"who Will Hear Our Cries"

[sher_panjabi]

http://www.panthic.org/news/132/ARTICLE/1957/2005-11-06.html

“Who Will Hear Our Cries”

Sunday 6th November, 2005

Gurmukh Singh – Panthic Weekly Staff

(KP) -

21 years ago Sikhs were pointed out in the streets of Delhi and other cities across India and hauled off trains and buses and beaten with metal crow bars. Sikh taxi drivers were stopped in their vehicles, and attacked by mobsters who left no-one at mercy. Even women and children were not spared. With lists of Sikh homes provided by local authorities, mobsters along with Policemen hunted down Sikhs indiscriminately. Tearing off the proud turbans off the heads of Sikh men, the mobsters put tires around them and watched the innocent Sikh men burn to death. Young Sikh boys were grabbed by their long hair and with no fear of God, the mobsters cut the innocent children’s hair and then went further to beat and burn them to death. This is the tragic scenes and truth of Sikh history at the end of the twentieth century. The same acts of atrocities against Sikhs, which were committed by during the Mughal era of Zakhriya Khan and Yiya Khan became a physical reality in what we call the Modern World of today.

Last week we celebrated Bandi-Chhor Diwas and remembered and reflected upon the life of Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji. The Mughal Emperor Jahangeer, had tortured and martyred Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji’s father, Guru Arjan Dev Ji. He then waged war with Guru Sahib. Also, he imprisoned Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji in the Gwalior Fort. However, the same person who committed such injustice, crime, and atrocities became the friend of Guru Sahib! How is this possible, we may think?

The same person, under whose authority Guru Arjan Dev Ji was tortured and martyred; the same person, who waged war against Guru Sahib and had him imprisoned, used to go on hunting expeditions with Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji. This seems incomprehensible! But why did Guru Sahib allow friendship with Jahangeer? The answer is that Jahangeer had apologised for his serious faults and errors he had made. He did not just apologise. He made a genuine apology. Any “genuine” apology is accepted by the Guru, and is accepted by the Guru’s Sikh. This is because the enemy is not the person but the perversion of the mind. Hence, Gurbani emphasises on changing the (stubborn) mind, which is done through speaking to the stubborn mind with the language of love.

ਕਬੀਰਾ ਜਹਾ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਤਹ ਧਰਮੁ ਹੈ ਜਹਾ ਝੂਠੁ ਤਹ ਪਾਪੁ ॥ ਜਹਾ ਲੋਭੁ ਤਹ ਕਾਲੁ ਹੈ ਜਹਾ ਖਿਮਾ ਤਹ ਆਪਿ ॥155॥

"O Kabeer! Where there is spiritual wisdom, there is righteousness and Dharma. Where there is falsehood, there is sin. Where there is greed, there is death. Where there is forgiveness, there is Waheguru Himself. ||155||"

(Ang 1372, SGGS)

ਨਾ ਕੋ ਬੈਰੀ ਨਹੀ ਬਿਗਾਨਾ ਸਗਲ ਸੰਗਿ ਹਮ ਕਉ ਬਨਿ ਆਈ ॥1॥

"No one is my enemy, and no one is a stranger. I get along with everyone. ||1||"

(Ang 1299, SGGS)

I am surprised at those Sikhs who say “Sikhs should forget 1984 and move on” and “Forgive and forget.” O Khalsa Ji have we forgotten our history? Let us take inspiration and guidance from the life of Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji. Guru Sahib only forgave Jahangeer when he made a “genuine” apology. Guru Sahib did not just forgive him, he also became his friend. This is how Guru Ji has taught his Sikhs to have big heart. For this reason the Khalsa is referred to as “Khalsa Bakshanhaar hai” (the Khalsa is all-forgiving), just as the Guru is all-forgiving! However, we must ask ourselves have we received a genuine apology for the murder, rape and genocide of the Sikhs in November 1984? Yes, we have received a so-called apology from PM Manmohan Singh. However, we must really ask ourselves was this a “genuine apology”?

How do we move on, when those who helped orchestrate the atrocities are roaming free and enjoying the high life of Indian Politics and being given seats in Lokh Sabha (Indian Parliament)? How do we move on, when not a single person has been prosecuted for the rape, murder or carnage in Delhi November 1984? How do we move on, when children in Indian Schools are being taught distorted Sikh history, innocent Sikhs are being detained and languishing in prisons without trial or case for decades?

A so-called Sikh intellectual said to me recently, “Sikhs in the West should concentrate with Sikhs living in the country where we are now living. Sikhs in India can look after themselves. The more rallies and noise we make about abuses against Sikhs in India, the more the problem becomes worse. The Sikhs in India receive the backlash from the Indian Government and yet the Sikhs making the noise enjoy freedom and no consequence.” How can any a Sikh lay back and watch his brothers and sisters face “abuse”? When one takes Amrit from the Guru-Roop Panj-Piaare one pledges and accepts the Khalsa as his family, and Guru Gobind Singh Ji & Mata Sahib Kaur Ji as his or her Father & Mother. However, am I mistaken? Is the Khalsa is the country where we preside, only matter to us? If my brother is living in Germany, but I live in Britain, does that mean I should forget him and ignore him if he faces problems and is in pain? No. The Khalsa does not just ask for the goodness of Sikhs wherever they live, but for the whole of humanity.

Let us learn something from Bandi-Chhor Diwas. On Bandi-Chhor Diwas fifty-two Hindu Rajé (princes) were freed with Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji. Guru Ji could have left the Gwalior Fort when he was offered the chance. However, Guru Ji thought of others before himself. Others freedom and rights were more important than his own. He did not show the attitude which the so-called Sikh intellectual shared with me about “forgetting about Sikhs in India”. Guru Sahib is always thinking of not of his emancipation, but everyone's emancipation. This is the attitude and ‘gun’, virtue, which, Guru Hargobind Sahib blessed his Sikhs with. Guru Sahib physically lived and practiced Gurbani in reality, giving us a positive role model.

ਨਾਰਾਇਨ ਨਰਪਤਿ ਨਮਸਕਾਰੈ ॥ ਐਸੇ ਗੁਰ ਕਉ ਬਲਿ ਬਲਿ ਜਾਈਐ ਆਪਿ ਮੁਕਤੁ ਮੋਹਿ ਤਾਰੈ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

"The one who bows in humble reverence to the Primal Lord, the Lord of all beings - I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice to such a Guru; He Himself is liberated, and He carries me across as well. ||1||Pause||"

(Ang 1301, SGGS)

Cynthia Keppley Mahmood in her book "Fighting for Faith & Nation" interviewed some Jhajhaaroo Singhs (Sikh militants) held in an American detention centre, who claimed to be fighting for the independence and freedom of Sikhs in India. She asked the Singh, "If you obtain your goal and the Sikhs are freed and get freedom, then what would you do?" The response of the Gursikh, is a reflection of the Guru’s colour imbued in the Guru’s Sikh. He replied, "After freeing the Sikhs in India, we will go and free Bosnians and then once we have freed Bosnians we will go to the next place where tyranny is oppressing the people." Cynthia Mahmood was overwhelmed and shocked by the sincerity and positive attitude of the Sikhs. This is the blessings of Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji.

So let us learn from our Guru. Let us not be selfish and enjoy our own freedom, and turn our backs on those who are living a life of Hell, with no truth and justice, and no protection of human rights. How could we call ourselves the Sikhs of Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji if we turned our backs on the Sikhs living in India? We shouldn’t turn our backs to anyone, whether they are Sikhs or non-Sikhs. But helping our Sikh brothers and sisters is a first-step. If we show neglect in helping our own people, then how do you expect we can help others?

Let us all recognise our duty to the Guru Granth & Guru Panth and write to our local Members of Parliament highlighting the issues of the Genocide of November 1984, violation of human rights and how no justice has been served.

Let us all recognise the one jyot (light) of Waheguru within all, and have compassion for those brothers and sisters languishing in Indian jails and undoubtly being physically and mentally abused and tortured.

Let us all recognise our humanity, and realise that we cannot accept governments and the police anywhere in the world getting away with torture, persecution and genocide in the twenty-first century.

Let us pray for a better future and hope that India will take steps in the right direction and demonstrate their sorrow for the 1984 genocide in deeds rather than mere words. Until that day comes may every Sikh continue his Panthic duty in participating in peaceful protests, writing letters to politicians and attending programmes organised to raise awareness about violation of human rights against Sikhs and the injustices of 1984.

Gurmukh Singh can be reached at gurmukh.singh@panthic.org

Waheguru, Waheguru, Waheguru (what else can i say)

[Hot Sausage]

You need to be less fundamentalistic for peep like me to hear

[Sabre Sword]

You need to be less fundamentalistic for peep like me to hear 

131864[/snapback]

Maybe you need to re-read the article.

[gupt_paapi]

fundamentalist?! wots dat got 2 do with nething?! cant u see that singh is BURNING?!

[sher_panjabi]

I just posted a "news article" from panthic weekly... what's fundamentalist??? sorry if i caused any offense to anyone.

[Khalsa_Girl_1]

You need to be less fundamentalistic for peep like me to hear 

131864[/snapback]

so you think he's a fundamentalist now eh?

well...let me ask you something.

if you had a loving, innocent family member who was burned ALIVE right in front of your eyes just because he/she followed his/her religion, would you not be crying and yelling????? would you just be standing there, doing nothing? our sisters and brothers who had their loved ones taking away for being Sikhs are stilled scarred for life, and they want justice.

what would you want? people to just say "Yeah. it happened. There's nothing we can do about it now."

those were/are our sisters and brothers who gave/give up so much for us, us, the Sikhs of today.

hello!!! wake up and smell the coffee yo!

i just had a Rememberance assembly during the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month this week to remember the people who were fighting for us in World War Two...and im in a school where like everyone is white. so if they can remember the people who were fighting to end the war of all wars (not just Canadian soldiers...all of them), then why should we, Sikhs who dont hide from anything and no one, be hiding from things like the '84 riots, attacks, abuses..etc.....why?? if others people have speakers who talk about the soldiers who fought in the war and stood up for what was right, then will you call them fundamentalists as well?

good job yo. good job. :lol: .....not...

i really didn't want to offend you by saying this, but i had to make sure that my point was clear....

dont worry, i still love you, and thats why i explained it to you in a way that you could you understand.......i hope

but please think more than twice before making statements such as the one you made.

peace....

GurFateh ji.

[ms514]

Sat Sri Akal:

"You need to be less fundamentalistic for peep like me to hear"

Would you sympathize with the Jews and yet spit on the Sikhs?

[Guest rsingh]

It is a sad state to racism that All i can see it as today. Sikhs contribute so much to the UK and it is officail that is why we are so prosperous because we work hard et no one will support us. Its a shame but if you think about it we are much like the Jews as pointed out as in we are a minority. diifference is that we dont have our own Governemnet with nucs. Challo Guoo rakha whoo needs nuks when u got guru granth sahib ji :lol:

this kind of double standards when "oh ur a fanatic" is offten seen with people such as your self who are small minded and prejedice. I dont see anything wroing with highlighting human rights abuses.

Let me ask u wud it be differnet if that was London and that was you brother lying in the street. or if you herd your sister was rapped infront of her family.

I was just wrtiting soemthing for blog when I cam across this. I was writting about a story I herd about 2 sisters who where picked up one at a time. and taken they whiere blindfolded and well u know wot happened that.. gang, ... drunks.. police... blood.. :'(

she was told to stay quite she was also told by sunties as to save her izat. anyway guroo rakha.. she didnt.. she told everyone. Is it ok for police to do tat?

Imagine her being white? lol your one sentence says alot about you. may guroo bless you to.

[Khalsa_Girl_1]

It is a sad state to racism that All i can see it as today. Sikhs contribute so much to the UK and it is officail that is why we are so prosperous because we work hard et no one will support us. Its a shame but if you think about it we are much like the Jews as pointed out as in we are a minority. diifference is that we dont have our own Governemnet with nucs. Challo Guoo rakha whoo needs nuks when u got guru granth sahib ji :lol:

this kind of double standards when "oh ur a fanatic" is offten seen with people such as your self who are small minded and prejedice. I dont see anything wroing with highlighting human rights abuses.

Let me ask u wud it be differnet if that was London and that was you brother lying in the street. or if you herd your sister was rapped infront of her family.

I was just wrtiting soemthing for blog when I cam across this. I was writting about a story I herd about 2 sisters who where picked up one at a time. and taken they whiere blindfolded and well u know wot happened that.. gang, ... drunks.. police... blood.. :'(

she was told to stay quite she was also told by sunties as to save her izat. anyway guroo rakha.. she didnt.. she told everyone. Is it ok for police to do tat?

Imagine her being white? lol your one sentence says alot about you. may guroo bless you to.

134401[/snapback]

awww..

such a sad thing *sigh*