Self-determination Conference At British Parliament

[Guest DKI]

Conference and Launch of

Parliamentarians for National

Self-Determination

Thursday 11th May 2006

Committee Room 4

Houses of Parliament

Westminster

London

Let no one oppress anyone else

Let all abide in peace under a Benevolent Raj

Guru Arjan, The Fifth Sovereign of the Sikhs

Nationalist movements the world over have emerged as a result of diverse circumstances and history peculiar to each region. Nevertheless, they share many common goals and challenges in their respective endeavors to establish their rightful place among the World’s community of nations.

Self-determination is the current internationally recognised means of pursuing those goals. Crucially, it is also a fundamental human right, as clearly prescribed by international law, and one upon which all other human rights depend. In a world scarred by so many violent conflicts and large scale human rights abuses, self-determination is perhaps the most important instrument of conflict resolution available to us today.

Parliamentarians for National Self-Determination (PNSD) will provide a forum for aspiring nation states to advocate the management of their own internal affairs, development and nurturing of their national resources, and direct external engagement with international bodies to promote economic, environmental and cultural co-operation for mutual benefit.

PNSD will seek to intervene on behalf of those peoples and individuals who are persecuted for advocating self-determination and defend their democratic rights, including that of free speech in pursuit of claims sanctioned by international law.

The Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation (UNPO), is a widely respected international body which provides a platform for nonstate nations to campaign for national self-determination and is a body with which PNSD will collaborate closely.

Programme

2 pm – 5 pm, Thursday 11th May 2006

• Welcome and Public launch

Officers of ‘Parliamentarians for National Self-Determination’.

• South Asia Independence Movements

Lord Nazir Ahmed, Chair PNSD.

• Welsh, Scottish and English National Groups

Rt. Hon Elfyn Llwyd MP, Leader, Plaid Cymru.

• Unrepresented Nations and Peoples

Marino Busdachin, General Secretary, UNPO.

• Self-Determination, Human Rights and International Law

Kashmir Singh LLB LLM, Gen. Secretary, British Sikh Federation.

• Parliamentarians and National Representatives

from Westminster, UK, Europe, Indian sub-continent and Asia.

For further details contact:

Ranjit Singh Srai LLB.

Administrative Secretary, PNSD.

ranjitsrai@aol.com

O’Lord! From these Self-negligent People

Another strong and active Nation Make!

Dr Sir Mohammed Iqbal

Speakers from Punjab who will be participating in the conference and launch of Parliamentarians for National Self-Determination on Thursday, May 11th include:

Jaspal Singh Dhillon

Vice President, Dal Khalsa

Navkiran Singh, Advocate

General Secretary, Lawyers For Human Rights International

Justice (Retd) Ajit Singh Bains

Convenor, Punjab Human Rights Organisation

Representatives from other oppressed and / or occupied nations who will also be participating in the conference to put forward their case for self-determination and for expressing solidarity with the cause of the Sikh Nation include:

• Kashmiris

• Nagas

• Assamese

• Manipuris

• Kurds

• Chechens

• Palestinians

• Kosovans

• Tamils

[Singh, Mahan]

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DKI ji,

How did the event go? Any more information?

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[JagtarSinghKhalsa]

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DKI ji,

How did the event go? Any more information?

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Excellent turnout from the different 'peoples' seeking self determination.

Standing room only, organisers underestimated response - over 100 present in a room that seats around 50-60. Around 70% were Sikhs. In total about 5 or 6 women (2 were Sikh), around 10 'Young Sikhs' most present were older men.

More politicians could have attended - Two Lords attended (including Lord Ahmed - the Chair), around four MPs - Leader Plaid Cymru and one other from his party, Simon Hughes MP, President Liberal Democrats, Adam Holloway (Gravesend MP) - although only stood by the door and did not want to speak, also one Conservative MEP attended and spoke very well and a rep from the Scottish National Party. Lack of Labour reps - something the organisers should address as we need all political parties to recognise and support the right to self determination. We must go beyond complaining about non-attendance and look to see how they can be involved.

Personal views - 3 hours 20 minutes of speeches was too much - three or four speakers from several 'national' groups seeking self determination was probably took much. Also little or should I say no opportunity for those attending to ask questions and properly interact.

Some excellent Sikh speakers from Panjab - Justice Ajit Singh, Jaspal Singh (Dal Khalsa), Advocate Navkiran Singh - one of these as the keynote Sikh speaker or Ranjit Singh himself would have been ideal.

One or two of the Sikh 'old guard' were really embarrassing, one even fell over right at the end and his dastaar came off in the process. Organisers should pay more attention to 'catering' for all those in attendance and the sight of an elderly gentlemen without his dastaar was not good.

Overall - good the group has been established, much more needs to be done to get more political support, need to be more professional in getting the message across and choose our speakers carefully.

It would be good to get the views of any others in attendance.

[JagtarSinghKhalsa]

12-05-2006

UNPO at Launch of Parliamentarians for National Self-Determination

On 11 May 2006 parliamentarians and national representatives from Westminster, Europe and Asia met in the Houses of Parliament for the launch of Parliamentarians for National Self-Determination (PNSD), with the right to self-determination being the central theme and common denominator.

The Conference was chaired by Lord Nazir Ahmed who spoke on South Asia Independence Movements and emphasised how nationalist movements are bound together by shared challenges and objectives, with the right to self-determination being the internationally recognised means to attain their respective goals. As chair of PNSD Lord Ahmed emphasised that the pursuit of self-determination must be achieved through peaceful measures and that non-violent means must fundamentally inform the debate and struggle for the right to self-determination. UNPO General Secretary, Marino Busdachin, highlighted in his speech how a novel approach to the concept of self-determination is needed, to depart from the ‘trap of self-determination’ and transform the understanding of the concept. Mr. Busdachin underlined that self-determination, rather than being perceived as the cause for conflict, must be seen as a tool for the effective prevention and resolution of conflict. He called for a renewed discourse and appealed to parliamentarians, representatives and activists alike to rethink both strategies and actions, in order to re-launch a strengthened, legitimate and more effective quest for self-determination and the resolution of long-standing conflicts. (Full transcript of speech is included below)

Other participants and speakers attending and invited to the conference included: Lord Judd; Lord Rea; Rt. Hon Elfyn Llwyd (MP, Leader Plaid Cymru); Simon Hughes (MP, Chairman Liberal Democrats); Kashmir Singh (LLB LLM General Secretary British Sikh Federation); Khalid Mahmood (MP, Labour); Douglas Carswell (MP, Conservatives); Daniel Hannon (Member of the European Parliament, Conservatives); Rh. Raising (Minister, Secretary of Steering Committee of Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN)); Pete Wishart (MP, SNP Group Chief Whip); Frans Welman (Naga Support Centre); and several other prominent national representatives.

Speech by UNPO General Secretary, Marino Busdachin

11 May 2006, Houses of Parliament, London, UK

“Mr. President, Lord Ahmed,

Honourable MPs,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am glad to be here and grateful to have the opportunity to address you during today’s important meeting on behalf of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization. I convey to you the salutation of the 63 Members of UNPO, with different goals and aspirations, sharing one condition; not being represented, not having the right to express themselves, nor to enjoy their identity, - the unrepresented, the voiceless are hundreds of millions around the world and usually forgotten, outcast and oppressed.

My vote is that this conference, held by Parliamentarians for National Self-Determination and organised in partnership with UNPO, will strengthen and be able to give new breath to a battle for the affirmation of the right to self determination.

First of all, on behalf of UNPO, I would like to underline that at its core, self-determination means simply that human beings, individually and as groups, should be in control on their own destinies and that institutions of government should be devised accordingly. It is this idea that promoted the downfall of colonial structures and the abolition of apartheid and that today promotes democratic reform the world over.

Self-determination has its roots in and continues to be inseparably linked to the core concept of democracy, understood to mean the right to choose one’s rulers and to participate in decision-making. In this sense, the right to self-determination is a right of choice and a right of participation.

But, as history teaching, hardly any right recognized by law is absolute and even less enforced.

This is particularly and bitterly true for the right of Self-determination.

Many of the armed conflicts that have raged in the world during the last century, and the vast majority of those that have taken place since the end of the Cold War and continue today, centre around people’s drive to self-determination, whether explicitly stated as such or not.

For this reason, it is necessary to explore ways to transform the perception of self-determination; - away from being a contributing factor or even cause of conflict, and into being the notion of self-determination as a foundation and instrument for effective prevention and resolution of conflict.

In past decades, our world has witnessed a growth and welcoming commitment to democracy. We have seen a steady trend moving towards the establishment of democratic forms of government. Today, from Latin America to Africa, from Europe to Asia, democracy is a worldwide accepted and practiced principle.

I sincerely believe that democracy must be considered a fundamental human right and must form the backbone of the newly established UN body; the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

For peace, security and stability to exist, any associations between peoples and communities or between them and the state must be based on genuine and continuing consent, mutual respect and mutual benefit. Peace cannot exist in states that lack legitimacy or whose governments threaten the lives or wellbeing of a section of the population.

The international community, its members and institutions have an obligation to act where international law, including human rights and the right to self-determination, is violated.

Prevention of conflict requires proactive measures to persuade states to act in compliance with international legal standards towards their citizens, including distinct peoples and communities that exist within their borders, and to desist from actions, such as population transfer or forced assimilation, which impede the exercise of self-determination.

States must be made to realize that aspirations of peoples and communities cannot be ignored.

Many non-democratic states, alike many states with a low level of democracy, today, greatly fear that self-determination could become a new norm in international relations. These states fear that the doctrine of “humanitarian interventionism” would supplant the doctrine of state sovereignty.

Since 9/11, the international war against terrorism has firmly re-established state sovereignty as the predominant principle in international relations. Too many states have exploited the war against terrorism to justify its repression to many peoples and nations, and in order to soften criticism and protest of the International Community.

Self-determination could be a trap, - and was for a half of the last century.

We need to rethink our strategy, our actions.

Self-determination today, at a time of inter-dependency, should embody a broad concept which enlists solutions going from regional partial autonomy, full autonomy, association, to federalism, to independence.

In a time where states proceed to a different form of association it seems anachronistic acting for the right to self-determination. That it is not true. This is the moment and the occasion to re-launch the initiative.

I would like to suggest to prepare an international conference on this thematic issue, in order to update the debate on the question of self-determination. And I would like to suggest that UNPO and the Parliamentarians for National Self-Determination, convened today here at the Westminster parliament, would organise such a conference in the next months.

Strengthening democracy, human rights, the right to self-determination and the rule of law in the broad sense is the milestone to achieving peaceful coexistence and progress, and to meeting the challenges of the present time.

I can see the determination for the struggle of the aspiration for a full identity of millions of individuals and hundreds of nations and peoples worldwide; and to achieve the full expression of a fundamental right as the broad concept of Self-determination in International Law and consequent actions by International Organisations and the United Nations.”

http://www.unpo.org/news_detail.php?arg=01&par=4473

This is from the UNPO web site.

[Comment - I was a few minutes late - Did I miss Khalid Mahmood (MP, Labour) or is the news item incorrect]

[Singh, Mahan]

http://www.asianage.com/main.asp?layout=2&...&RF=DefaultMain

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UK MPs take aim at India

- By Seema Mustafa

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New Delhi, May 12: A group of British parliamentarians have come together to set up a "Parliamentarians for National Self-Determination" body that will seek to get international recognition of self-determination as a fundamental human right. India is a clear target, with the organisers listing "Punjab, Nagas, Manipur, Tamils and Kashmiris" in their list of movements seeking self-determination.

The chair of the new organisation, which was inaugurated at the Houses of Parliament at Westminster on Thursday, is Pakistani-origin Labour Party parliamentarian Lord Nazir Ahmed, with Mr Ranjit Singh, a lawyer who is openly supportive of a separate state of Punjab, as its administrative secretary.

The Indian high commission in London has taken the matter up with the British foreign office, which has disclaimed all responsibility, maintaining that it cannot interfere in the workings of the British Parliament. Mr Ranjit Singh, when contacted over the telephone by this correspondent, said that the effort of the parliamentarians was to propagate self-determination as a fundamental human right, and to give a platform through the organisation to all such separatist groups seeking self-determination. He said that a group of lawyers from Punjab had made a very forceful presentation for "the Sikhs’ right to self-determination" at the inaugural function. He said he himself was from Punjab and supported the right to self-determination which had assumed the shape of the "Khalistan" movement in the 1980s.

Mr Singh claimed that the inaugural function was very well attended and that apart from Punjab, the "nationalist movements" of the "Nagas, Manipur, Northeast, Tamils, Kosovo, Kurdish self-determination" ... all had figured at the meeting. Interestingly, he had to be asked specifically about the Kashmiris, to which he said: "Yes, there were several speakers actually on this issue." Asked if representatives from Pakistan’s Northern Areas, Gilgit, Baltistan as well as Baluchistan had been represented, Mr Singh said: "We are a new organisation, more groups will come." It is learnt that a group of Baluchis did arrive for the conference but, sources said, "they were not allowed to speak for more than 30 seconds."

Mr Ranjit Singh said that in his view, "if people are denied self-determination, the situation eventually leads to huge human rights abuses." He said that a cross-section of MPs was represented in the organisation and it would focus on "informing the world that self-determination was a fundamental right and not just a political slogan." The vice-chair of the parliamentarians group is Mr Elfyn Llwyd, MP, who represents the Welsh, Scottish and English nationalist groups. Others who spoke and are associated with the organisation include Mr Simon Hughes, president of the Liberal Democratic Party, Daniel Hannon, member of the European Parliament from the Conservative Party, Mr Peter Wishart, MP of the Scottish Nationalist Party, and Mr Kashmiri Singh, general secretay of the British Sikh Federation. The conference was organised in collaboration with the Hague-based Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation (UNPO).

Lord Nazir Ahmad could not be reached. Sources said that he is the treasurer of a newly-constituted group on Sikhs and helps raise and channel funds. He is particularly unpopular with the Indian community in London, with several members having written to him protesting against the visible anti-India bias of the new organisation. Lord Dholakia, who is chairman of the Liberal Democrats’ Friends of India, spoke out against the parliamentarians’ initiative in the House of Lords. He said that it was important to ensure that government subcommittees were representative of all communities, and "not restricted just to those perceived as being responsible for the atrocities on that day." He went on to point out: "When examining home-grown terrorism, we need to consider the pronouncements often made by responsible people in our community in this country. I refer, for example, to those who exploit the situation in the subcontinent by advocating self-determination of some states in that part of the world. Those are the breeding grounds of emotions and hatred and do nothing but damage the stability of some people in this country and the stability of communities."

Interestingly, several Baloch and Sindhi groups are active in the UK and submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Tony Blair last year demanding that Pakistan should stop "committing ongoing atrocities against our peoples in Pakistan. Over the last six months, Pakistan’s military and paramilitary forces have once again started a widespread operation using heavy air and ground artillery in various parts of Balochistan. This violent and illegal operation was started to suppress the legitimate demands of the Baloch people." The signatories to this memorandum, which is with this newspaper, included the World Sindhi Congress, Sindhi Baloch Forum and Balochistan Rights Movement, who incidentally were not invited to the parliamentarians and the UNPO’s inaugural conference.

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[Guest DKI]

The inaugural conference and launch of PNSD was a huge success with a very good turnout. I take JagtarSinghKhalsa's point that there were perhaps too many speakers and no time for any question and answer session. The Tamils unfortunately did not get a chance to speak and the Palestinian representative was unable to attend due to an urgent engagement. Otherwise, the event was a major achievement, particularly for the Sikhs who have been in need of such a platform where they can stand alongside other stateless and unrepresented nations.

Jaspal Singh Dhillon, Navkiran Singh and Justice (Retd) Ajit Singh Bains did an excellent job of highlighting the Sikh case for self-determination. To his credit Jaspal Singh Dhillon (Vice President, Dal Khalsa) even went so far to say that Khalistan is not a concept but an occupied nation as the Sikhs had already declared their independence in 1986.

We had another Sikh speaker (Kashmir Singh, BSF). I am not familiar with him although personally i was not impressed with his speech as it had little to no relevance and was an extremely weak argument for an independent Sikh state. However, i give him full credit for taking a stand on self-determination and Khalistan considering he is involved largely with British Sikh community issues.

Khalid Mahmood did not attend.

I will post up a statement and resolutions of the event shortly. Now bear in mind that for a Parliamentary group the resolutions that got passed (unanimously) is major achievement.

Regards,

[JagtarSinghKhalsa]

I will post up a statement and resolutions of the event shortly. Now bear in mind that for a Parliamentary group the resolutions that got passed (unanimously) is major achievement.

Regarding the resolutions - I had a quiet word with Ranjit Singh as Welsh and Scottish were not mentioned in the long list of 'peoples' seeking self determination. He indicated the relevant resolution would be amended. Point Simon Hughes made about 'India' being the only country mentioned for 'criticism' was a very important and relevant one for the group to consider due to its 'wdier' remit or Indian press and 'others' will play on this as we have already seen.

[amorphous_singh]

Justice (Retd.) Ajit Singh

Jaspal Singh Dhillon

Navkiran Singh

More pictures of Navkiran Singh and Jaspal Singh at

http://solarider.org/blog/?p=1134

http://solarider.org/blog/?p=1135

Rt. Hon. Simon Hughes MP

[JagtarSinghKhalsa]

Ahwazis at parliamentary conference on self-determination

The British Ahwazi Friendship Society (BAFS) this week participated in a conference on self-determination hosted by Lord Nazir Ahmed at the British Houses of Parliament (Lord Ahmed is pictured with Ahwazi activists).

Lord Ahmad, who chairs the Parliamentarians for National Self-Determination (PNSD), Liberal Democrat President Simon Hughes MP, Plaid Cymru (Party of Wales) leader Elfyn Llwyd MP, Conservative MEP Daniel Hannon, Scottish Nationalist MP Peter Wishart and Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation (UNPO) General Secretary Marino Busdachin were among the participants at the meeting which sought to explore common goals and challenges among nationalist movements (click here for more details).

Self-determination is a fundamental human right under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and is regarded as an important instrument in conflict resolution. The PNSD, which organised the meeting, is a forum for aspiring nation states to advocate the management of their own internal affairs, development and nurturing of their national resources, and direct external engagement with international bodies to promote economic, environmental and cultural co-operation for mutual benefit.

Aside from Ahwazis, the conference was attended by Sikhs, Kashmiris, Nagas, Assamese, Manipuris, Kurds, Chechens, Palestinians, Kosovans and Tamils.

http://www.ahwaz.org.uk/2006/05/ahwazis-at...ference-on.html

[Guest DKI]

PRESS RELEASE AND CONFERENCE REPORT:

Parliamentarians for National Self-Determination

PNSD and UNPO to take forward National Self-Determination

LONDON - May 14, 2006: The launch of ‘Parliamentarians for National Self-Determination’ (PNSD) took place this Thursday 11th May in Committee Room 4 in the Houses of Parliament, Westminster. Representatives from aspiring nation states speaking on behalf of the Welsh, Scottish, Naga, Sikh, Kashmiri, Assamese, Manipuri, Kosovar, Kurdish and Tamil nations, as well as other contributors, welcomed the formation of this new cross party group and wished it success in its mission. PNSD, a cross party group of Westminster parliamentarians, aims to highlight the importance of self-determination as a fundamental human right, as prescribed by international law, as well as to promote it as a means of conflict resolution by peaceful and democratic means.

Article 1 of the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which has become the bedrock of international humanitarian law, states that “All peoples have the right of self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development”. Article 4 goes on to state that “The State Parties to the present Covenant … shall promote the realization of the right of self-determination and shall respect that right in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations”. The implementation of this right often involves a complex consideration of political and legal considerations and has,apart from application in the decolonisation in recent years led to freedom for a number of nations held captive by the former Soviet Union and the former Yugoslavia; the UN took a direct role in overseeing a plebiscite in East Timor which led to its independence. There remain however a number of other unresolved conflicts where the international community needs to promote peaceful, equitable settlements and PNSD will, in cooperation with others such as UNPO, seek to play a role in that process.

Lord Nazir Ahmed, Chair of the new group, opened the conference and spoke of this responsibility on the part of the international community; he pledged that PNSD will engage with governments and international bodies to take forward national self-determination and made it clear that its work will emphasise the need to achieve settlements by exclusively peaceful means. That was echoed by Vice Chair of PNSD, Elfyn Llwyd MP who said that the packed venue reflected the importance this issue has for UK citizens, Diaspora communities, as well as those beyond our shores as demonstrated by the many international delegates who had travelled long distances to share their experiences.

Marino Busdachin, General Secretary of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation (UNPO), thanked the UK parliamentarians who had established PNSD and pledged that the UNPO would work closely with the new group in furthering the peaceful settlement of many of the world’s conflicts through the implementation of the right to Self-Determination. He said “For peace, security and stability to exist, any associations between peoples and communities or between them and the state must be based on genuine and continuing consent, mutual respect and mutual benefit. Peace cannot exist in states that lack legitimacy or whose governments threaten the lives or wellbeing of a section of the population. The international community, its members and institutions have an obligation to act where international law, including human rights and the right to self-determination, is violated.”

Lord Rea, who has taken a long term interest in the Chechen conflict as well as the cause of the Kurds, was only able to attend for a short while but informed the Chair that he thoroughly supported the aims of PNSD believing that the majority of the conflicts in the world today are due to repression of minority populations. Both PNSD and selfdetermination as a basic foundation of democracy were lauded by Pete Wishart MP who spoke of the Scottish National Party’s belief in this key principle not only in the UK context but as an ideal to be applied across the world. Daniel Hannan, a Conservative Member of the European Parliament, fully backed the right to self-determination for the many oppressed, occupied and minority nations. Supported by Douglas Carswell MP he strongly advocated the nation state as the natural and most effective political structure in terms of meeting the aspirations of the people as opposed to artificial structures which often lacked the legitimacy of having the consent of the governed.

Guest Naga, Kashmiri, Sikh, Kosovar, Kurd, Assamese and Manipuri speakers, many of whom had travelled from abroad to attend the launch of PNSD, put forward the basis on which their nations are endeavouring to exercise their respective rights to self-determination and expressed their solidarity with their fellow nations engaged in similar struggles. They expressed appreciation for those who have sought to protect their human rights despite the predictable response that would flow from apologists for states actively seeking to deny self-determination to those and other nations, often through violence or other forms of unlawful persecution.

Mr Rh. Raising, Secretary of the Steering Committee of the NSCN, described the plight of the Nagas who for over 50 years have been struggling for the independence of their homeland having voted overwhelmingly for that in a referendum conducted in 1951. Whilst hoping that the ongoing Indo-Naga talks would secure a just settlement in accordance with Naga rights in international law, he expressed full support for Kashmiri self-determination and the Sikh struggle for Khalistan. Frans Welman of the Amsterdam based Naga International Support Center took the view that the former colonial powers such as Great Britain and his native Netherlands are to some extent responsible for many of the world’s conflicts that have sparked self-determination movements and therefore have a moral responsibility to play an active role in helping to resolve such conflicts; he saw the establishment of PNSD in the UK Parliament as an important step in that direction.

Ghulam Mohammad Safi, a former General Secretary of the All Parties Hurriet Conference, congratulated PNSD for organising such an important event and spoke of the clear need to resolve the Kashmir conflict on the basis of the people exercising their right to self-determination in accordance with international law. Nazir Quarashi of the World Kashmir Freedom Movement appealed to the world community to take urgent notice of the massive use of state terrorism to crush the legitimate struggle for freedom in Kashmir which was identical to the means adopted by India to counter the Sikh struggle for Khalistan. Zafar Khan of the JKLF implored the world community to look beyond the current Indo – Pakistan diplomatic dialogue and ensure the engagement of the people of Kashmir so that their fundamental civil and political rights were secured by their freely given consent.

Speaking passionately on behalf of the Peace in Kurdistan Project, Estella Schmidt, lamented over the unjustified attempts to criminalize and equate self-determination movements with terrorism; a serious problem faced by self-determination activists across the world including the Kurds. She pledged to work closely with PNSD on behalf of Kurdistan but also in support for the other nationalist movements. Zymer Salihi of the Kosovo Islamic Centre, UK spoke of self-determination being recognised as the only way forward for the people of Kosovo in order to escape the oppression they had suffered; he hoped that the territory would secure full independence within a short timeframe having already benefited from UN intervention and hoped PNSD would succeed in its mission.

Kashmir Singh of the British Sikh Federation described the benefits of an independent Khalistan, as against the economic, social, religious and political disadvantages the Sikhs are currently having to endure in their homeland. Jaspal Singh Dhillon, Vice-President of the Dal Khalsa based in Punjab referred to the Sikh national gathering at Amritsar in January 1986 which unanimously declared for an independent Sikh state, Khalistan, and said that remains the Sikh nation’s freely determined goal, to be secured by peaceful and democratic means in accordance with international law. He called on those concerned about human rights to protect human rights activists by taking up their cases, such as that of Sharmila Devi, a young lady from Manipur who was arrested as she protested against the Indian Special Powers Act (whiich has provided the Indian army immunity from prosecution for actions such as rape, torture and murder in Manipur). She continues to be held in detention without access, and is being force-fed as she enters her 4th year on hunger strike. Justice (Retd) Ajit Singh Bains gave an insight into the background and cause for the Sikh nationalist movement including details of how the Indian state had sought to crush it by abuses of human rights including extra-judicial killings of Sikh activists on a mass scale. Navkiran Singh, an eminent practising lawyer from Punjab who is defending many Sikhs currently charged with sedition for simply calling for Sikh self-determination by peaceful means, pointed out that this persecution was politically motivated as the Indian Supreme Court has ruled that merely calling for Khalistan by peaceful means is not a crime but must be permitted if democracy and free speech is to have any meaning.

Oinam Bhogendra Singh, Chairman of Human Rights Alert, Manipur described the rights abuses in Manipur and appealed to PNSD to seek the removal, by India, of draconian legislation aimed at crushing the indigenous freedom struggle by force. He said “A democratic and permanent solution would happen only when the people concerned are allowed to exercise freely their inherent right to self-determination”. Dr Mukul Hazarika of Assam Watch applauded PNSD and spoke about the struggle for self-determination in Assam again being met with by large scale human rights abuses rather than any attempt by India to find a peaceful negotiated solution.

A number of resolutions were read out and overwhelmingly passed by the Conference on a show of hands by the delegates, some of which were representing other national groups such as the Tamils and the Ahawzi Arabs. These supported the human right of national self-determination as a basis for peaceable conflict resolution, support for PNSD to actively lobby for the implementation of this human right and to support political prisoners who are being persecuted for their stand on self-determination. Other key resolutions included: a call for the prosecution of those guilty of human rights abuses so that the rule of law is upheld and justice is served; a call to reject India’s pursuit of a permanent seat on the UN Security Council until it signs up key human rights commitments in UN treaties; a mutual recognition by the various national representatives of each other’s nationhood and a pledge to support their respective struggles for national self-determination.

Simon Hughes MP, President of the Liberal Democratic Party UK, closed the conference reiterating his support for the right to self-determination as enshrined in international law, and exercised by exclusively peaceful and democratic means. He warned against the singling out of any particular state but that supporting the principles of self-determination was legitimate and important, and that raising examples where such rights have been denied was fair and reasonable. Lord Ahmed concluded by thanking the organisers, speakers and the parliamentarians who had attended to lend their support as well as the delegates almost all of whom had remained throughout the conference, clearly inspired and visibly moved by the excellent contributions that had been made.

R.S. Srai

Administrative Secretary,

PNSD