Over Seas

Conservatives worried by political fallout of 1984 relevations

May 11, 2014 | By Sikh Siyasat Bureau

London, United Kingdom (May 11, 2014): ‘Sikhs in the Diaspora were in effect not accorded their rights 30 years ago and treated as second class citizens. The UK Government, supported by other governments have a moral and legal duty to establish the truth of the events of 30 yeas ago. This is the least they can do for their law-abiding Sikh citizens.

Bhai Amrik Singh, the Chair of the Sikh Federation (UK): The announcement by the Sikh Federation (UK) on Friday 9 May that it is preparing to release details of several cases involving British citizens and their families who were victims in June 1984 and who were effectively sent to their deaths by the British Government has caused quite a stir.

Within hours a number of worried Conservative politicians, including Ministers were in contact expressing concerns with the possible release of this information knowing the lasting political damage this could do in the next 12 months and on the other hand lawyers have also been making enquiries suggesting possible legal action.

The Sikh Federation (UK) is proposing to release video clips of three or four victims in the run up to the 30th anniversary of the Sikh Genocide in June 1984 with a huge Remembrance March and Freedom Rally planned for central London on Sunday 8 June.

The Freedom Rally in Trafalgar Square is expected to be so large on that day that the British authorities have taken the exceptional step of closing a number of roads leading up to Trafalgar Square and providing Waterloo Place as a second venue nearby so the rally can be telecast to those unable to enter Trafalgar Square.

The march and rally is expected to attract many tens of thousands of Sikhs from across the UK and will have added significance given the revelations of direct UK assistance sanctioned by Margaret Thatcher that resulted in the massacre of thousands of Sikhs at the Sri Harmander Sahib Complex (often referred to as the Golden Temple) 30 years ago. The Indian army assault has gone down in history as one of the biggest massacres of its own unarmed civilians by the military.

The failings of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office 30 years ago is likely to come under particular scrutiny for failing to protect its own British citizens and their families in 1984 by warning them not to travel to the Punjab given direct knowledge and intelligence of the military build up of 150,000 troops.

The Sikh Federation (UK) has also appealed to prominent Sikh organisations in Canada, USA, Australia and Malaysia to look into whether their governments also failed to protect their Sikh citizens and residents 30 years ago.

It is understood these governments also remained silent and did not warn its Sikh citizens or residents of the Indian authorities’ plans for making Punjab a military state with shoot to kill orders. They were not alerted they should not travel to Punjab and did not arrange for those who were there to be immediately evacuated.

Punjab, the Sikh homeland, was cut-off from the rest of the world and the Indian para-military forces unleashed ruthless killings, sadistic torture, calculated ill-treatment of women and children and fake encounters on an unprecedented and massive scale in June 1984 and the weeks and months that followed.

The disclosures of top secret documents earlier this year of direct UK involvement in assisting the Indian army in planning the military attack on the Sikhs’ holiest shrine when thousands of Sikh pilgrims from across the globe were guaranteed to be present has raised the stakes in that the UK Government to all intents and purposes helped kill its own citizens 30 years ago.

Sikh Lawyers from Canada and USA have told the Sikh Federation (UK) they are also hoping to explore with their respective governments if legal action can be taken against the UK Government for killing its Sikh citizens who would have also travelled to Punjab.

Sikh Lawyers have suggested their may also be a case that Sikhs who were in India from the UK, Canada, USA, Australia, Malaysia etc. in November 1984, especially citizens of those countries and survived or lost family members may also challenge why their respective governments failed to act against the Indian authorities at the time to provide them protection and assistance to return home without delay.

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Related Topics: Bhai Amrik Singh Gill, Sikh Diaspora, Sikh Federation UK, Sikhs in United Kingdom, UK and June 1984 attack on Sikhs

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