New York, USA (December 07, 2012): A petition with more than 25,000 signatures demanding recognition of November 1984 Sikh Genocide will go before Obama administration on December 15. As per the current US Government Policy, a petition requires 25000 signatures to warrant an official response. The petition urges the Obama administration to fulfill its obligation under Article 1 of the UN Convention on Genocide by recognizing the November 1984 as “Sikh Genocide”.
Sikhs for Justice
The Sikh Genocide petition contends that during November 1984 the Congress Party leaders organized and perpetrated violence against the Sikh community resulting in more than 30,000 killed. The systematic violence against Sikhs has always been portrayed as Anti Sikh Riots.
The petition launched for signatures on November 15 by Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) gained the support of “Voices for Freedom” (VFF) another Sikh rights group and unanimous support from Gurudwaras across the United States has already been signed by more than 27,000 individuals.
Pointing to the recent strong response by Obama Administration on human rights violations in Sri Lanka evoked through a similar petition, attorney Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, legal advisor to SFJ stated that “the Sikh Genocide petition will expose those who organized November 1984 genocidal attacks and the policy of impunity consistently practiced by the Congress (I).”
1984 Yes It’s Genocide
The Sikh rights group aims at seeking prosecution of those involved in 1984 Sikh Genocide in the international courts. In a case filed by the rights group and victims of 1984, Congress (I) and Minister Kamal Nath are already facing Genocide charges in the US Federal Court.
Previously, the rights group has filed petitions before Parliaments of Canada and Australia for recognition of November 1984 killing of Sikhs as “Genocide”. United States, Canada and Australia are signatories to UN Convention against Genocide and have also domestic laws declaring intentional attack on a religious minority as “Genocide”.