MEPs demand UN inquiry into Indian 84 Sikh murders

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MEPs demand UN inquiry into Indian Sikh murders

22nd Apr 2004

Greens call for investigation on 20th anniversary of "genocide"

Green Party MEPs Jean Lambert (London) and Caroline Lucas (South-East England) have called for a UN investigation into whether a wave of violence against Indian Sikhs in 1984 constituted genocide.

Launching a Written Declaration in the European Parliament calling on fellow MEPs to force their inquiry demands onto the EU and UN agendas, Dr Lucas said: "Following a military raid on the Sikh's holiest site, the Golden Temple in Amritsar, and the subsequent assassination of Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards in 1984, a wave of violence left hundreds of thousands dead in the Punjab and major Indian cities.

"The atrocities have been well documented by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and others. Sikhs themselves describe the slaughter as 'their genocide' - but a full UN investigation has never taken place."

Mrs Lambert, a member of the European Parliament's Civil Liberties Committee continued: "It is vital that an investigation is conducted into whether the massacre of Indian Sikhs in 1984 constitutes genocide in international law. Many of those affected and their families have sought refuge in England - and we must ensure truth and justice prevails."

Notes:

The written declaration can be found at:

www.europarl.eu.int

Source: http

://www.greenparty.org.uk/index.ppa?nav=news&n=1353

[DhadiMania]

about time as well

[smartsingh24]

about time as well

I know, I find it amazing that nobody has ever inquired into this before now( that is, outside of our own people). It's ridiculous that people are just starting to open their eyes now after 20 years. :umm:

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European MPs call for UN investigation into 1984 Sikh massacre

London April 24, 2004 8:15:38 PM IST

By Trevor Barnard

The Sikh Federation (UK) is urging all British Members of the Euro-pean Parliament (MEPs) to support a declaration tabled in the Parliament calling on the United Nations to mount an investigation to decide whether the slaughter of Indian Sikhs in 1984 should be regarded as genocide.

The declaration was tabled last week by four MEPs of the Green Party, two of them from the UK. It urged the European Union to study reports of the events of 1984, including those compiled by the American-based Human Rights Watch and the British-based Amnesty International, and called for a "Commission of Truth and Justice under the auspices of the UN to comprehensively investigate whether the slaughter to which Indian Sikhs were subjected in 1984 constitutes genocide as defined in the Genocide Convention and the relevant international law".

One of the UK MEPs behind the declaration, Caroline Lucas, said that although the Sikhs themselves described the slaughter as genocide, a full UN investigation had never taken place.

Her colleague Joan Lambert said: "Many of those affected and their families have sought refuge in England, and we must ensure truth and justice prevail."

The Sikh Federation was set up last year as a "political" party and is committed to work for the establishment of Khalistan. It is organising a series of promotions to mark the 20th anniversary of the events of 1984. MPs sympathetic to its cause have tabled motions in the British Parliament drawing attention to the issue, and the Federation claims that about 50

MPs have signed t

he motions, while several members of the Government, including ministers, have written expressing their support.

The Federation has written to every British MEP urging support for the "genocide" declaration, and is appealing to Sikhs across Europe to canvass the support of their MEPs (ANI).