NEW YORK (TIP): The Sikhs For Justice, a Human Rights Organization based in New York has claimed that on the occasion of 29th anniversary of 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi, a petition signed by around a million Sikhs throughout world, will be filed with the United Nations in Geneva on November 1 2013. The Sikh Genocide Petition will be handed to Navi Pillay, UN human rights chief by a delegation of rights group “Sikhs for Justice” (SFJ), All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) and Gurudwara representatives from Europe and North America. Titled “1984 Yes its Genocide”, the petition will be filed with UNHCR under 1503 procedure of the United Nations. SFJ legal adviser Gurpatwant Singh Pannun said, “Under 1503 procedure, UNHCR refers these petitions to the sub-commission on Promotion and Protection of Human Rights which examines complaints regarding gross human rights violations and impunity, as in the case of November 1984 Sikh genocide.”
The petition requests the United Nations to investigate the systematic, intentional and deliberate killing of Sikhs carried out throughout India during the first week of November 1984 and recognize the killings as “genocide” under UN Convention on Genocide. The complaint invokes UN Convention against Genocide which declares any intentional and deliberate attack on any religious minority to be a “crime” liable to be prosecuted and punished. The evidence of November 1984 killing of Sikhs clearly shows that Sikhs were deliberately attacked in a planned manner throughout India on behest of ruling Congress party. Justifying the UN intervention on the issue of Sikh Genocide, All India Sikh Students Federation President Karnail Singh Peermohamd who spearheaded the campaign for getting signatures on the petition in India and managed to get a few lakh signatures from Punjab and other states, said that they were constrained to move the UN after failing to get justice in India. “The justice delivery system of our country has failed the hapless victims of largest massacre of people after 1947 and till date the perpetrators of the mass murders are roaming free and rather enjoying power,” he said.
“We have been knocking at every door here to get justice but the establishment failed all attempts to allow justice to the victims,” he added. Meanwhile attorney Pannun said, “Rights group will present to the UN evidence and documents regarding use of local administration and government resources by the Congress leaders to organize genocidal attacks on Sikhs during November 1984.” “A Justice Rally will also be held outside UN in Geneva on November 1 to remind the world that even after 29 years, organizers and perpetrators of November 1984 have not been convicted by the Government of India. More than 10,000 Sikhs from across Europe and North America are expected to attend the Justice Rally in Geneva,” Pannun and Peermohammad said.