Conference In European Parliament Exposes Continued Human Rights Abuses In India

[JagtarSinghKhalsa]

CONFERENCE IN EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT EXPOSES CONTINUED HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN INDIA

Sikhs from across Europe pass resolutions in the European Parliament calling for the:

• 1984 killing of Sikhs to be recognised as Genocide
• Abolition of the Death Penalty in India
• Immediate release of Professor Davinderpal Singh Bhullar
• An end to negotiations for the Free Trade Agreement between the EU and India due to continued human rights abuses in India
• Right of Sikhs to self-determination and to have their own independent Sikh homeland

26 June 2013

The Sikh Federation (UK) having previously organised numerous lobbies and meetings organised the first ever Sikh conference at the European Parliament on Tuesday 25 June. The subject chosen was Human Rights Abuses and the Death Penalty in India.

Bill Newton Dunn a Liberal Democrat UK Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from the East Midlands and a member of the India Delegation hosted the 3-hour conference and welcomed Sikhs from a number of countries across Europe – UK, Italy, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. The conference was chaired throughout by Gurmel Singh of the Sikh Federation (UK).

The conference was divided into four plenary sessions, but even before proceedings started MEPs such as Nigel Farage the leader of the UK Independence Party came to meet UK Sikhs and listen to their concerns. Others that met UK Sikhs in advance were Sajjad Karim a Conservative MEP from the North West who also joined Sikhs later in the conference and Glenis Willmott a Labour MEP from the East Midlands. Glenis was crucial in helping secure the right for Amritdhari Sikhs to wear the Kirpan in the European Parliament. This right was first fully exercised on mass in January 2013 and repeated yesterday with even larger numbers of Amritdhari Sikhs.

The first session was about the June 1984 Sikh genocide and mass human rights abuses in Punjab by the Indian authorities and the November 1984 massacre of innocent Sikhs. The speakers for the first session were Jaspal Singh and Jaswinder Singh from the UK. A number of video clips were used throughout the conference to visually highlight different issues covered. Marina Yannakoudakis a Conservative MEP from London expressed a specific interest in learning more about the plight of Sikhs.

The main speaker for the second session was Sukhvinder Singh from the UK. This session was about the death penalty in India, including the case of Professor Davinderpal Singh Bhullar and the reasons for Balwant Singh Rajoana’s actions. Several MEPs later spoke about their opposition to the death penalty.

Sajjad Karim a Conservative MEP from the North West spoke about his opposition to the death penalty despite surviving the Taj Hotel attack in Mumbai in November 2008. He also said he was heavily involved in negotiations on behalf of the EU with India being the rapporteur on the free trade agreement between the EU and India and specifically requested evidence against Kamal Nath as continues to have direct dealings with him.

The third session was about on-going human rights abuses of the Sikhs with reference to the illegal arrest and torture of political opponents Kulbir Singh Barapind and Daljit Singh Bittu; the unprovoked police murder of 18-year old Jaspal Singh in March 2012; the torture and police murder of 24-year old Shaminder Singh Shera and 17-year old Veer Singh in January 2011 and January 2012 respectively; and the death in police custody of Sohanjit Singh and Kulwant Singh and in March 2011 and February 2012 respectively. Jaspal Singh from the UK spoke about each of these cases and Dabinderjit Singh reiterated their present significance alongside the death penalty cases. The session was concluded by Maninder Singh from the UK who spoke about the True face of Indian democracy: Indian politicians facing criminal charges and failures in India’s judicial system.

Numerous other MEPs contributed during the conference, including Edward McMillan-Scott the Vice President of the European Parliament for Democracy and Human Rights and Liberal Democrat MEP from Yorkshire and the Humber who later tweeted ‘Interesting Sikh Federation (UK) meeting in EU Parliament today to discuss rights of Sikhs in India and abolition of the death penalty’.

Other MEPs that spoke included Jean Lambert a Green Party MEP from London and the Chair of the South Asia Delegation; Michael Cashman, a Labour MEP from the West Midlands; David Martin, a Labour MEP from Scotland; and Anthea McIntyre, a Conservative MEP from the West Midlands. Two MEPs from Italy also took part, Francesco De Angelis and Patrizia Toia. Around 15-20 assistants of MEPs attended the conference and Sikhs from the UK also met separately with MEPs such as Richard Howitt a Labour MEP from the Eastern region who was unable to attend the conference.

Dabinderjit Singh from the UK presented the fourth and final session about justice delayed is justice denied and the right to self-determination as Sikhs have entered the 30^th year since the June 1984 Indian army attack on the Golden Temple Complex. The session was concluded by Harjinder Singh speaking about identity discrimination in Belgium and the denial of Sikh human rights and difficulties in different European countries, such as France, Austria and Italy. This was also linked to the issue of Sikh self-determination and how a Sikh homeland would be of benefit to Sikhs throughout the Diaspora.

The conference concluded with the reading of the five conference resolutions produced below. Sikhs present then passed these resolutions in the Sikh traditional manner of five loud Jakaaray of ‘Jo Bole So Nihal Sat Sri Akal’ - ‘Who so declares, Truth is Eternal, is blessed!’ Meaning - a declaration of allegiance to the Guru, and ultimately aligning oneself with the public struggle for truth and justice. These resolutions will now be translated into a number of different languages and taken forward at a national level by Sikhs with their MEPs.

Gurjeet Singh

National Press Secretary

Sikh Federation (UK)

Resolutions passed by Sikhs from across Europe at the Conference on Human Rights Abuses and the Death Penalty in India in the European Parliament on 25 June 2013

Resolution 1 – Recognising the 1984 Sikh Genocide

Having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), the Geneva Convention (1949), and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966) recognises the events of June 1984, the mass human rights violations against the Sikhs in Punjab by the Indian authorities and the massacre of innocent Sikhs in November 1984 collectively as the 1984 Sikh Genocide and reiterates its concern and dismay as we enter the 30th anniversary of these events that India has failed to prosecute police officers, politicians and others responsible for this genocide.

Resolution 2 – Abolish the death penalty in India

Having regard to the European Parliament's Human Rights annual resolutions condemns recent executions by India after an eight year hiatus that run counter to the regional and global trends to abolish capital punishment; recognises the UN Special Rapporteur on extra judicial, summary or arbitrary executions conclusion on India that the death penalty is being imposed for a growing number of crimes; calls upon the Indian Government to put forward an immediate moratorium on the death penalty; reconsider the May 2012 recommendations of United Nations Human Rights Council related to the abolition of the death penalty and calls on the 27 Member States of the European Union, in particular the two permanent members of the UN Security Council, to collectively raise the need for India to abolish the death penalty at the earliest opportunity at the United Nations General Assembly.

Resolution 3 – Release Professor Davinderpal Singh Bhullar

Having regard to the European Parliament's July 2011 Resolution on India and the death sentence on Professor Davinderpal Singh Bhullar, Article 2 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, EU Guidelines on the Death Penalty, the EU-India Dialogue on Human Rights, Amnesty International calls on 12 April 2013 for the Professor’s death sentence not to be carried out, to remove him from death row immediately and retry his case in proceedings that comply with international fair trial standards; observes the inconsistent approach by the Supreme Court of India who in the case of Mahendra Nath Das on 1 May 2013 granted clemency on the grounds of inordinate delay as his mercy petition against his execution was kept pending by the President, but two weeks earlier rejected a similar petition filed by Professor Bhullar who waited for eight years for a decision by the President; reiterates its concern that recent independent medical reports commissioned by the Indian authorities regarding the Professor’s mental and physical health suggest that on compassionate and moral grounds his death sentence should be commuted; further urges India to release the Professor without further delay given he has spent more than 18 years in prison following a controversial conviction where M B Shah, the Presiding Judge in the Supreme Court had acquitted the Professor based on the evidence presented; recognises this has become more pressing given the unprecedented move by the special public prosecutor, senior advocate Anoop G Chaudhari, who had appeared against the Professor in the Supreme Court in 2002 to state in April 2013 that a judicial error had been made in awarding the death sentence against the Professor and S S Virk, the former Director General of Punjab Police stating in May 2013 that the Professor was not guilty of what he was being accused of and he deserves justice as he and his family have been wronged.

Resolution 4 – Continued human rights violations in India and the Free Trade Agreement between the EU and India

Having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), the EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union is deeply concerned about the continued human rights violations in India against the minority Sikh community; calls on the Indian Government to prosecute police officers responsible for torture, disproportionate and excessive use of force, illegal detention and extra-judicial killings of Sikhs, calls on the international community to prosecute those in India responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity and calls on the European Commission to end the negotiations with the Government of India for the creation of the Free Trade Agreement between the EU and India.

Resolution 5 – Unquestionable right of Sikhs to self-determination and to have their own independent Sikh homeland

Having regard to Articles 1, 55 and 56 of the Charter of the United Nations and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966); objects to India’s continued reservation to the right to self-determination and applauds the objections raised by France, Germany and the Netherlands against India’s reservation to reiterate self-determination applies to all people; stresses India has also lost the right to argue the limitation of territorial integrity with regards to Sikhs as the Indian State when it enacted its first Constitution in 1950 it failed to deliver any safeguards or political rights for the Sikhs as a people or nation and has oppressed the Sikhs and other minorities through gross human rights violations; recognises the unquestionable right of Sikhs to self-determination and to have their own independent Sikh homeland; stresses that peaceful and non-violent means are the only way to achieve a just and lasting peace between Sikhs and the Indian State, calls for direct talks between the International Coalition for a Sikh Homeland and the Indian State; and calls on the Council, the Commission and EU Member States to support and deliver assistance to Sikh institutions and development projects with the aim of protecting and strengthening the Sikh population.

[JagtarSinghKhalsa]

ਯੂਰਪੀਅਨ ਪਾਰਲੀਮੈਂਟ ਵਿਚ ਸਿੱਖ ਫੈਡਰੇਸ਼ਨ ਯੂ. ਕੇ. ਵੱਲੋਂ ਮਨੁੱਖੀ ਅਧਿਕਾਰਾਂ ਸਬੰਧੀ ਕਾਨਫ਼ਰੰਸ

ਲੰਡਨ, 25 ਜੂਨ (ਮਨਪ੍ਰੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਬੱਧਨੀ ਕਲਾਂ)-ਯੂਰਪੀਅਨ ਪਾਰਲੀਮੈਂਟ ਵਿਚ ਭਾਰਤ ਵਿਚ ਹੋ ਰਹੇ ਮਨੁੱਖੀ ਅਧਿਕਾਰਾਂ ਦੀ ਉਲੰਘਣਾ ਅਤੇ ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਵਿਦੇਸ਼ਾਂ ਵਿਚ ਆ ਰਹੀਆਂ ਮੁਸ਼ਕਿਲਾਂ ਸਬੰਧੀ ਇਕ ਕਾਨਫ਼ਰੰਸ ਯੂਰਪੀਅਨ ਪਾਰਲੀਮੈਂਟ ਵਿਚ ਸਿੱਖ ਫੈਡਰੇਸ਼ਨ ਯੂ. ਕੇ. ਵੱਲੋਂ ਕਰਵਾਈ ਗਈ, ਜਿਸ ਵਿਚ ਯੂਰਪ ਦੇ ਵੱਖ-ਵੱਖ ਦੇਸ਼ਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਸਿੱਖ ਜੱਥੇਬੰਦੀਆਂ ਦੇ ਨੁਮਾਇੰਦਿਆਂ ਨੇ ਹਿੱਸਾ ਲਿਆ | ਇਸ ਮੌਕੇ ਜੂਨ 1984 ਅਤੇ ਨਵੰਬਰ 1984 ਦੇ ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਦੇ ਕਤਲੇਆਮ ਦਾ ਮੁੱਦਾ ਉਠਾਇਆ ਗਿਆ ਅਤੇ ਭਾਰਤ ਵਿਚੋਂ ਫ਼ਾਂਸੀ ਦੀ ਸਜ਼ਾ ਖ਼ਤਮ ਕਰਨ ਲਈ ਵਿਚਾਰ-ਵਟਾਂਦਰਾ ਕਰਦਿਆਂ ਪ੍ਰੋ: ਦਵਿੰਦਰਪਾਲ ਸਿੰਘ ਭੁੱਲਰ ਅਤੇ ਭਾਈ ਬਲਵੰਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਰਾਜੋਆਣਾ ਦੇ ਕੇਸਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਵਿਸਥਾਰ ਸਹਿਤ ਬਿਆਨਿਆ ਗਿਆ | ਇਸ ਮੌਕੇ ਇਹ ਵੀ ਗੱਲ ਉਭਾਰੀ ਗਈ ਕਿ ਦੁਨੀਆ ਦੇ ਸਭ ਤੋਂ ਵੱਡੇ ਲੋਕਤੰਤਰ ਵਜੋਂ ਜਾਣੇ ਜਾਂਦੇ ਭਾਰਤ ਦੇ ਰਾਜਸੀ ਆਗੂਆਂ |ਤੇ ਕਈ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੇ ਅਪਰਾਧਿਕ ਕੇਸ ਚੱਲ ਰਹੇ ਹਨ, ਜਦ ਕਿ ਭਾਰਤ ਦਾ ਨਿਆਂਇਕ ਸਿਸਟਮ ਬੁਰੀ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਫੇਲ੍ਹ ਹੋ ਚੁੱਕਾ ਹੈ | ਇਸ ਮੌਕੇ ਯੂਰਪੀਅਨ ਦੇਸ਼ਾਂ ਵਿਚ ਸਿੱਖ ਪਹਿਚਾਣ ਅਤੇ ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਹੋ ਰਹੇ ਵਿਤਕਰੇ ਸਬੰਧੀ ਵੀ ਵੱਖ-ਵੱਖ ਬੁਲਾਰਿਆ ਨੇ ਆਵਾਜ਼ ਬੁਲੰਦ ਕੀਤੀ | ਇਸ ਮੌਕੇ ਭਾਈ ਦਬਿੰਦਰਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ, ਭਾਈ ਸੁਖਵਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ, ਭਾਈ ਜਸਵਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ, ਭਾਈ ਜਸਪਾਲ ਸਿੰਘ, ਯੂ. ਕੇ. ਵੱਲੋਂ ਸ਼ਿਰਕਤ ਕੀਤੀ, ਜਦ ਕਿ ਇਟਲੀ ਤੋਂ ਭਾਈ ਤਲਵਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਚੇਅਰਮੈਨ ਸਿੱਖ ਫੈਡਰੇਸ਼ਨ ਇਟਲੀ, ਭਾਈ ਹਰਵੰਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਦਾਦੂਵਾਲ ਪ੍ਰਧਾਨ ਨੈਸ਼ਨਲ ਧਰਮ ਪ੍ਰਚਾਰ ਕਮੇਟੀ ਇਟਲੀ, ਹੌਲੈਂਡ ਭਾਈ ਗੁਰਸੇਵ ਸਿੰਘ, ਬੀਬਾ ਮਨਪ੍ਰੀਤ ਕੌਰ ਅਤੇ ਬੀਬਾ ਕੇਵਲ ਕੌਰ ਸ਼ਾਮਿਲ ਹੋਏ, ਜਦ ਕਿ ਯੂਰਪੀਅਨ ਪਾਰਲੀਮੈਂਟ ਮੈਂਬਰ ਬਿਲ ਨਿਊਟਨ ਡਨ, ਸਟਿਨਰੁਕ, ਬਰਿੰਡ ਲਾਂਜ਼, ਬਿਰਗਰਿਟ ਸਪਿਲ ਸ਼ਾਮਿਲ ਹੋਏ | ਇਸ ਮੌਕੇ 1984 ਨੂੰ ਸਿੱਖ ਨਸਲਕੁਸ਼ੀ ਵਜੋਂ ਮਾਨਤਾ ਦੇਣ, ਭਾਰਤ ਵਿਚੋਂ ਫ਼ਾਂਸੀ ਦੀ ਸਜ਼ਾ ਖ਼ਤਮ ਕਰਨ, ਪ੍ਰੋ: ਦਵਿੰਦਰਪਾਲ ਸਿੰਘ ਭੁੱਲਰ ਦੀ ਰਿਹਾਈ ਦੀ ਮੰਗ, ਯੂਰਪ ਅਤੇ ਭਾਰਤ ਵਿਚ ਮਨੁੱਖੀ ਅਧਿਕਾਰਾਂ ਸਬੰਧੀ ਸਮਝੌਤਾ ਕਰਨ ਦੀ ਮੰਗ, ਸਿੱਖ ਕੌਮ ਦੀ ਆਜ਼ਾਦੀ ਦੀ ਮੰਗ ਸਮੇਤ ਪੰਜ ਮਤੇ ਪਾਸ ਕੀਤੇ ਗਏ |

[JagtarSinghKhalsa]

http://www.sikhsiyasat.net/2013/06/27/resolutions-passed-by-sikhs-from-across-europe-at-the-25-june-conference-in-the-european-parliament/

[ManravK]

Ji, I'm only a youth, (amritdhari) so I don't have a lot of info on 1984, but I know the basics, now, my question is, is somebody gonna DO something about 1984, or is it just gonna forever be remembered, we need justice people, it can't stay like this, now, I'm only a teenager and so I can't take this issue into my own hands, but if I was older, and maybe had a group I would certainly bring up the topic to the Indian Government, WE NEED JUSTICE,

So my question is, does this meeting mean they will confront India on 1984?

[esingh]

The EU wil do nothing....They are falling over themselves to kiss the bund of the Indian establishment. Sikhs will forever be seen as expendable.