Sikh Federation (UK) response to a statement issued by Lord Singh and the Network of Sikh Organisations (NSO) The Sikh Federation (UK) agrees a UN-led independent inquiry into the Genocide of Sikhs is one of the most important demands for Sikhs in this 30th anniversary year of the Indian government massacre of Sikhs in 1984. We also agree it is important to show Sikhs are united – this is why your approach of declining to sit around a table (as suggested by the Sikh Council UK) to discuss and agree an overall strategy, but to resort to public statements such as that below is regrettable and most disappointing from someone in your position who has so much experience and should know better. Without a dialogue you have completely dismissed the merits and links to an independent public inquiry that has widespread support of UK politicians from across the political spectrum – Members of Parliament, Lords, Members of the European Parliament, Prospective Parliamentary Candidates and European Parliament candidates from at least nine different political parties/groupings. This includes MPs and Lords from the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats making up the current Coalition Government. We will be publishing a list of all politicians supporting an independent public inquiry on 1 April, including virtually all Sikh politicians hoping to become MPs or MEPs. Prior to this we will finalise a strategy with others including the Sikh Council UK linking: i) the call for an independent public inquiry; with ii) pressuring all UK politicians to condemn the Indian authorities for their actions in June 1984, during Operation Woodrose and in November 1984; with iii) encouraging all UK politicians to refer to the above events of 1984 individually and collectively as Genocide - the international legal definition of the crime of genocide and how it relates to the events of 1984 will be made widely available by the Sikh Federation (UK) to enable Sikhs across the UK to raise this with all UK politicians from now until the May 2015 General Election; and iv) call for an international UN-led inquiry into the Genocide of the Sikhs in 1984 The offer to you of sitting around a table and finalising the strategy is still on the table. You may even see the merits of supporting an independent public inquiry and showing a united front. We again commend you for organising the debate in the House of Lords on 3 March where every Peer that spoke (other than Baroness Warsi representing the UK Government) indicated they were unhappy with the internal review carried out by the Cabinet Secretary. Peers from all three main parties – Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrats openly spoke in favour of an independent public inquiry and the Bishop of St Albans also called for a wider inquiry in the UK. As the organiser of the debate and as a member of the House of Lords it is a shame you could only persuade one Conservative peer to join you in the debate in calling for an international inquiry. This may have been a premature move on your part without lobbying and building up a support base with fellow Peers. At the same time you are ironically crediting/criticising the Sikh Federation (UK) who only learnt of the debate less than a week earlier (when you mentioned in passing just before the meeting with Baroness Warsi on 25 February) with persuading not only Lord Triesman the front bench spokesman for the Opposition on foreign affairs to come out in support of an independent public inquiry but also Peers from the other main parties. Your frustrations with the Sikh Council UK and Sikh Federation (UK) appear to demonstrate shortcomings of the influence of the Network of Sikh Organisations (NSO) within the Sikh community and with Parliamentarians, especially in the House of Lords, where you should have an added advantage in obtaining support for a UN-led international inquiry. For the record the Sikh Federation (UK) is an independent organisation established over 10 years ago in September 2003 (attached is a summary of our work over the last 10 years). We are however paid up members of the Sikh Council UK (established in December 2010) along with many UK Gurdwaras and Sikh organisations. Your phrase ‘Sikh Federation faction of the Council’ is inappropriate and demonstrates some are unable to change and will always wish to make mischief and try and damage other Sikh organisations to protect their own positions. The Sikh Council UK will no doubt respond in its own way regarding your accusation of a two week jolly in India, delay in responding to your request for support, no clear policy on what needs to be done and other serious accusations of not telling the truth. Gurjeet Singh Leicester Statement issued by Lord Singh and the Network of Sikh Organisations (NSO): nsouk.co.uk/category/1984-sikh-genocide/
Posted on: Fri, 14 Mar 2014 13:22:35 +0000
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