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Issue of UK links with June 1984 – Highlights of meeting of Sikh Delegation with UK Cabinet Secretary

January 30, 2014 | By Sikh Siyasat Bureau

London, United Kingdom (January 30, 2014): It is learnt that Sikh Federation (UK) along with prominent Sikh Organisations met with the Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood and other officials at Whitehall in London on January 29.

The purpose of the meeting was to share the Terms of Reference of the review initiative by the Prime Minster and for the Cabinet Secretary to understand the deep concerns in the Sikh Community of both the recent revelations and the pain and injustice over that past 30 years.

Highlights of meeting of Sikh delegation with UK Cabinet Secretary:

(as provided by Sikh Federation UK)

FACTS:

• Had 90-minute meeting with Sir Jeremy Heywood, Cabinet Secretary, and officials from the Cabinet Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office

• Narrow terms of reference means only looking at British involvement in June 1984 massacre of Sikhs

• Looked at files and paperwork for the period late 1983 through to just after June 1984 – 200 files or 2,500 documents in several government departments

• Interviewed politicians and officials still alive who had some involvement.

WHAT WE WANT / WHERE THE INVESTIGATION WILL FALL SHORT:

• Investigation is too narrow – should have looked at any possible British advice for other military operations, Operation Woodrose, Blackthunder etc. or there may be future revelations that may prove damaging to the UK Government and a repetition of the process

• Sikhs believe documents and files have been permanently removed

• Not clear if investigation covers all matters raised by politicians – Parliament being misled, documents later in 1984 threatening sanctions against UK, Germany, Canada and USA for sympathising with Sikhs

• Reference in the report should be to Sri Harmander Sahib and not the Golden Temple

• Referred to June 1984 as a ‘massacre’

• Whilst Sikhs and our elected representatives will wait for the report – we will be asking for a judicial review – more wide-ranging and answer questions not addressed in the announcement, report and subsequent questions raised in the debate

ISSUES TO HIGHLIGHT:

• Initial letters ‘came out in error’.

• Cabinet Secretary looking to publish as much as possible as could be subject to Freedom of Information (FOI requests)

• Ministers still to decide how to present to Parliament and could retract information.

• Probably a statement in the House next week from the Foreign Secretary followed by questions

• Cabinet Secretary stated it was an independent investigation and he had not consulted India

CONCLUSION/ NEXT STEPS:

• What is already in the public domain shows the British Government were complicit in the massacre of Sikhs in June 1984

• Ministers could publish early other documents relating to events following June 1984

• Sikhs may push for a judicial review

• Cabinet Secretary to hold briefing for community reps soon after report released

• Cabinet Ministers (i.e. PM) and Foreign Secretary to meet Sikh reps after report published

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Related Topics: June 1984 attack on Sikhs, Operation Blue Star, Sikh Diaspora, Sikh Federation UK, Sikhs in United Kingdom, UK and June 1984 attack on Sikhs, United Kingdom

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