sir Iqbal Sacranie, Secretary-General of the MCGB said: "Our faith of Islam calls upon us to be upholders of justice. The day after London was bloodied by terrorists finds us determined to help secure this justice for the innocent victims of Thursday's carnage. The terrorists may have thought they could divide us and make us panic. It is our hope that we will all prove them wrong." But a statement posted on the British National Party's website yesterday claimed: "Following the Islamic fundamentalist massacres in London, two tendencies will rapidly become apparent: First the pro-government media will swing into action, bringing out a steady stream of injured ordinary Muslims and a flood of 'moderate' Muslim spokesmen to condemn the extremists. Second, millions of ordinary Brits just won't believe them, with severe extra strain on race relations as a result." One e-mail sent to the MCGB said: "I think that you have to acknowledge the evil which lies at the heart of each and everyone of you. The people you killed were my brothers. I am a black African. I just came here to make a better life for myself. I cannot support you. You are evil beings." A spokesman for the MCGB said: "Senior figures around the country are meeting to discuss a possible backlash. But it is important that Muslims are not cowed by what has happened and ... go about their business." Members of Britain's Sikh communities also fear becoming targets of racist attacks. A spokesman for the Sikh Commission on Racism & Cohesion said: "Following 9/11, visible communities like the Sikhs and Muslims became immediate targets of public racism. Anyone that was considered to be Muslim ... was targeted with vicious verbal racism, taunts and also physical attacks" The Commission for Racial Equality said it was monitoring "community tensions that may arise as a result of the bombings". Islamophobia on the increase By Oliver Duff * The UK's 1.6 million Muslims have suffered from increasing Islamophobia since 11 September, figures show. The first big survey of anti-Muslim discrimination in December revealed long-term prejudice had been "perpetuated and normalised" since the 9/11 attacks. Almost 80 per cent of Muslims felt they had been discriminated against because of their faith, a rise from 45 per cent in 2000. * A study by York academics this year found 43 per cent of non-Muslims admitted they have become noticeably more anti-Islamic since 2001. There was a deepening of anti-Islamic sentiment after the invasion of Iraq: a quarter of young people said they were more prejudiced than before. Hatred of Muslims was particularly prevalent among boys and young men. * Islamic representatives believe police unfairly target their community. Since 9/11, British anti-terrorist officers have arrested more than 700 people, with more than two thirds thought to be Muslim. But only one in six has been charged with terrorist offences. Police are investigating a number of assaults on Muslims and an arson attack on a Sikh temple which are believed to have been triggered by Thursday's terrorist bombings in London. Muslim leaders, fearing these incidents are part of a "racist backlash", met last night to discuss how best to reassure Islamic communities and deal with any further cases of Islamaphobia. Racist material contained in e-mails sent to the Muslim Council of Great Britain (MCGB) crashed its computer system while racist propaganda has been prominently posted on a number of internet websites. A West Yorkshire police spokeswoman confirmed they were treating as "suspicious" a fire in Armley, Leeds, believed to be at a Sikh temple. Kent Police are also investigating two assaults on Muslim men in Dartford. A spokesman for the MCGB said they were bracing themselves for the worst and there was a real sense of "fear and apprehension" in Muslim communities, particularly in London. But Muslim leaders were heartened by the fact that they had not witnessed the rash of racist abuse that had accompanied the September 11 attacks on America four years ago. Dr Ghayasuddin Siddiqui, leader of the Muslim Parliament, praised Londoners for facing this testing time with great courage. He said: "Many Muslims are quite agitated by what might happen next but we haven't seen the kind of things that happened post 9/11 when people openly spat at Muslims on the streets and vandalised Mosques." He said Muslim leaders had built bridges with other communities so there was a sense that what had happened was an attack on everyone who believes in a free democracy. "I think some of these initiatives have paid dividends, and [on Thursday] there were many Muslims who went to St Mary's Hospital to volunteer to give blood. We are all part of the same country and we feel the suffering." Sir Iqbal Sacranie, Secretary-General of the MCGB said: "Our faith of Islam calls upon us to be upholders of justice. The day after London was bloodied by terrorists finds us determined to help secure this justice for the innocent victims of Thursday's carnage. The terrorists may have thought they could divide us and make us panic. It is our hope that we will all prove them wrong." But a statement posted on the British National Party's website yesterday claimed: "Following the Islamic fundamentalist massacres in London, two tendencies will rapidly become apparent: First the pro-government media will swing into action, bringing out a steady stream of injured ordinary Muslims and a flood of 'moderate' Muslim spokesmen to condemn the extremists. Second, millions of ordinary Brits just won't believe them, with severe extra strain on race relations as a result." One e-mail sent to the MCGB said: "I think that you have to acknowledge the evil which lies at the heart of each and everyone of you. The people you killed were my brothers. I am a black African. I just came here to make a better life for myself. I cannot support you. You are evil beings." A spokesman for the MCGB said: "Senior figures around the country are meeting to discuss a possible backlash. But it is important that Muslims are not cowed by what has happened and ... go about their business." Members of Britain's Sikh communities also fear becoming targets of racist attacks. A spokesman for the Sikh Commission on Racism & Cohesion said: "Following 9/11, visible communities like the Sikhs and Muslims became immediate targets of public racism. Anyone that was considered to be Muslim ... was targeted with vicious verbal racism, taunts and also physical attacks" The Commission for Racial Equality said it was monitoring "community tensions that may arise as a result of the bombings". Islamophobia on the increase By Oliver Duff * The UK's 1.6 million Muslims have suffered from increasing Islamophobia since 11 September, figures show. The first big survey of anti-Muslim discrimination in December revealed long-term prejudice had been "perpetuated and normalised" since the 9/11 attacks. Almost 80 per cent of Muslims felt they had been discriminated against because of their faith, a rise from 45 per cent in 2000. * A study by York academics this year found 43 per cent of non-Muslims admitted they have become noticeably more anti-Islamic since 2001. There was a deepening of anti-Islamic sentiment after the invasion of Iraq: a quarter of young people said they were more prejudiced than before. Hatred of Muslims was particularly prevalent among boys and young men. * Islamic representatives believe police unfairly target their community. Since 9/11, British anti-terrorist officers have arrested more than 700 people, with more than two thirds thought to be Muslim. But only one in six has been charged with terrorist offences.

:doh: Thanks

Veer Jee, can you give more info about these books. Thanks

Vaheguru Jee Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Jee Kee Fateh ! OK everybody post an inspriational Sikhi book, especially spritual or Sikh History that you have read. Also influential books aswell.

Vaheguru Jee Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Jee Kee Fateh ! There is a section on Baba Nand Singh Jee in the following book: Life Stories Of The Sikh Saints Harbans Singh Doabia - 1998 - Hardback ISBN 8172051433 I'm sure there would be more books out there on Baba Nand Singh Jee. Also "Say Kinayhi-aa" is an excellent book aswell: quote : "The meritorious holy book, Say Kinayhi-aa has been studied and thought over, in which Sant Baba Sewa Singh Ji has written the life of respected, benevolent, great saint, Sant Baba Harnam Singh Ji who possessed higest spiritual knowledge. This book will become a light house for those who are going away from the Siri Guru Granth Sahib."

Vaheguru Jee Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Jee Kee Fateh ! http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1155804.cms Sikhs termed Hindu by VHP sparks of debate YUDHVIR RANA TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 2005 09:08:43 PM ] Surf 'N' Earn -Sign innow AMRITSAR: Terming of Sikhs as Hindu's and issuing statement of installing of Sri Guru Granth Sahib in temples by the VHP leaders have opened a Pandora's Box and have started a fresh controversy. While Hindu leaders maintains that Sikh is a sect like other sects of Hindus, the Sikh leadership on the other hand maintains that Sikhs were not Hindu but a separate religion having its distinct identity. All the major Sikh organizations have come to the opposition of the statement of VHP leaders and are demanding from government to take action against these leaders who were bent upon jeopardizing their very existence in the country. SGPC president Bibi Jagir Kaur while condemning the statements of international general secretary of VHP, Parveen Togdia and other VHP leaders said that terming Sikhs as Hindu was insulting statements for Sikhs. She said Sikhs had separate and distinct identity, symbol, constitution and religious scripture. She said Sikhs would never allow the parkash of Sri Guru Granth Sahib in temples. Jagmohan Singh, general secretary of SAD(Amritsar) questioned the state government to inform them as to why the state police had allowed VHP leadership to continue its alleged tirade against the Sikhs in the holy city of Amritsar? He said Acharya Giriraj Kishore was fanning the communal virus when he terms Sikhs as Hindus. He alleged that VHP was anti gurdwara's and totally opposed to the distinct identity of Sikh religion and Sikh people. Global United Research and Service Institute of Knowledge for Humanity (GURSIKH) vice president Sukhpreet Singh Udoke have also challenged VHP leaders for open debate on the issue whether Sikhs were Hindu or not. SGPC executive committee member Gurvinder Singh Shampura and member Rajinder Singh Mehta said that Sikhs need not to take any certificate from others while challenging that Sikhs knew to protect their traditions and religious places. Issuing a warning , they said Sikhs wouldn't allow anyone to intervene in their religion.

Vaheguru Jee Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Jee Kee Fateh ! You can listen to Amrit Bani Radio live on (Sant Ranjit Singh is on now - 08.00 pm) http://www.amritbani.com

Vaheguru Jee Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Jee Kee Fateh ! Sangat Jee I was wandering if it was OK to drink Fanta and I rang them up and they (coca cola) sent me a list of drinks that contain traces of fish gelatin: 'Fanta' Orange (and 'Fanta' Z) 'Fanta' Apple splash 'Lilt' pineapple and grapefruit (and @Lilt' pineapple & grapefruit Z) @Kia-Ora' Orange and Pineapple (and no added sugar) 'Alive' Orange Cascade

Vaheguru Jee Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Jee Kee Fateh ! :doh: Parnam Shaheeda Nu Jago Wala Jatha http://media.waheguroo.com/Other/Dtaddee/J...Shaheeda_Nu.mp3

Vaheguru Jee Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Jee Kee Fateh ! Jago Wala Jatha Pind Brahmpur C.R.P. Aisay Kehr Kamai http://media.waheguroo.com/Other/Dtaddee/J..._Kehr_Kamai.mp3 (5.10 MB)

Vaheguru Jee Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Jee Kee Fateh ! http://www.ndtv.com/morenews/showmorestory...armers&id=74168 Pesticide levels high among Punjab farmers: Report -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NDTV Correspondent Tuesday, June 7, 2005 (Chandigarh): Reports from a study conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment, a Delhi-based organization, suggest that the intensive farming in Punjab post Green Revolution has not been without its problems. The study indicated that villagers in the state could be carrying a killer cocktail of pesticides in their blood at levels much higher than those found in other countries. According to the report, which was presented at a press conference in Chandigarh today, a residue of six to 13 pesticides was found in the blood of these farmers. The cocktail includes pesticides like DDT and Lindane and highly toxic substances like monocrotophos and chloropyrifos. Residue of Lindane was found to be 605 times higher than that found in the blood of US farmers, while DDT residue was 188 times higher.

Vaheguru Jee Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Jee Kee Fateh ! Bhai Niranjan Singh Jee: http://www.akj.org/multimedia/Vancouver/19...5vanr005kee.mp3

Vaheguru Jee Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Jee Kee Fateh ! Veer Jee, not sure but here is an interview with Bibi Jee (31.6MB) http://p6.ich-3.com/~daljeet/videos/Bibi%2...iOnline.com.wmv also there are more interviews on http://www.punjabjustice.org

Vaheguru Jee Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Jee Kee Fateh ! http://www.ensaaf.org/punj-chron.html CHRONOLOGY OF PUNJAB/SIKH HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES (To Feb 2004) June 26, 1975 After the Allahabad High Court orders Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to vacate her seat because of her use of illegal practices in the last election campaign, she declares an Emergency. Invoking Article 352 of the Indian Constitution, Gandhi suspends fundamental rights, imposes censorship on the press, and arrests hundreds of political party leaders and activists opposed to her policies. In the following two years of the Emergency period, police imprison thousands of Akali Dal activists in Punjab as they regularly protest the imposition of Emergency. March 23, 1977 Elections remove Indira Gandhi from power and bring in the opposition united under Janata Dal. Indira Gandhi’s party, the Congress Party, is also defeated in Punjab, bringing the Akali Dal to power. July 10, 1979 India accedes to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). January 6, 1980 The Congress (I) Party sweeps elections and Indira Gandhi is re-elected as Prime Minister of India. December 27, 1980 Parliament passes the National Security Act, 1980, authorizing detention of suspected terrorists. May 1, 1982 The Indian government breaks off talks with the Akalis, initiated in 1981. The government also bans several Sikh organizations, such as the Dal Khalsa. August 4, 1982 The Akali Dal launches a civil disobedience campaign, demanding the implementation of the Anandpur Sahib Resolution, such as the transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab and a greater share of Punjab’s river waters. In 88 days, the police arrest over 36,000 Akali Dal activists, and preventatively detain at least 2,500 Sikhs under the National Security Act, 1980. November 19 to December 4, 1982 After the Akali Dal announce plans to protest at the Asian Games in New Delhi, security forces in Haryana search and prevent thousands of Sikhs, including military and judicial officers, from reaching New Delhi in order to attend the Asian Games. 1983 Parliament passes the Armed Forces (Punjab and Chandigarh) Special Powers Act of 1983, empowering security forces to search premises and arrest people without warrant, and permitting them to shoot to kill a suspected terrorist, with prosecutorial immunity. Parliament also passes the Punjab Disturbed Areas Act of 1983, empowering any magistrate or police officer to use lethal force against an individual whose actions “may result in serious breach of the public order,” or may contravene any law or order prohibiting the assembly of more than four persons or the carrying of weapons. October 6, 1983 Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposes President’s Rule on Punjab, dismissing the state government and assembly and declaring Punjab to be a “disturbed area.” 1984 In early 1984, Parliament amends the National Security Act of 1980 to allow for detention without trial for up to two years in Punjab and Chandigarh for acts prejudicial to the security or defense of India. Parliament passes the Terrorist Affected Areas (Special Courts) Act of 1984 (TAAA), providing for special in camera courts in “terrorist affected” areas, that can conceal the identity of witnesses and hold proceedings in jails. TAAA reverses the presumption of guilt, placing the burden on the accused to prove his innocence if he is shown to have been in an area where explosives or firearms were used against security forces. May 27, 1984 The Akali Dal announces its plan to launch a civil disobedience campaign, that will halt the sale of grain to other parts of India and withhold taxes, set to begin on June 3. June 2, 1984 Prime Minister Indira Gandhi announces over All-India Radio that she has called the Army into Punjab. 100,000 army troops are deployed in Punjab. Punjab is declared a disturbed area under the Disturbed Areas Act. June 4 to 6, 1984 Operation Bluestar: On June 3, the martyrdom anniversary of the fifth Guru of the Sikhs, the Indian army attacks the Darbar Sahib, popularly known as the Golden Temple complex, using tanks and helicopters. The army simultaneously attacks 41 other gurudwaras in Punjab. During this attack on Darbar Sahib, the army reduces the Akal Takht to rubble, burns down the Sikh Reference Library, and loots the treasury. Eyewitnesses estimate that between 4000 to 8000 civilians are killed by the army. The government forbids news coverage of the army attacks, expels foreign journalists, and cuts phone lines across Punjab. June 14, 1984 The Times of London publishes a report by Associated Press reporter Brahma Chellaney on the June 1984 army attack on the Golden Temple. Chellaney describes how the hands of Sikhs were tied behind their backs and army troops shot them at point-blank range. July 30, 1984 The Senior Superintendent of Police, Amritsar, orders the registration of a First Information Report against Associated Press reporter Brahma Chellaney for his report on Operation Bluestar in The Times of London. This initiates months of bail applications filed by Chellaney, police interrogation, and court hearings, during which Chellaney is preliminarily charged with incitement to sedition, violating Punjab press censorship, and fanning sectarian hatred. October 31, 1984 Two of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s Sikh bodyguards assassinate her. November 1 to 5, 1984 The ruling party in India, Congress (I), institutes organized pogroms against the Sikhs, killing Sikhs, primarily by burning them alive, raping Sikh women, and destroying Sikh gurudwaras and property. The mobs possess voter and ration lists identifying where Sikhs live, and shout slogans of extermination. The police refuse to help Sikhs or counter the violence, and in many cases, participate in the destruction and killings. December 29, 1984 Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi wins a landslide victory in the elections following the assassination of his mother, Indira Gandhi, and the pogroms against the Sikhs. Gandhi’s electioneering references the Sikhs as a threat to the nation, ignoring the massacre perpetrated on the Sikhs after his mother’s assassination. Congress (I) advertisements show two Sikhs in uniform shooting at Mrs. Gandhi, or barbed wire with the caption: “Will the country’s border finally be moved to your doorstep?” 1985 The Indian government enacts the Terrorists and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) of 1985 to help fight militancy in Punjab. TADA establishes in camera courts and authorizes detention of persons in a “disturbed area” based on mere suspicion. Under TADA, detainees are presumed guilty until proven innocent; they are prohibited bail even if the detainee has not been charged after ninety days. TADA is set to expire in two years. April 26, 1985 Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi appoints Supreme Court Justice Ranganath Misra to head the inquiry into the violence against the Sikhs after Mrs. Gandhi’s assassination. July 24, 1985 Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Akali leader Sant Harchand S. Longowal agree to an accord, including provisions for an inquiry commission into the November 1984 pogroms, rehabilitation for soldiers who had revolted subsequent to Operation Bluestar, and the transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab. (Chandigarh still remains a Union Territory). The government removes the disturbed area status placed on Punjab. August 20, 1985 Harchand S. Longowal is assassinated. September 1985 The Punjab Legislative Assembly Elections lead to the formation of the Barnala government. Sikh militants boycott the elections. September 12, 1985 The General Secretary of Citizens for Democracy and the printer who published Report to the Nation: Oppression in Punjab are charged with sedition and jailed. The government drops legal proceedings against Associated Press reporter Brahma Chellaney, for his June 1984 report, returning his passport which it had impounded eight months earlier and renewing his press credentials, upheld since January 1, 1985. February 1986 The Thakkar Commission, established two weeks after Indira Gandhi’s assassination to investigate the attack, releases its report to the government. The Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952 was amended to prevent the sharing of the report with Parliament. The report is confidential and not released to the public. May 1986 The Tiwana Commission releases its report on its investigation into the detention of 92 individuals who were taken from Nabha Jail to Ladha Kothi Jail, Sangrur, for purposes of torture. They were detained during the Indian army’s June 1984 attack on gurudwaras in Punjab and held until mid-1985 under the National Security Act. Finding a systematic practice of torture, the Tiwana report concludes: “It appears that the sole purpose of declaring the Interrogation Center a Jail at Ladha Kothi was the torture of prisoners by Police Officers who remained posted at that place.” The Tiwana Commission also details the execution of 257 persons during the army’s storming of Dukhniwaran Gurudwara, Patiala, during the June 4, 1984 army attack. February 1987 The Indian government tables the Misra Commission report, on the November 1984 Sikh pogroms, before Parliament. The report angers the Sikh community and human rights activists for its white-washing of the role of senior police officers and politicians in inciting and organizing the violence against the Sikhs. The government appoints three more committees to study certain aspects of the 1984 massacre. 1987 The Terrorists and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) of 1985 expires, but Parliament passes the Terrorists and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) of 1987. (Although TADA was set to expire in two years, it was renewed in 1989, 1991, and 1993.) May 11, 1987 The central government dismisses Chief Minister Barnala and institutes President’s Rule, although the state assembly is not dissolved. June 9, 1987 Parliament amends the National Security Act, 1980, again, adding Article 14A, applicable to Punjab and Chandigarh. Article 14A lists circumstances in which individuals may be detained for periods longer than three months without obtaining the opinion of Advisory Boards. March 6, 1988 The central government dissolves the Punjab state assembly, with Delhi now having complete direct rule over Punjab. March 1988 Parliament passes the 59th amendment to the Indian Constitution, providing for the declaration of a state of emergency in Punjab whenever “internal disturbance” threatens “the integrity of India.” The amendment also allows for the suspension of the rights to life and liberty, habeas corpus, freedoms of speech and association, and the guarantee of fundamental rights. April 24, 1988 Reporter Dhiren Bhagat produces an exclusive report in the Observer of London about the role of India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) in smuggling 23 boxes of arms, ammunition and rocket-launchers from Kabul. The weapons had arrived on November 19, 1987, addressed to a non-existent “Director General of Communications.” Airport officials started to conduct an inventory of the boxes, until a RAW operative intervened and took the boxes with him. Subsequently, newspapers reported the use of rocket-launchers in Punjab. April 26, 1988 The Supreme Court orders officers of the Punjab government to act against the 21 Punjab police officers identified as having tortured detainees at Ladha Kothi jail in Sangrur in 1984 and 1985. The Secretary to the Punjab Government maintains the government’s inability to act. The police officers are never brought to account. May 1988 Operation Black Thunder: The National Security Guard launches a major offensive at 100 armed men inside the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar, Punjab. January 6, 1989 After a High Court confirms the death sentences handed down to Kehar Singh and Satwant Singh, for their alleged roles in the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the government executes them. February 1989 In a judicial investigation, Justice S.S. Sodhi of the Punjab and Haryana High Court finds that many detainees are tortured in Amritsar jail while held there in illegal detention, prior to formal arrest. The Indian Express publishes excerpts from the confidential Thakkar Commission report, pointing suspicion towards Indira Gandhi’s special assistant R.K. Dhavan, who was also present when Gandhi was assassinated. Dhavan posted the assassins close to Indira Gandhi and changed the time of Gandhi’s interview with actor Peter Ustinov, where Gandhi was going when assassinated. Instead of following up on evidence in the Commission’s report, the government charges four Sikh leaders, including Simranjit Singh Mann, for conspiring to assassinate Gandhi. March 1989 Several hundred detainees, held at Jodhpur Jail since the Indian Army’s June 1984 attack on the Golden Temple, are released. The Home Minister announces that from 1987 to March 1989, 7,969 people in Punjab were detained under TADA. August 30, 1989 The Director General of Police, Punjab, issues an order promising rewards of Rs. 25,000 [uS $1390] for the “liquidation” of 53 alleged terrorists. November 1989 In the ninth Lok Sabha elections, Sikh militants participate and win. The cases against Simranjit Singh Mann and other Sikh leaders, for conspiring to assassinate Indira Gandhi, are withdrawn. December 1989 The Lok Sabha, the lower house of India’s Parliament, votes in favor of repealing the 59th amendment. March 1990 Parliament amends the Indian constitution to allow for the extension of President’s Rule in Punjab. The 64th Amendment reduces the period of President’s Rule from one year to six months. April 5, 1990 The Rajya Sabha, the upper house of India’s parliament, votes in favor of repealing the 59th Amendment. The 59th Amendment is thus repealed. April 1990 Parliament amends the Indian constitution to allow for the extension of President’s Rule in Punjab for another six months, effective May 10. The Attorney General states in April 1990 that the order by the Punjab Director General of Police for the liquidation of 53 alleged militants has lapsed. October 4, 1990 Parliament extends President’s Rule in Punjab for yet another six months, starting November 10, instituting the 76th amendment to the Constitution. March 26-27, 1991 The UN Human Rights Committee examines India’s compliance record with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). June 14, 1991 Punjab is declared a “disturbed area” under the Disturbed Areas Act, 1983. August 12, 1991 Parliament votes to extend the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) for another two years. September 12, 1991 Human rights advocate Ranbir Singh Mansahia of Bhatinda is abducted by Punjab police and disappears. September 18, 1991 Parliament extends President’s Rule in Punjab for another six months, effective November 11. A September 1991 amendment to the Code of Criminal Procedure protects public servants, including security forces, from prosecution for acts committed during their official duties in states under President’s Rule, unless sanctioned by the central government. November 1991 KPS Gill, Director General of Police, Punjab, launches the police counter-insurgency movement Operation Rakshak II. Human Rights Watch (HRW) describes Operation Rakshak II as “the most extreme example of a policy in which the end appeared to justify any and all means, including torture and murder.” Punjab is again declared a disturbed area. January 3, 1992 Ram Singh Billing, a reporter and district representative of the Punjab Human Rights Organization, is abducted by the police and disappears. February 19, 1992 Elections are held in Punjab, after a gap of four years during which Punjab was under direct rule from Delhi. The Akali Dal boycotts the elections. February 25, 1992 President’s Rule in Punjab is lifted. September 25, 1992 Human rights advocate Jagwinder Singh is forcibly abducted and disappeared by the police in Kapurthala. December 25, 1992 Police arrest Sikh religious leader Jathedar Gurdev Singh Kaunke from his home in Kaunke village in Ludhiana district. January 2, 1993 The police concoct a story that Jathedar Kaunke escapes while being taken to recover an arms supply. Instead, the police extrajudicially execute Jathedar Kaunke. January 25, 1993 After reporting to a police station, human rights lawyer Kulwant Singh, his wife, and their two year old child disappear. 1993 Parliament passes the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, paving the way for the establishment of a National Human Rights Commission. February 6, 1993 The Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association goes on strike to demand a judicial inquiry into the disappearance of advocate Kulwant Singh, his wife, and their two year old child. The District Bar Associations of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh later join the strike, paralyzing the judiciary in these areas. March 19, 1993 After a public interest petition is filed on behalf of the disappearance of advocate Kulwant Singh and his family, a full bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court dismisses the case as withdrawn, over strong objections. May 1993 Parliament extends the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) for another two years. October 1993 The government appoints the first members to the National Human Rights Commission, naming retired Supreme Court Chief Justice Ranganath Misra chair of the Commission. December 7, 1993 In the case of the disappearance of advocate Kulwant Singh, his wife, and their child, the Supreme Court directs the CBI to investigate the case. The Supreme Court is responding to an appeal of the High Court’s March 19 order. End of 1993 The government lifts the disturbed area status on Punjab. March 11, 1994 In Kartar Singh v. State of Punjab, the Supreme Court upholds the constitutionality of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA). May 12, 1994 The police arrest and disappear human rights advocate Sukhwinder Singh Bhatti. January 16, 1995 Jaswant Singh Khalra, general secretary of the Akali Dal's human rights wing, and Jaspal Singh Dhillon release copies of official documents, demonstrating that security agencies in Punjab have secretly cremated thousands of bodies after labeling them as “unidentified/ unclaimed.” Khalra and Dhillon state that these are the bodies of those who have been abducted and forcibly disappeared by state security forces. Their research is based on an investigation of the records of three crematoria in Amritsar district. January 1995 Khalra's organization files a writ petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, asking for an investigation into the disappearances and subsequent cremations. The high court dismisses the petition on grounds that it is "vague" and that the petitioner organization lacks the standing to file the petition. April 3, 1995 The Committee for Information and Initiative on Punjab (CIIP) moves the Supreme Court of India, in a writ petition under Article 32 of the Indian Constitution, to demand a comprehensive inquiry into the allegations of disappearances and subsequent illegal cremations by the police in Punjab. May 1995 Parliament lets the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) lapse. Individuals can still be held under TADA, however, if the alleged crime was committed prior to the lapsing of TADA. July 2, 1995 Given the disappearances of human rights lawyers in Punjab, the Supreme Court issues a protection order for Punjab human rights lawyers. August 31, 1995 Beant Singh, the Chief Minister of Punjab from February 1992 to 1995, is assassinated. Beant Singh had condoned the systematic human rights violations perpetrated by the state police against civilians in Punjab. September 6, 1995 Armed commandoes of the Tarn Taran police, Amritsar district, abduct Jaswant Singh Khalra from outside of his house. September 7, 1995 Paramjit Kaur Khalra, the wife of Jaswant Singh Khalra, secures the help of the Sikh Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), which sends telegrams to various people regarding the abduction of her husband. Justice Kuldip Singh, a justice of the Supreme Court of India, receives one of the telegrams. September 9, 1995 Paramjit Kaur files a habeas corpus petition before the Supreme Court asking that Khalra be produced before the Court. September 11, 1995 Justice Kuldip Singh of the Supreme Court treats the telegram from the SGPC, regarding the abduction of Jaswant Singh Khalra, as a petition for a writ of habeas corpus and directs notice of the petition to the state parties. November 15, 1995 The Supreme Court directs the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), India's premier investigative agency, to investigate Jaswant Singh Khalra's abduction as well as the facts contained in Khalra's press note of January 1995, regarding illegal abductions leading to illegal cremations in Punjab. May 10, 1996 In its second order in the case of the disappearance of advocate Kulwant Singh, his wife, and their two year old child, the Supreme Court reports the CBI’s findings that the police framed a low-level constable with the killings of Kulwant Singh and his family, and the police bought over a witness by giving him a job. The CBI recommended action against now DIG Sanjiv Gupta. The Court recommends suspension of the concerned police officers while the case proceeds at the Designated Court at Chandigarh. July 22, 1996 The CBI submits an interim report disclosing 984 illegal cremations at one crematorium in Tarn Taran, Amritsar district, between 1984 to 1994. The Supreme Court directs the CBI to continue its investigations and orders it to issue a notice to the public at large seeking assistance in its inquiry. July 30, 1996 The CBI submits a report stating that nine officers of the Punjab police, acting on the orders of senior superintendent of police (SSP) Ajit Singh Sandhu, are responsible for Jaswant Singh Khalra's abduction and disappearance. The Supreme Court directs the CBI to prosecute the officers on charges of conspiracy and “kidnapping with intent to secretly and wrongfully confine a person.” December 9, 1996 The CBI submits its fifth and final report to the Supreme Court on the issue of police abductions leading to illegal cremations in Punjab. December 11, 1996 At the request of the CBI, the Supreme Court orders that the contents of the CBI report be kept confidential, since further investigation has to be undertaken by the agency. The Court directs the CBI to undertake the investigation of all of the cases that are required to be registered as a result of the final report. December 12, 1996 The Supreme Court, in its order, states that the final report by the CBI disclosed that 2,097 illegal cremations were carried out by the security agencies in three crematoria of Amritsar district. The CBI claims to have fully identified 582 of the bodies so cremated, partially identified 278 bodies so cremated and could not identify 1,238 bodies. The Supreme Court directs the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) “to have the matter examined in accordance with the law and determine all the issues which are raised before the commission by the learned counsel for the parties.” The order clearly states that “Since the matter is going to be examined by the commission at the request of this Court, any compensation awarded shall be binding and payable.” March 17, 1997 The Punjab Human Rights Commission is established in Punjab. May 23, 1997 SSP Ajit Singh Sandhu, the lead accused in the abduction of human rights defender Jaswant Singh Khalra, allegedly commits suicide. August 4, 1997 In the Punjab illegal cremations matter, the NHRC holds that it is a sui-generis designate of the Supreme Court, appointed to carry out the Court's mandate, and vested with all of the powers of the Supreme Court under Article 32 of the Indian Constitution. It also concludes that the Supreme Court has referred the whole matter to the Commission, with no territorial or other limits on the inquiry. October 3, 1997 A “clarification petition” filed by the Union of India before the Supreme Court challenges the NHRC’s recent holding in the Punjab illegal cremations matter and seeks to apply the provisions of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, restricting the statute of limitations to one year, for example. October 8, 1997 India signs the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. (It has not yet ratified the Convention.) December 1997 The Committee for Coordination on Disappearances in Punjab (CCDP) calls on the Punjab government to fulfill its election promise and institute a truth commission to investigate human rights abuses committed during the counterinsurgency operations in Punjab. April 26, 1998 After the Akali government fails to fulfill its election promise, the Committee for Coordination on Disappearances in Punjab (CCDP) announces the formation of the private People’s Commission on Human Rights Violations in Punjab. A former Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court chairs the Commission. March 7, 1998 After successful interim bail applications, the Special CBI Court grants bail to the accused police officers in the case of the disappearance of human rights defender Jaswant Singh Khalra, despite threats shouted at Khalra’s widow, in the presence of the judge. Amnesty International writes, “Three of the accused were already under suspension and facing charges for the ‘disappearance’ of Kuljit Singh in July 1989. One of the three suspended had also been detained in October 1996 in connection with the abduction of a lawyer Kulwant Singh in January 1993. However, this police officer was granted bail by a District and Sessions Judge in 1997 and, despite appeals to the Supreme Court, his bail order remains in force.” (AI, India: A mockery of justice) July 1998 Police detain Rajiv S. Randhawa, who witnessed the police abduction of Jaswant Singh Khalra from his house on September 6, 1995. Police arrest Randhawa days before he is due to record evidence in the case proceeding against the accused police officers in the Special CBI Court. The U.N. Human Rights Committee evaluates India’s report on compliance with the ICCPR. The Committee criticizes the government for its use of legislation such as the Disturbed Areas Act, the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, and the National Security Act, among other issues. August 8-10, 1998 The Committee for Coordination on Disappearances in Punjab (CCDP) holds the first sitting of the People’s Commission, attended by a standing-room only crowd. September 10, 1998 The Supreme Court dismisses the Union government’s clarification petition filed in the Punjab illegal cremations matter. The Court upholds the NHRC’s view of the mandate conferred upon it, stating: “In deciding the matters referred by this Court, the National Human Rights Commission is given a free hand and is not circumscribed by any conditions.” January 13, 1999 Despite reaffirmation of its original mandate in the Punjab illegal cremations matter, the NHRC passes an order restricting its scope of inquiry to the alleged unlawful cremations of 2,097 bodies in three crematoria in Amritsar district—one out of 17 districts in Punjab. It rejects the argument that the Commission should take a more expansive view under which forced disappearances, extra-judicial executions, and other allegations of human rights violations throughout the state would be investigated. March 24, 1999 In the Punjab illegal cremations matter, the NHRC dismisses the application of the Committee for Information and Initiative on Punjab (CIIP) seeking a review of the January 13, 1999 order. The Commission adopts a two-pronged approach: (1) to invite claims from members of the affected public, and (2) to require the state of Punjab to explain each case of alleged illegal cremation in the crematoria of the three police districts of Amritsar. June 1999 Kuldip Singh, an eye-witness to the murder of Jaswant Singh Khalra, testifies that the police threatened him, ordering him to withdraw his statement filed with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). August 5, 1999 In the Punjab illegal cremations matter, the NHRC rejects the CIIP’s application for disclosure and inspection of the reports produced by the CBI, containing the results of the investigation conducted by the CBI, on the ground that it might hamper “smooth investigation.” August 24, 1999 CIIP applies to the Supreme Court for a clarification of the mandate conferred upon the NHRC by the Court’s order of December 12, 1996 in the Punjab illegal cremations matter. The application stresses that the illegal disposal of bodies was not confined to three cremation grounds in Amritsar, and that the starting point of the investigation has to be the allegation of disappearance. The CIIP also prays for access to the CBI’s report. October 11, 1999 The Supreme Court rejects the CIIP’s application and holds that it is not prepared to interfere with the proceedings being conducted before the NHRC, in the Punjab illegal cremations matter, at this stage. In disappointment, the CIIP thus withdraws from active participation in the proceedings before the NHRC, although it continues to monitor the hearings. December 20, 1999 In response to a petition filed by advocate Sudershan S. Goel, the High Court of Punjab and Haryana bans the People’s Commission. Goel had accused the Commission of creating havoc (although there had been no law and order problem), diminishing police morale, inciting enmity, setting up a parallel judicial system, and serving as a front for foreign interests, attaching letters from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and Amnesty International as evidence. The High Court bans the People’s Commission for allegedly setting up a parallel judicial system. March 20, 2000 Armed men massacre 35 Sikh men in the village of Chittisinghpora in Jammu and Kashmir. Five days later, police claim they have caught the “foreign mercenaries” who perpetrated the violence. Two weeks later, the bodies of these five men are exhumed and it is discovered that they were innocent Kashmiris, who had disappeared. May 2000 The Supreme Court upholds the High Court’s December 20, 1999 order banning the People’s Commission. May 10, 2000 The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government appoints another commission of inquiry into the 1984 pogroms against the Sikhs, chaired by Supreme Court Justice G.T. Nanavati. July 2000 The Punjab Human Rights Commission rules that the charges filed against Rajiv S. Randhawa, key witness in the Jaswant Singh Khalra disappearance case, were concocted. The police were harassing Randhawa in order to intimidate him from giving evidence in the case. August 18, 2000 In the Punjab illegal cremations matter, the NHRC endorses the offer of the Punjab government to compensate 18 families with Rs. 100,000 each (approximately US$2,000) without admission of wrongdoing or prosecution of officials. The commission’s order states, “For this conclusion it does not matter whether the custody was lawful or unlawful, or the exercise of power of control over the person was justified or not; and it is not necessary even to identify the individual officer or officers responsible/concerned.” After reading this order, the CIIP intervenes. It travels throughout Punjab to meet the families of the 18 disappeared persons. All of the families unanimously reject the Punjab government’s offer of compensation without determination of liability and state so in an affidavit. September 2000 For the second time, police detain Rajiv S. Randhawa, who witnessed the abduction of Jaswant Singh Khalra from his house on September 6, 1995. Like the first time, police arrest Randhawa days before he is due to record evidence in the case proceeding against the accused police officers in the Special CBI Court. December 2000 HKL Bhagat, Minster of State for Information and Broadcasting and Master of Parliament during the 1984 pogroms against the Sikhs, was cited as one of the main organizers and instigators of the carnage. He is acquitted in the last case against him. Later, Darshan Kaur, whose husband was killed by Bhagat, appeals the case. January 13, 2001 The CIIP files the affidavits of the 18 families rejecting compensation before the NHRC, along with an application stating that the case before the Commission can not be narrowed down to the claims received because, by its January 13, 1999 order, the commission has bound itself to investigate all of the 2,097 cremations carried out at the three cremation grounds in Amritsar district. February 15, 2001 The NHRC reaffirms its commitment to investigate all of the 2,097 cremations, thereby restoring the Punjab illegal cremations matter to its position after the January 13, 1999 order. August 18, 2001 Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani announces a proposal to give blanket amnesty to policemen facing prosecution for human rights abuses committed during the counter-insurgency operations in Punjab, Kashmir and the North-East. Advani is responding to announcements made by retired Punjab police officials who threatened to return their medals if the government did not drop all cases against them. The Communist Party of India and the Congress Party welcome the proposal and promise to withdraw all cases pending against police officers if they are elected to power. August 29, 2001 A TADA Court hands down a death sentence to Devinderpal Singh Bhullar, for his alleged role in the 1993 bombing of the Youth Congress Office, resulting in the deaths of 12 people. Bhullar was arrested in January 1995 after Germany deported him. The TADA court finds him guilty solely on the basis of his confession, extracted under police pressure and later retracted by Bhullar. October 15, 2001 The central government approves the Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance (POTO), giving Indian police sweeping powers of arrest and detention. POTO resembles TADA in many of its provisions. On October 24, the President signs POTO making it temporarily enforceable. December 2001 Devinderpal Singh Bhullar appeals the death sentence to the Supreme Court. December 13, 2001 Armed militants attack the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian parliament. March 22, 2002 The Supreme Court upholds the death sentence against Devinderpal Singh Bhullar, who was sentenced to death on August 29, 2001. The Supreme Court’s decision is not unanimous—the senior most judge dissents. Although the Supreme Court traditionally does not uphold death sentences without a unanimous decision, they discard this convention in the case of Bhullar. March 26, 2002 The Indian government enacts the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA), drawing upon many provisions of the lapsed Terrorism and Disruptive Activities Act (TADA). April 3, 2002 Australia’s SBS Dateline program airs “Who Killed the Sikhs?” The program explores the disappearance of Jaswant Singh Khalra and developments in the NHRC case, featuring interviews with victim families and Punjab police officials. The program also airs a clip from Ram Narayan Kumar’s film Disappearances in Punjab, where Kumar interviews the chief medical officer of Tarn Taran who boasts about having instituted the five-minute post mortem. December 17, 2002 Bhullar’s counsel files a review petition which is heard by the same judges as before. By a majority decision, the Supreme Court denies review and upholds their original decision. The same judge dissents. December 23, 2002 Sajjan Kumar, Master of Parliament during the 1984 pogroms against the Sikhs and cited by survivors as one of the instigators and organizers of the violence, is acquitted in the last case from the violence pending against him. March 12, 2003 The Supreme Court rejects another petition filed by Devinderpal Singh Bhullar’s counsel that questioned the validity of its non-unanimous judgments upholding the death penalty. May 23, 2003 The Committee for Coordination on Disappearances in Punjab (CCDP) releases volume one of its final report: Reduced to Ashes: The Insurgency and Human Rights in Punjab. Published by the South Asia Forum for Human Rights (SAFHR), this report contains extensive documentation and analysis of 672 cases of forced disappearances and extrajudicial executions of victims by the security forces in Punjab from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s, as well as an analysis of the NHRC case and impunity. December 10, 2003 Harvard Law School Advocates for Human Rights and Human Rights Watch file an 81-page amicus curiae brief on behalf of the petitioners in the NHRC case. The brief urges the Commission to investigate fully and in accordance with international law the 2,097 illegal cremations ordered by the State during Punjab’s ten-year period of unrest. To date, the NHRC has failed to examine vital relevant evidence in its investigations regarding the matter, the amicus petitioners argue. January 9, 2004 The Association of Families of the Disappeared in Punjab (AFDP) conducts its inaugural meeting, attended by over 500 families from Amritsar, Punjab. AFDP is dedicated to the protection, promotion and enforcement of human rights, principally the rights to the end of impunity and reparation of victim families of enforced disappearances and arbitrary executions in Punjab. AFDP is guided and motivated by the principles of truth, justice and accountability. January 19, 2004 The CIIP hosts a panel at the World Social Forum titled: “Fighting Impunity: Perspectives from Victim Families and Human Rights Defenders.” The panel includes victims and defenders from Punjab, Kashmir, Gujarat and Nagaland, as well as human rights activists such as Brad Adams, executive director of Human Rights Watch’s Asia Division. Paramjit Kaur Khalra, widow of Jaswant Singh Khalra, speaks on behalf of Punjab victim families. January 23, 2004 The CIIP and AFDP co-host a press conference by Brad Adams, executive director of Human Rights Watch’s Asia Division. Adams expresses concern over the inordinate delay in the proceedings of the Punjab illegal cremations matter, pending before the NHRC for eight years. February 2004 The Delhi High Court issues a non-bailable warrant against HKL Bhagat, in response to Darshan Kaur’s appeal in the case regarding the murder of her husband during the 1984 pogroms against the Sikhs. Bhagat is ordered to appear before the court on July 19. ... ... ... ... http://www.ensaaf.org http://www.carnage84.com http://www.witness84.com http://www.shrg.org http://www.punjabjustice.org

Vaheguru Jee Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Jee Kee Fateh ! http://www.sikhsangat.org/publish/article_46.shtml KPS Gill Should Be Tried For Genocide In World Court By By R. Paul Dhillon May 21, 2005, 14:43 SURREY - The widow of murdered Punjab-based human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra said former Punjab Director General of Police K.P.S. Gill, also known as the "Butcher of Punjab" should be tried as a war criminal for genocide of Sikhs in a world court for massive killings that occurred in Punjab under his command and that of the central government of India. Paramjit Kaur Khalra - who has been leading the fight for justice following the kidnapping and murder of her husband in September 1995 - told a media gathering in Surrey that she thinks the only way the victims - which number well above 25,000 people - can get justice is if criminal cops like Gill and others are tried in a world court like other war criminals from Europe, Africa and Central America. Khalra's widow is on her first Canadian trip to bring awareness to her plight and the plight of thousands of families of victims who are still awaiting justice for the random killings of young children as young as six months, men, and women. Her organization in Punjab have been compiling data on the victims for the past decade, a work which was started by her husband. So far they have identified 2100 people dead from just three cremations centers - from which the government has already accepted blame for 109 - but she says thousands more are unaccounted for and continue to remain victims without justice. Paramjit Khalra made it clear that she is not here to seek funds but assistance in the fight - which include lobbying western governments and United Nations to order a trial for the crimes. Earlier she was in Toronto - where Liberal MP Colleen Beaumier took up her case with the Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh to ensure an impartial investigation into Khalra's case, following reports that the prosecution lawyer in the case was being threatened by Punjab police officers. In a letter to the Chief Minister, copies of which were sent to the Indian High Commissioner in Ottawa, the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, the CBI, and all the Canadian members of Parliament, Beaumier expressed deep concern over the "harassment and threats" against Brijender Singh Sodhi, the prosecution lawyer in the Khalra case. "I am very disturbed by reports from witnesses that Sodhi was approached by a police officer while entering the court and threatened with bodily harm and ultimately his life. These are very serious allegations," said the Brampton West MP in her recent letter, terming the attempted intimidation of a lawyer investigating the Khalra case "profoundly troubling". "I understand that the investigation into Khalra's 1995 disappearance involves members of the Punjab police force. I ask you to ensure this investigation is impartial and, if members of the police are found to be implicated in this case, that they be held accountable for their actions and pursued by the judicial system to the full extent of the law," said the MP, further asking that full protection be granted to Mr Sodhi, all the members of the investigative team and all accompanying human rights organisations that may be involved. Jaswant Singh Khalra Khalra's case has been called the travesty of justice in India - the country that calls itself a democracy. Amnesty International's report INDIA - A mockery of justice: The case concerning the "disappearance" of human rights defender Jaswant Singh Khalra severely undermined, details the organization's concerns at allegations that accused police officers have attempted to suppress evidence through intimidation of witnesses and those campaigning for justice and expresses fears that attempts are being made to prevent further investigations and deny justice. "On the eve of the next hearing in the case -- 28 April at the Special Court of the Central Bureau of Investigation in Patiala, Punjab -- Amnesty International is calling for immediate investigations into the allegations of intimidation and harassment, followed by prompt action against officials. The organization is also calling for the protection of witnesses and the suspension of police officials accused of involvement in Khalra's disappearance." India was a member state of the 54th session of the UN Commission on Human Rights which, in March this year, adopted by consensus the draft UN Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of individuals, groups and organs of society to promote and protect universally recognised human rights and fundamental freedoms, providing for the protection of the activities of human rights defenders. Amnesty International's report calls on the Indian government to give a powerful signal that human rights defenders in India will be given full protection to continue their invaluable work. Jaswant Singh Khalra is one of the human rights defenders featured in Amnesty International's campaign to promote the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Recent testimony also highlighted the role of top police officials like KPS Gill in the Khalra case. The sole witness who claims to have witnessed the murder of the activist, alleging that he had seen former Punjab Police Director-General of Police Gill go into a room in which Khalra was being kept at Manawala in Taran Tarn. The witness, Kuldeep Singh, is a former Special Police Officer who claims he was recruited into the police by former Taran Tarn Senior Superintendent of Police Ajit Singh Sandhu. He told the court of the Additional Sessions Judge here that it was Sandhu's house in Manawala village in Taran Tarn, which was visited by K.P.S. Gill and other "clean shaven official" a few days before Khalra was murdered in 1995. The witness after stepping out of the court said he was happy he had finally been able to tell the truth. He said during his deposition that he was taken to the residence of the Taran Tarn, SSP, by Jhabal Police Station SHO Satnam Singh who was keeping Khalra locked in illegal confinement. He further alleged that K.P.S. Gill remained in the room where Khalra was being kept for half an hour adding that during the journey back to the Jhabal police station, SHO Satnam Singh told Khalra that he would have saved himself if he had listened to the "advice" of the DGP. Giving a lengthy deposition, the former SPO said he came into contact with Ajit Singh Sandhu, who was a prime accused in the Khalra disappearance case before he committed suicide in 1994. He said when Sandhu was posted to Taran Tarn in 1995 he accompanied him as a gun man. Sandhu's suicide was questionable as sources say it was a police hit made to look like a suicide with a one line explaining Sandhu's actions. Source: The Link Newspaper http://www.witness84.com http://www.carnage84.com http://www.ensaaf.org http://www.punjabjustice.org http://www.shrg.org

Vaheguru Jee Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Jee Kee Fateh ! 'Lest it be repeated' disapproved by Sikh audience Sunday 15th May, 2005 Vikramjit Singh - Panthic Weekly Correspondent Chandigarh, Punjab (KP) - What was said to be a documentary on the so-called "rehabilitation" of Sikh freedom fighters, 'Lest it be repeated' by Reema Anand turned out to be a pack of lies and an attempt to malign the Sikh freedom struggle and idolize people like K.P. Gill. The 17 minute documentary screened this week in Chandigarh was disapproved by the Sikh audience. The basic theme of the film was to show that Sikh freedom fighters in police custody had now agreed that the movement was wrong. The other motive was to show that K.P. Gill did his best to bring the militants back into the society. The objective of the film being to malign the militants, eulogize K.P. Gill and then sell the idea that along with the Sikh freedom fighters and Sikh Panthic Faujis who desertered the Indian Army, Punjab police personnel accused of atrocities should also be released. The screening of the film took place last week on May 7, at the Government Museum and Art Gallery, Sector 10, Chandigarh. The documentary has been made by Reema Anand, a former student of Panjab University. “These boys were not terrorists, who did they terrorize? They were militants, how could you call them terrorists?” said one of the viewers, accusing Anand of maligning the Sikh freedom fighters. She was told that the militancy was resultant of the wrong policies and atrocities of the Government. She described this as a Punjab problem in which Punjabis suffered. “It was not a problem of Punjabis but of Sikhs. Only Sikh youths were victimized,” came a response, setting the tone for the rest of the interactive session. Time and again Sikh prisoners were shown lamenting that the militancy was not right. Anand had commented that she got the help of the Police and Intelligence Agencies for making this film. So there is every chance that the "prisoners" she interviewed were actually police stooges who are jailed with the militants to keep tabs on them. At the very start of the film K.P. Gill is shown and an attempt was made to show that Gill was responsible for bringing militants "back into the society." Anand tries to show that Gill used so-called "innovative methods to curtail militancy" whereas the truth is that Gill butchered Sikhs to end their struggle for freedom. The Sikh audience also wanted to know that why she had not highlighted the case of Bhai Jaswant Singh Khalra, a human-rights activist who was tortured to death in the costudy of Punjab police. At the end, the former DC of Amritsar who was incharge in 1984 admonished Anand for presenting a wrong picture. He said that he had a lot of information and was more than ready to provide it to her so that she could correct the blunders in her film. Today the Government is getting Sikhs to make films and pen articles that malign militancy or show that militants say that they were misled into a wrong movement. Mr Amarinder Singh, the chief minister of Punjab, has proposed the release of Militants in jail and also wants policemen in jail for police atrocities to be released too. However, the fact is that most of the militants in Punjab jails are there on trumped up charges and have not even received a fair trial. The policemen in jail have been brought to book after great hue and cry and pressure by Human Rights Organizations. All of them have the best legal help and have been sentenced after prolonged trials. Vikranjit Singh can be reached at vikramjit.singh@panthic.org.

Vaheguru Jee Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Jee Kee Fateh ! http://www.appeal-democrat.com/articles/20..._news/news3.txt Turban lawsuit in Yuba By Harold Kruger/Appeal-Democrat The American Civil Liberties Union sued Yuba County on Wednesday, alleging it violated the religious rights of a Sikh jail detainee. Harpal Singh Cheema, a devout Sikh, "feels debased and defiled" because he can't wear a turban or other religious head covering away from his bed, the ACLU said. The Sikh faith requires men to cover their heads. "Confinement to bed should not be the price of complying with religious obligations," said Robin Goldfaden, staff counsel with the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Sacramento, seeks an injunction to stop jail officials from restricting Cheema's use of a turban and a declaration that he can "wear an appropriate religious head covering, subject to reasonable security requirements." It also asks for unspecified monetary damages and attorney's fees. "Strictly from a right to wear a turban, which is unique to the Sikh way of life, I certainly would think he should be allowed that right," said Siri Pritam K. Khalsa, president of the Punjabi American Heritage Society. She suggested that Cheema should be allowed to wear a turban that's smaller than usual. The lawsuit defendants include Sheriff Virginia Black, Capt. Mark Chandless, the jail commander, and three officials with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The federal agency contracts with Yuba County to house immigration detainees. Black declined to comment, as did County Counsel Dan Montgomery. ICE spokeswoman Virginia Kice said the federal agency was aware of Cheema's situation. "ICE makes every effort to accommodate the religious needs of those who are in our custody. Some time ago, this man was offered the option of transferring to an ICE-administered facility where he could have worn his head covering throughout the day," Kice said. "His legal representatives declined that alternative." Cheema, a human rights lawyer and advocate for the independent Sikh state known as Khalistan, has been imprisoned since 1997 while awaiting a decision on his asylum application, the ACLU said. The lawsuit said Cheema has been subjected to "extraordinary restrictions on his use of a religious head covering," in violation of the First Amendment and federal laws, including the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. "At a time when the world is watching how America treats its detainees abroad, it is important that our government respect the fundamental rights of people detained in this country," said Margaret Crosby, an attorney with the ACLU of Northern California. Covering his head at all times "is a religious imperative," the lawsuit said. "Having his head uncovered is a deeply humiliating and defiling experience." Cheema has been in the Yuba County Jail since September 2002, awaiting the outcome of his immigration case. Prior to his transfer to Yuba County, Cheema told an immigration officer of his concerns. "The officer assured Mr. Cheema that he would not face any problems in relation to his use of a religious head covering at the new facility," the lawsuit said. When he arrived in Yuba County, a jail officer "threatened to use force if Mr. Cheema did not remove his head covering," the lawsuit said. "Shortly after his arrival at Yuba County Jail, Mr. Cheema was informed that he would not be allowed to keep his head covered except under the most limited circumstances." Cheema, "believing he had no other choice," then signed an agreement in which he said he would only wear a turban at his bunk bed while he was praying, reading a religious book or eating, the lawsuit said. In October 2003, Chandless and two other jail officers saw Cheema with his head covered away from his bed. They ordered him to remove the covering. When Cheema complied, the lawsuit said, "Chandless and the other officers laughed at him." Cheema then filed a grievance. In response, he was placed in a segregation unit for a month, the lawsuit said. Cheema "is willing to use as a religious head covering a turban that is smaller than that which is typically worn by an adult male Amritdhari Sikh, and he is willing to submit to reasonable searches of his religious head covering," the lawsuit said. Appeal-Democrat reporter Harold Kruger can be reached at 749-4717. You may e-mail him at hkruger@appeal-democrat.com.

Vaheguru Jee Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Jee Kee Fateh !

Vaheguru Jee Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Jee Kee Fateh ! This is a really really good DVD with a slideshow presentation done very well. :doh: Bhai Sahib is doing really good sewa, and the fact that he is based in India and has produced such a DVD shows how brave this Khalsa is. When I watched i found it very informative and an eye opener.... definately worth watching. You can download it aswell : http://www.khalsa.tv/?cat=5 http://www.khalsaalliance.org Vaheguru Jee Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Jee Kee Fateh !

check out http://www.searchsikhism.com and http://www.shaheedkhalsa.com for more pics

Shaheed Bhai Dalbeer Singh Abhiasee

Vaheguru Jee Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Jee Kee Fateh ! Browsing other websites (http://www.searchsikhism.com/kha2.html) and recognied the Shaheed Singh Pics that are in here....... furthest to the right is Shaheed Bhai Kaabal Singh Jee and 2nd to right is Shaheed Bhai Dalbeer Singh Jee Abhiasee