MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY - 2011

Today is a national holiday honouring Martin Luther King, Jr., the great non-violent civil rights leader of the 1960s.  Because of his efforts and the efforts of hundreds of thousands - maybe millions - of USAers,  laws enforcing and perpetuating segregation, the USA's apartheid system, were outlawed and racial equality became the law of the land.  This was very good.

I do feel the need to point out that passing laws is one thing and getting them enforced is another.  [Think of India's anti-dowry laws, for example]  The enforcement actually involved quite a bit of violence on both sides.  Things seem to have settled down.  The election and presidency of Barack Obama is one indication of this.

About the video:

For those who may not know, "Abraham" is Abraham Lincoln, sixteenth President of the USA, who is credited with freeing the slaves;
"John" is John Kennedy, 35th President of the USA;
"Martin" is Martin Luther King, Jr.;
"Bobby" is Robert Kennedy, JFK's younger brother who was running (standing) for President in 1968.

All four were assassinated.

Sikh Women At Bristol Gurdwara Find Their Voice - Follow Up

Kamalla Rose Kaur was good enough to send this expansion of the post on 8 August 2008, Sikh Women At Bristol Gurdwara Find Their Voice. There is much more to this story than I had guessed. How great that these Kaurs are finally being treated as equals! And how sad that it took so long and such strife for what is - or should be - our birthright! As I have said, we Singhnis need to find our voice ourselves. If wait wait for our dear Singhs to do, we'll be waiting a long, long time!

Sikh Women Gain Voting Rights at Bristol Gurdwara

By KAMALLA ROSE KAUR

The Sikh Times, Aug. 31, 2008


Photo: Bristol Gurdwara

Come join with me, my sisters,
And sing songs of joy and delight.
My true friends have arrived in my home!
--Guru Nanak, Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh scripture), p. 764

The Sikh religion preaches and promotes equal rights for women. Female subordination, the practice of taking a father's or a husband's last name, practicing rituals that imply dependence are all alien to Sikh principles. Yet in the last 400 years, most Sikh institutions have been run by Sikh men. In the West, it is often elderly men whose concerns and politics are back in India.
--Walayti Singh Chauhan, current President of the Bristol Gurdwara

Background

On October 14 2007, the management committee of the Sikh gurdwara (temple) at Fishponds Road, Bristol, U.K. voted seven to one for women's suffrage. The lone opposing vote was cast by the then General Secretary Mohinderjit Singh Bhatti.

In the following weeks and months no confirmation of the historic reform was announced to the Sikh sangat (congregation). In response to this silence, several Sikh women met with the Gurdwara President Walayti Singh Chauhan. He agreed that the decision would be announced and confirmed in a letter to the Sikh community.

'Walayti Singh took the brave step and put the committee's agreement of October 2007 onto paper, knowing that he may face resentment.' Gurdip Kaur, a member and women's rights activist in her 60s, said, 'He is responsible for ensuring that the basic tenets of Sikhi (Sikhism) were enforced; to treat all humankind as equals. He stood up for what is right.'

Sikh women from Bristol have been demanding their right to vote in gurdwara elections for decades. According to Gurdip Kaur, 'Over seventy-five letters were sent to gurdwara committees over the last twenty-five years regarding total equality for Sikh women. These letters have all been disregarded.'

Conflict

President Walayti Singh also supported the women's plans to celebrate their success at an upcoming event. Six female Sikh speakers were contacted and several notable non-Sikhs were asked to speak including Dave Chapple, the national chair of the U.K. National Shop Stewards Network.

However, General Secretary Mohinderjit Singh Bhatti refused to allow more than two women speakers and would not approve any non-Sikh speakers.

The president and the women activists complied with the general secretary's wishes and only two Sikh women spoke on Sunday, May 4. The outside speakers were cancelled. The activists felt that the most important part was that Sikh women had gotten the vote.

After the women spoke, General Secretary Mohinderjit Singh Bhatti took to the podium and strongly urged against women's suffrage. He did not acknowledge that the management committee had already approved the reform.

From the perspective of the congregation, the general secretary stood on the right side of the podium and the president stood on the left. While General Secretary Mohinderjit Singh was attempting to persuade the congregation to reverse the women's victory, Gurudip Kaur approached President Walayti Singh and asked if she might speak. He agreed and she was handed the microphone when he concluded his own speech. Seeing this, the general secretary crossed the podium and took the microphone from Gurudip Kaur despite her resistance. The following uproar resulted in a ten-minute shouting match.

Javinder Singh, who would soon be elected the new general secretary of the committee, noted, 'Seeing an insult against an elderly woman of this sort was unbelievable; this act was totally deplorable and extremely sad.'

In response to this incident, President Walayti Singh Chauhan suspended Mohinderjit Singh Bhatti from the role of general secretary, asking him to return gurdwara documents in his possession until the incident could be investigated. The gurdwara election, scheduled for May 11, 2008, was postponed so that women members had time to register to vote and to let things cool down.

But in the days after the incident Mohinderjit Singh Bhatti failed to return the gurdwara documents. After three formal requests, legal counsel was sought by President Walayti Singh and legal proceedings were launched to retrieve the documents. The documents contained minutes of committee meetings and records of decisions made.

Mohinderjit Singh Bhatti ceased attending gurdwara services and so did the vice president and vice treasurer of the committee. His backers now included three out of the eight members of the gurdwara's management committee, although they had originally voted for women's suffrage in October 2007.

Mediation

Seeking a quick election before the women could register, Mohinderjit Singh's group went to the Bristol police. They explained that Walayti Singh's term as gurdwara president was already up and they felt he had no right to postpone the election. The police agreed to mediate the dispute using five representatives from each side. Mohinderjit Singh Bhatti's side was composed of older men, all born in the Punjab. The women's suffrage group included a wide range of ages, with both sexes represented, four born in the U.K. and one in India. They met with the police once.

Over two weeks, plus a few extra days' extension, Sikh women registered. By the end of this period, 170 Sikh women were ready to vote. With suffrage established, three women, Narindar Kaur, Anita Kaur and Sheila Kaur, pursued management committee positions. They became part of the pro-suffrage team, with Walayti Singh Chauhan running for another term as gurdwara president.

On election day, Sikh voters would cast only one vote, choosing one management committee team or the other. Although Mohinderjit Singh Bhatti was not on the ballot, his brother ran for the position of general secretary. On the other side, Walayti Singh's team offered the Sikh community a revolutionary new committee with men and women, and adults of all ages.

The pro-women's-suffrage slate was comprised of Walayti Singh Chauhan (president), Shamsher Singh Patel (vice president), Javinder Singh (general secretary), Satchet Singh (vice general secretary), Kuldip Singh (treasurer), Narindar Kaur (vice treasurer), Anita Kaur (langar jathedar), and Sheila Kaur (vice langar jathedar).

The anti-women's-suffrage slate was comprised of Raghir Singh Nirman (president), Baldev Singh (vice president), Mohanjit Singh Bhatti (general secretary), Jaswant Singh (vice general secretary), Mohan Singh (treasurer), Satnam Singh Amritsaria (vice treasurer), Harpal Singh (langar jathedar), and Raju Singh (vice langar jathedar).

Mohinderjit Singh hired an attorney and requested that the attorney be allowed to be present during the negotiations. When the police firmly declined this request, Mohinderjit Singh's group decided to stop attending the meetings. Instead, they informed the police that the election would be held on July 6, 2008. They added that they were hiring a private security firm to keep the peace on election day.

However, Bhatti's team did not inform the Sikh congregation adequately about the election. Many Sikhs worshiping that Sunday did not know that it was an election day.

Fearing an outbreak in violence the Bristol police interceded and dismissed the hired security guards. They insisted that proper voting procedures be in place prior to the election. They asked for two members from each side to meet with them immediately. Over the next few weeks the two sides successfully negotiated the details of the upcoming election and signed a contract.

Mohinderjit Singh Bhatti's side was asked by the police to stop sending out letters to the sangat, as this was confusing the members. It was agreed that an independent voting company should be brought in. The Association of Electoral Administrators agreed to conduct the election. Voting registration was again extended to allow the traditionally-minded Sikh women, who do not believe in their right to vote, to register to vote. The voting company insisted that the registration be complete a week before the election and that the final voting list be just that, the final voting list.

For the next two weeks Sikh women were encouraged to register to vote and on the last day they extended the registration by a few hours so that the latecomers standing in line could finish registering.

Yet on July 27, 2008, two days after registration had closed and the voting list had been finalized, Mohinderjit Singh Bhatti's team insisted that they had seventy-nine more women they needed to register. The voting company refused, citing the contracts in place.

'The anti-women's-suffrage side were in fear that their power would be cut off forever. So they were doing everything possible to win,' Javinder Singh, the new general secretary, commented. 'They knew if they lost it would be the end for their sort.'

Election Day

On Sunday morning, August 3, 2008, many Sikhs from both sides arrived at the gurdwara at 8 A.M. Voting would begin at 10 A.M. Tensions were running high. The seventy-nine Sikh women who had not made the registration deadline - women who were angry that they were denied their right to vote against their right to vote - were vocal. The police blockaded the street and the media arrived. One Sikh man was arrested but later released. Some of the seventy-nine women and their supporters surrounded the voting company manager's car in protest.

'The Association of Electoral Administrators was very patient during the negotiation leading up to the elections,' reported Javinder Singh. 'They were understanding, firm and fair throughout the election process. They ensured the elections were conducted independently and professionally.'

Fifteen minutes before the election was due to start the police called a meeting of both sides, which delayed the election for two hours. The pro-women's-suffrage side offered to let 80% of the unregistered women register and the voting company agreed. This offer was angrily dismissed and Mohinderjit Singh and his supporters boycotted the election.

The election, although delayed, went forward. 93% of the votes went to the pro-women's-suffrage team with Mohinderjit Singh Bhatti's side receiving only 4% of the vote. Seemingly, even if the anti-women's-suffrage side had voted - including all seventy-nine late registering Sikh women - Mohinderjit Singh Bhatti's side would have lost.

'We commend the Avon & Somerset police for their understanding of the situation that we found ourselves in,' said newly-re-elected President Walayti Singh Chauhan. 'It was a great job done. They were sensitive and respectful of the Sikh principles at all times.'

Javinder Singh, the new general secretary added, 'When the women bowed to our holy Sikh scripture (Guru Granth Sahib), our Guruji, to accept their official duties, they glowed with a happiness and joy that seemed almost transcendent to me. I realized I had never seen that look on the faces of those Sikh women before and that made me determined to keep fighting for the rights of Sikh sisters and women everywhere.'

How To Handle Racism

This came in today to the the Gurmat Learning Zone (GLZ). Oh, how I hope it's a true story!




What small steps are taken to achieve freedom for us all.

This scene took place on a British Airways flight between
Johannesburg, South Africa & London.

A white woman, about 50 years old, was seated next to a
black man.

Very disturbed by this, she called the air hostess.
'You
obviously do not see it then?' she asked. 'You
placed me next to a
black man.
I did not agree to sit next to someone from such a
repugnant
group. Give me an alternative seat.'
'Be calm please,' the hostess replied.
'Almost all the places on this flight are taken. I will
go to
see if another place is available.'

The hostess went away & then came back a few minutes
later.
'Madam,just as I thought, there are no other available
seats in Economy
Class.
I spoke to the captain & he informed me that there is
also
no seat in Business Class. All the same, we still have one
place in
First Class.'

Before the woman could say anything, the hostess continued.

'It is not usual for our company to permit someone from
Economy
Class to sit in First Class. However, given the
circumstances, the
captain feels that it would be scandalous to make someone
sit next to someone so disgusting.'

She turned to the black guy, & said, 'Therefore,
Sir, if
you would like to, please collect your hand luggage, a seat
awaits
you in First Class.'

At that moment, the other passengers, who'd been
shocked by
what they had just witnessed, stood up & applauded.

This is a true story. If you are against racism, please
send this to all your friends; please do not delete it
without
sending it to at least 1 person.

WELL DONE, British Airways

--
WHY TRY TO FIT IN?
YOU WERE BORN TO STAND OUT!

Update On Sarika Singh

Here is an update about the teenaged Sikh girl in Wales, Sarita Singh, who got kicked out of school for wearing her kara. I have reproduced the comments on this article to show how far we still have to go to win the respect and understanding of the people of the United Kingdom, and, I guess, Cyprus.

From The Times On Line:

Sikh girl goes to court over bangle

(Graham Morris)

Monty Panesar prays during a match between England and India.

Joanna Sugden

A photo of England's spin bowler Monty Panesar was shown to a High Court judge today in the hearing of a Sikh girl excluded from school for wearing a bracelet as part of her religion.

The court heard that the steel bangle worn by Sikhs, including cricketer Panesar, was a symbol of faith, not a piece of jewellery, and the school had breached Sarika Watkins-Singh's human rights by banning her from wearing it.

The 14-year-old is appealing against the decision by Aberdare Girls' School in South Wales to refuse to exempt her from the strict uniform policy, which bans the wearing of religious symbols.

When Sarika would not remove the bangle, known as a Kara, she was taught "in educational and social segregation during school hours" for some months before being excluded for a day, then for five days and finally indefinitely, said her lawyer Helen Mountfield.

The judge, Mr Justice Silber, must decide whether the school's policy amounted to unlawful discrimination under the 1976 Race Relations Act, the freedom of religion provisions of the 2006 Equality Act and the 1998 Human Rights Act.

Ms Mountfield showed the judge a picture of Panesar wearing the bangle when he asked to see what a Kara was.She told him the Kara was one of the five Ks of Sikhism, and worn by more Sikhs than the turban, which is not one of the Ks.

She cited a House of Lords decision 25 years ago, which had never been questioned, that a Sikh boy was subjected to indirect race discrimination when he was told he could only attend a school if he cut his hair and ceased wearing a turban.

She said: "There is no string of authority to say that school uniform rules may trump religious dress codes".

Mr Justice Silber commented that the only issue of fact in the case seemed to be whether Sarika was actually obliged by her religion to wear the Kara.

In February, Sarika began at Mountain Ash Comprehensive School, where she can wear the Kara, pending the outcome of her court challenge.

Her mother, Sinita, 38, has said that, although Mountain Ash is a good school, her daughter's education suffered as a result of the move and the stress involved in the run-up to her GCSEs. The family presented a petition to 10 Downing Street seeking support for the case and backed by 150 Gurdwaras - the main Sikh religious institutions - and over 200 Sikh organisations and 70 non-Sikh organisations. 100 MPs have also offered their support.

The hearing is expected to last three days.

• COMMENTS
  

Her parents knew the rules. Why do they think that the whole world should bow to their beliefs? Why not just stick to the rules, go to school, come home and wear whatever you want in your own time?
dave, london,

Why has this gone to court? The school doesn't discriminate on it treats all pupils equally no one is allowed religious items. If they try it on human rights grounds of denying an education, all the act says is the have to have an education not that it has to be at a specific school.

Stephen, St. Ives, England

The issue here is whether she is required to wear it by her religion.
A cross is not a requirement of Christianity but I understand that the bangle is. It's my guess that she will win her case in this instance. Really it is a scandal that proper guidelines haven't been issued by the government yet

andre , St Albans, UK

They had better not allow the bangle as a Christian woman was not allowed to wear her cross at work. All religious symbols need to stay out of schools if that is the schools rule. Otherwise one is holier than another or belongs to a different gang.She needs to obey the rules. She is a child.

Abigail, Torquay, UK

I am atheist, does that mean if i were at school i could simply invent some 'dress code' of my own religion? At what point does a religion become recognized to the extent you can flout generally accepted rules? As i believe all religion is akin to believing in fairy's I find this offensive!!!

Matthew, Bristol,

Here we go Human rights again. If this girl wants to wear her bangle at school, fine, then find a school that will accept it. How can she be allowed to waste so much money from legal aid for something that has absolutely nothing to do with the everyday British citizen.

This is all down to Blair.

John Moore, Paphos, Cyprus

--
WHY TRY TO FIT IN?
YOU WERE BORN TO STAND OUT!

''What Do You Say?'

Saturday was an eventful day; many fairly notable things happened Here I focus on just one of them.

I needed to pick up some prescriptions at our local WalMart. As it is unsafe for me to drive since my stroke, my husband drove me and was to wait in the car until I came out. Then he would drive up and get me and we'd happily tootle off home, stopping at Taco Bell to get a seven-layer burrito. (Yes, lactovegetarian, if you leave off the sour cream, which contains gelatin.) If that had happened in its usual manner, you would not now be reading this post.

I got my prescriptions and, holding the pharmacy bag, waited. And waited. After about 15 minutes, I began to survey the parking lot, and eventually found our car. I walked to it and just as I unlocked the door, a voice behind me said, 'Gimme your drugs! I gotta knife!'

'So do I.' I'm not sure quite how I dropped my medicine, reached my arm across my body and under my shirt, and turned toward him, my kirpan at his throat. (Actually, I do know. Guru's Kirpaa, eh? And a conditioned reflex.)

The startled criminal had dropped his rusty little knife and was petrified. As this was in a crowded public place, it was only seconds before security appeared, followed closely by the police. Although, I was the one holding a 'weapon,' I guess I didn't much look like the aggressor and the situation was quickly sorted out. The miscreant, by the looks of his teeth and his scrawny self, a crystal meth addict, was whining and crying to me, 'Ma'am, ma'am, please don't press charges! Please, please...I have two strikes!.'

(For those of you who may not know, many US states, including Washington, where I currently live, have 'Three Strike Laws.' Three strikes is a baseball term: 'Three strikes and you're out!' How these laws operate differ from state to state, but the idea is that on a third conviction for a serious crime, the guilty party automatically goes to prison for a long, long time, usually life. Attempted robbery and assault with a deadly weapon are considered serious crimes. I, personally disapprove of all automatic, mandatory sentencing, as there should sometimes be exceptions, but that is the law here.)

I could not consider letting this miserable excuse of a human being (Mai, dear, he also contains the jot of God, remember? I know, but he's still a miserable excuse of a human being.) go free to injure or kill someone else. He was taken away in handcuffs and I was left to have a long conversation with a policeman who insisted on staying with me until my husband returned. I'll call him Officer John.

He was most interested in my kirpan.

'I should confiscate it as evidence,' he told me.

'If you try to do that, I'll end up in jail; it never leaves my body. You'd have to take it by force.' I replied.

He gave me a loo and I continued. 'But if you really need this one, I have another at home, we could go there together and I suppose then you could use this one for your evidence.'

'It's a pretty knife, but why is it so important to you? You'd really be willing to fight me for it?'

'Oh, yes, if I had to, but I'd rather not. I am an Amritdhari Sikh, a Khalsa. The kirpan - by the way, it's called a kirpan, please quit calling it a knife - is one of five article of faith, kakkars, that we always keep on our bodies.'

Surprisingly, he was interested and asked about the other four. I explained about them - the unshorn hair, covered by a turban by men and a scarf or turban by women (OK, I have a confession. Although I don't go out with my hair open, I don't always keep it properly covered, but this particular day, as good luck(?) would have it, I was quite 'decent.' I'll tie a dastaar as soon as I learn some way to either do it with one hand or to get my left hand working again), kesh, the comb, kangha, the bangle, kara and the breeches, kechera. I was sure that he would have something embarrassing to ask about the kechera, but his mind was going in a different direction.

And what he said next is the real reason for this post.

'I have a friend who says he is a Sikh and he has that kara-thing, but he cuts his hair and shaves. Is he a real Sikh?'

How does one answer such a question from someone who really knows little or nothing about us and our beliefs? Here is what I told him:

'That is a topic much debated among us. Some would say yes, some would say no. We have a code of conduct, the Sikh Rehat Maryada (SRM), that says that a Sikh is a human being who believes certain things and isn't a member of any other religion. It doesn't specifically mention the hair, but some people say that if you believe those things, you can't possibly cut your hair. Some say that's an outdated attitude and should be dropped. Still others say that only Amritdhari, initiated Sikhs are really real Sikhs.'

'In another part of the SRM, it does say to keep one's kesh and some other behaviours that a Sikh should or shouldn't do, but in the definition, it doesn't say.'

'What do you say?'

Talk about being put on the spot! 'Personally, I'll accept anybody as a Sikh who says they are, unless I have a good reason not to. (I'm thinking here specifically of KP Gill and his ilk.) But a Khalsa needs to look like a Khalsa. And I feel really good when I see a brother or sister that looks like a Sikh, what we call a visible Sikh. The other kind make me feel sad.'

The conversation went on for quite some time, until my husband finally showed up; he had been using the public facilities in WalMart, he said. (For a whole hour?)

That is the meat of our conversation. I put to you the question: What do you say?

(An afterward that I just cannot resist. If my criminal had actually gotten my 'drugs,' he would have gotten the surprise of his life. You see, they are preps for a colonoscopy, designed to clean out every bit of fecal matter from the intestine. He would not have gotten high, but he would have, as we say, dropped an elephant, probably with considerable pain, if he hadn't drunk a whole lot of water.)

Thanks again to professional photographer, Charles Mecham for the generous gift of his photos of visible Sikhs.. Please visit his website to see more. Blogger is misbehaving and refusing to add pictures right now. I'll go ahead and post this and add Mr. Meacham's great pictures later. It is later and the pictureshave been added, all from Charles Meacham's Being Sikh collection, except, of course, my forget-me-not signature picture.

Sukhvir Singh's Attacker Sentenced

I guess I have been most remiss in not writing about the sentencing of the [person] who so viciously attacked Sikhvir Singh Ji. Our dear brother is saintly, and Mr. Vazquez got off very lightly, at his request. First, please watch this video from our local PBS station, KCTS Channel 9:



I, personally, believe Lius Vazquez got off way too lightly. While I applaud the forgiving nature of Sikhvir Singh Ji, I believe the judge should have given out a much harsher sentence. Other yaxi drivers have been assaulted in the past, but for many reasons didn't want to or were unable to go to court. I'm afraid this light sentence will insure that others will be assaulted in the future.

This thoughtful article is reprinted from AASRA Magazine. Please visit their link and read the whole magazine. It's from my local area and I read it on a regular basis myself. I am including only a few pictures from the article; I hope you will go see the rest of them.

Forgiveness Echoes In Court

Wed, 05/21/2008 - 03:03 — tejdev

A historic judgment!

Sukhvir Singh’s forgiveness for a man who called him an “Iraqi terrorist” and “responsible for 9/11” led a King County Superior Judge to be lenient and spared him from a longer jail sentence. Judge Monica Benton sentenced Luis Vázquez, 21, of Kent, to nine months in jail and 240 hours of community service for the hate crime. He will be eligible for work-release during his time in jail, the judge said.

Sukhvir Singh suffered a brutal, hate-filled attack on the night of November 24, 2007 after police directed a drunken Mr. Vázquez to be driven home in Sukhvir's cab. Mr. Vázquez called Sukhvir an "Iraqi terrorist" and threatened to kill him. As his anger escalated, he attacked Sukhvir from the back seat, putting him in a chokehold, knocking off his turban, biting into his head, and pulling out clumps of his hair. Sukhvir Singh became the innocent victim for Luis Vázquez to vent anger and frustration and hate because of alcohol and having been turned away from Apple Cup at the Husky Stadium. This lead to numerous calls to the 911 center from others using the freeway. Everyone was impressed by the calm of Sukhvir Singh who barely escaped death and brought the taxi to a stop at the busy time of traffic. The attack led to traffic being held up on Interstate 5 highway until the police intervened. Singh, who pulled to the side of the freeway, told police that he had been afraid for his life and that of others on the road.

Vázquez pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment, second-degree assault and malicious harassment, the state's name for a hate crime, for the Nov. 24 attack on Sukhvir Singh, an Indian-born member of the Sikh religious community. Vázquez said he did not remember the drunken assault. "I'm really, really sorry for what I put you through," Vázquez told Singh during the hearing that was packed with his family and members of the Sikh community. "I'm sorry for making you have to look back over your shoulder when you walk." His attorney, Greg Girard, called him a responsible man who realizes alcohol played a big role in his actions; he is now in treatment.

In court Sukhvir Singh spoke through an interpreter. He said he did not want to see the young man's life ruined. "If someone has made a mistake, they should learn a lesson from it," Singh said. "They should be punished accordingly, and it should be known to society that it is not good to have hate toward any human being." Several members of the Sikh community spoke at the hearing. They talked about how the Sikhs are peaceful and have no ties to terrorists but have endured prejudice and slurs since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Many members of the Sikh community spoke at the hearing to express the frustration and anguish the community has felt on account of this and other hate filled incidents targeting the young and old in the community. Hardeep Singh, a community attorney helping Sukhvir Singh, expressed how the incident has affected him at a personal level and how he expected the judgment to ensure that hate and prejudice were not accepted in our communities.

"The Sikhs in this community have contributed a lot, and it's very hurtful when people attack us based on our looks," said Hardeep Singh Rekhi. There have been "a number of such incidents ... but nothing so egregious" as what Singh endured at the hands of Vázquez , Jasmit Singh Kochhar said. "Hate is one of the most divisive and intolerable emotions that we can have." Gurdev Singh Maan said 9/11 left the Sikh community as hurt as everyone else; he couldn't understand how some could equate Sikhs with terrorists, or even "where they find that word."

Benton, the judge, said Vázquez should be given leniency in the same way that Singh has given forgiveness, adding that the attack only reiterated that the community needs to "talk about and address our racial differences. When one drinks, as you did, Mr. Vázquez , those deep-seated fears arise and those prejudices surface," she said. "It is unfortunate, truly, that you do not recall this event, because he will never forget it."

Truly the Sikhs who have been victims of hate never forget what they have been through, while forgiving their attackers again and again. They are denied justice in every part of the world. One Sikh man (who wanted to stay anonymous) asked if a Sikh or minority gets in trouble with the law there is no leniency even if it is a speeding ticket, but maybe it is the color of the skin that matters even in a justice system that is meant to be fair? Once his turn signal malfunctioned and he had to pay full fine for “improper lane change.” What the future holds for the community is surely a big question? The acceptance of guilt by Luis Vázquez and forgiveness by Sukhvir Singh has left the community with a “wait and see attitude.” Surely this judgment will go a long way and reflect on the justice system of this country.

The statement issued by Sikh Coalition reads: “The journey in front of us is arduous. This was one of the very few cases in the recent past that have been prosecuted as a hate crime. The Sikh community's experiences with hate assaults in Hoboken, New Jersey and Roseburg, Oregon have left the community disheartened.

In the Oregon case, a Grand Jury did not charge an attacker with a hate crime after attackers tore off a Sikh's turban and stole it. Even worse, in New Jersey, the Hudson County prosecutor refused to charge a women who grabbed and pulled a turban with a hate assault even though she told the victim that she had a problem with his turban.

Nevertheless, the resources invested in order to achieve this result in Seattle were significant. It took a lot of time for dozens of community volunteers who took off time from work, called the press, mobilized other community organizations, pursued all legal options available, organized meetings, and showed patience, poise and perseverance through a somber vigil.

As a community, we have a long way to go before prosecutors and the public alike understand that attacks on Sikhs are generally not random occurrences but the result of a huge societal animus against our articles of faith.”


“When one drinks, as you did, Mr. Vázquez , those deep-seated fears arise and those prejudices surface. It is unfortunate, truly, that you do not recall this event, because he will never forget it.” King County Superior Court Judge Monica J. Benton




"The Sikhs in this community have contributed a lot, and it's very hurtful when people attack us based on our looks" Hardeep Singh Rekhi


“There have been a number of such incidents ... but nothing so egregious as what Sukhvir Singh endured at the hands of Vázquez.” Jasmit Singh Kochhar


“Hate is one of the most divisive and intolerable emotions that we can have. 9/11 left the Sikh community as hurt as everyone else. I can’t understand how some could equate Sikhs with terrorists, or even where they find that word." Gurdev Singh Maan


Sukhvir Singh speaks through an interpreter. Deputy Prosecutor Mike Hogan is on the right. "If someone has made a mistake, they should learn a lesson from it," Singh said. "They should be punished accordingly, and it should be known to society that it is not good to have hate toward any human being."


Luis Vázquez sits with his attorney, Greg Girard, in the courtroom filled with Sikhs and members of Luis Vázquez family.


Press reporters from various news media cover the event.


Press reporters from various news media cover the event.


"I'm really, really sorry for what I put you through. I'm sorry for making you have to look back over your shoulder when you walk." Luis Vázquez


Luis Vázquez in the courtroom filled with Sikhs and members of Luis Vázquez family.


Attorney Greg Girard talks with Deputy Prosecutor Mike Hogan, while Hardeep Singh and Sukhvir Singh look on.


Hardeep Singh (center), with Sukhvir Singh (left) and Deputy Prosecutor Mike Hogan.

Editor: Sarab Singh, Kent, Washington, USA. No rights reserved.

Would You Bring Hitler To Justice?

Going through my e-mail, I came upon this editorial from The Panthic Weekly. It contains ideas I have often thought about, so I present it to you.

I noticed that their reference to the [person] generally known as 'KPS Gill' left out the 'S.' At first I thought it was a mistake or a misprint - until I considered that the 'S' stands for 'Singh,' a name Gill has forfeited all rights to. Very good, Panthic Weekly, and thank you!

Wouldn't You Bring Hitler to Justice ? (Editorial) Thursday 17th April, 2008 Niranjan Singh, Panthic Weekly Commentator Scene of the recent BC Vaisakhi Nagar Kirtan where the Government attempted to censor the photos of Great Sikh Heroes and Shaheeds If you could go back and Bring Hitler to Justice—before the Holocaust, before Kristallnacht, before any of it—Would you do it? Would it be wrong? Well, Kim Bolan of the Vancouver Sun seems to think it's wrong. In recent articles by the "reporter" in the Vancouver Sun, she has slated Sikhs, as a community, for respecting those that died to prevent horrific genocide—to stop those that would kill every man, woman and child out of hate for their beliefs or origins. In the past few years, the Surrey and British Columbia governments have decided that free speech doesn't apply to the Sikhs. They have asked us to stop respecting our heroes, those that died for what they believed in, equality. They have asked us to forget our rich history of sacrifices for righteousness. They have asked us to give up our core beliefs and values because they don't fit in with their politically correct, diplomatic visions. However, this policy of forgetting the past causes many Sikhs to believe that Canada and other Western Nations are more concerned with economic deals with countries like India and China regardless of their human rights records. India: a country where University students admire Adolph Hitler as one of their top three heroes while denying The Holocaust ever happened. It is well known in India and throughout immigrant communities that Indira Gandhi and her government had a clear cut plan to "unite" India at all costs, including sacrificing civil rights for Sikhs, Muslims, Christians and other minorities. One of the first objectionable actions by the government dates back 30 years when the government openly supported the creation of an anti-Sikh cult, that was guarded by a heavy para-military contingent that marched through the holy city of Amritsar. The march included derogatory words and actions by the cult leader as he openly defamed Sikh Gurus. When the Sikhs peacefully protested for them to stop, they were gunned down—mercilessly slaughtered. Sikhs tried to file police reports regarding the incident and they were turned away; justice denied. Yet Kim Bolan and various authorities seem to want to deny justice again by having us remove and denounce pictures that highlight their sacrifices. However, what followed has left deeper wounds in the hearts of Sikhs. Operation Blue Star—not just an attack on Amritsar, but a series of simultaneous attacks on DOZENS of historical temples across Punjab—was meant to strike at the very heart, physically and emotionally, of the Sikhs. After that, riots were planned in the streets of major cities, as mobs were given voter rolls to identify Sikh homes and businesses, then more attacks. In 1984, after witnessing the carnage of government run genocide across their state, targeting their people, "assassins" took it upon themselves to stop what they saw as wrong. Wouldn't any reasonable person when faced with untold numbers of innocent people facing torture and death at the hands of a hateful regime? The justification worked in World War II when The Allies stormed the beaches of Normandy, it's the same justification Bush used for the Iraq war: Stop those that would mercilessly slaughter thousands of innocents on a whim, before they are allowed to carry out their heinous crimes. Israel was created to stop hate against the Jews, Tibet should be free to stop persecution of a people because of their beliefs. Tibet in China is no different than Punjab in India—a people persecuted and oppressed by their own government. Unfortunately, some of the plans still came to fruition. With the death of Indira as an excuse, the Sikhs faced their very own Kristallnacht. However the history of a people and a religion that has continually faced persecution for hundreds of years seems to be irrelevant to Kim Bolan. They are assassins because they killed someone she admires. Kim Bolan's allegiances suggest that she doesn't frown on genocide. In fact, one of her known associates in the "Sikh" community is K.P. Gill, the so-called "supercop." She respects him for putting down what she calls "terrorism." What she doesn't seem to care about, is how this so-called terrorism was put down—torture, genocide, murder, mass graves, Gestapo-like tactics. This mass murder is condoned, and even admired by a reporter who doesn't bother to investigate the facts and clearly injects her strong bias and opinions into her articles. Some may forget that at one time George Washington was a terrorist according to the British. So was Gandhi. In fact, Nelson Mandela famously quoted Gandhi in 2000 stating, "Where choice is set between cowardice and violence, I would advise violence…I prefer to use arms in defense of honor rather than remain the vile witness of dishonor." If standing up for what you believe in, if putting your life on the line to save others, and if asking for human dignity and the right to free speech and freedom of religion is terrorism. Then we are terrorists. Had the Americans lost the Revolutionary War they would've been known in history as assassins and terrorists, but instead they are looked up to across the world as symbols of freedom and liberty. What Kim Bolan doesn't seem to understand is that the majority of the Sikh community worldwide thinks she is a joke. The majority of the Sikh community, unlike the puppets she almost exclusively quotes, understands these issues and why we respect our martyrs. First it's Jathedars Talwinder Singh and Sukhdev Singh Babbar who fought for the right to exist, then Bhai Fauja Singh who peacefully protested and was shot down, then it's Guru Gobind Singh Jee, who taught us that laying down and allowing oppressors to step all over you is not right and freedom and justice are principles a person can never give up. Will you ban them all? Kim Bolan described Khalistan as "a mythical nation Sikh separatists want carved from Punjab." Perhaps Khalistan is a state of mind, perhaps it is a myth. Or perhaps it's the Empire built by our forefathers before the British came in and created the "mythical" state of India which later split our kingdom into the "mythical" states of India and Pakistan. Perhaps we just want to be left alone and have the right to self-determination—to exist—the right to free speech and the right to religion. Would you deny us that in your free democracy as well? Fortunately, in the democracy set up in Canada—our country too—even a minority's voice is heard, whether it be Kim Bolan or Sikhs calling for 'Sarbat da Bhalla," peace for the entire world and all who inhabit it. If you could go back and bring Hitler to Justice—before the Holocaust, before Kristallnacht —Would you do it? Would it be wrong? Kim Bolan of the Vancouver Sun seems to think so. In recent articles by the "reporter", she slated the Sikh Nation for standing up against evil and tyranny.

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WHY TRY TO FIT IN?
YOU WERE BORN TO STAND OUT!

Again 1984 - Back To The Future Yet Again *sigh*

I really don't have much to say here. Next year, 2005, it will be a quarter century. As of yet, nothing, absolutely nothing has been done to show us that anything like justice will ever be done. Jagdish, Sajjan, et. al. are still out there enjoying themselves while we survivors are told to 'get over it.' I'll write no more right now. Anger is to be overcome, not nursed.

For Your Information, from IBN Live. (The Title Is Missing The Story: Where Was The Media In 1984? I'm leaving it below as a jumbled mess because I think it is appropriate.):

Missing the story: where was the media in 1984?

Nidhi Bhardwaj / CNN-IBN

Published on Sat, Mar 22, 2008 at 22:18, Updated at Sat, Mar 22, 2008 in Nation » India section

Tags: Sikhs, 1984 Riots

WHO STARTED THE FIRE? The media followed the official line on riots in 1984.

People who read this also read:

1984 witnesses stand up & speak up for justice

One man is willing to testify, Sikh groups he will inspire others.

• 1984! No date with justice for riot victims

Babu Singh Dukhiya is the president of a 1984 riots victims' society and he is getting cynical.

"A thousand years will pass but we still won't get justice. It took months and years in filing cases, recording statements and other such court work. Now it is almost 24 years since the riots," says Dukhiya. This veteran of countless protest marches says he never got attention to his demands.

Mohan Singh, a riot victim, the media didn't pay attention during the 1984 riots. "In those days it was just Doordarshan for TV but now there are so many news channels. It is because of the media that there is hope of justice in the post-Godhra riots," says Mohan Singh.

Senior journalist Manoj Mitta, who along with lawyer H S Phoolka has written a book called When a Tree Shook Delhi on the riots, feels that the media in 1984 focused on Indira Gandhi's assassination and not the riots that followed

"The media by and large went by the official line on the carnage. It focused on the happenings at Teen Murti Bhawan, where Indira Gandhi's body lay in state and where from people around the world had come to pay respect. So photographers were flocking to that place and the killings that were simultaneously going on in the capital did not get recorded at all. It's bizarre but true," he says.

The 2002 Gujarat riots in contrast got extensive media coverage, which helped human rights activists to prod both the judiciary as well as public conscience.

"At the time of Gujarat riots all these TV channels played a very important role in bringing out the magnitude of the violence that was going on and the dubious role played by state authorities. As a result, the National Human Rights Commission and the Supreme Court had to take cognizance of high profile cases," says Mitta.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2005 stood in Parliament to issue an apology on behalf of the Congress, admitting that the anti-Sikh riots were a shameful episode in India's history.

"On behalf of our government, on behalf of the entire people of our country, I bow my head in shame that such a thing took place," he said.

Congress leader Jagdish Tytler did resign from the Union Cabinet hours after the PM's apology, but no prominent politician or government official has been ever found guilty of involvement in the 1984 riots.

"In all big cases involving major political leaders and involving large-scale killings, there have been absolutely no convictions at all. So, that contrast is there to see between what happened in 1984 and what happened in 2002," says Mitta.

Lawyer H S Phoolka, who has represented 1984 riot victims for almost 24 years, admits he has not achieved much for his clients. The reason he alleges is sustained political pressure.

"Some the judges were doing their duty very diligently and were giving orders of conviction, but the government manipulated in such a way that those judges were transferred. The cases then went to judges who looked pliable. Like we have mentioned one particular judge who was acquitting everybody. He decided 123 cases, out of which he acquitted 121," says Phoolka.

India didn't pay attention to the riots in 1984 and now the danger is that it may forget them, say victims.

http://www.ibnlive.com/news/missing-the-story-where-was-the-media-in-1984/61753-3-1.html

__._,_.___

--
WHY TRY TO FIT IN?
YOU WERE BORN TO STAND OUT!

After 23 years, invalid Sikh seeks justice

Can you imagine being burned alive? Of course, that happened to many of our shaheed brothers and a few sisters during that last day of October and first days of November, 1984. But a very few were burned alive and survived. Gurecharan Singh, 17, was one of those.

Now, 23 years later, he is ready to testify against Sajjan Kumar, one of those responsible for this atrocity. I beg to differ with one line of this story, the one that says:

That terrible act of violence destroyed Singh although he didn't die.

Gurcharan Singh may have had a miserable life - I'm sure he has - but he has not been destroyed. He has lived to serve all of us with his testimony. And we owe him a collective 'Thank you.'

SO, THANK YOU GURCHARAN SINGH JI!

23 Years Later Invalid Sikh Seeks Justice
March 13th, 2008 - 12:23 pm ICT by admin - Email This Post

From Thaindians News

By Ritu Sharma
New Delhi, March 13 (IANS) Twenty-three years after a mob threw him into a burning truck, a barely living Gurcharan Singh is demanding justice after being reduced to a cripple in the 1984 anti-Sikh violence in Delhi. Confined to bed for life after the horrific incident, Singh reached the Karkardooma court in an ambulance Wednesday along with a group of other victims of the 1984 mass violence that left around 2,700 people dead.

A 17-year-old at that time, Singh was a resident of Uttam Nagar in west Delhi when reprisal violence swept Delhi following the assassination of prime minister Indira Gandhi by two of her Sikh bodyguards on Oct 31, 1984.

Mobs incited by politicians immediately took over the streets, killing and raping innocents. Hundreds were injured and traumatised.

The mob that invaded Uttam Nagar killed Singh's father and maternal uncle before catching hold of him and throwing him into a burning truck. This happened on Nov 1.

That terrible act of violence destroyed Singh although he didn't die.

"When I gained consciousness, I found myself in a hospital bed. I was discharged after 10 days to live a miserable life. They (mob) had burnt our shops, homes and killed our people," Singh recalled.

"My brother was also attacked with bricks, leaving him injured in his spine. He has been incapacitated for life. From my family of seven, only two of us are alive," a grieving Singh told IANS in the court complex, speaking from the stretcher that has since then become his permanent shelter.

It was the start of an agonizing life.

Singh registered a case with Delhi Police, accusing Sajjan Kumar, a Congress MP who has been widely blamed for the 1984 mayhem but the police refused to name the MP in the first information report.

And then fear took over.

Living under constant threats of life, because the killers did not want him pointing his accusing fingers against them, Singh quietly moved out to Mohali in Punjab.

The Sikh Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), the Sikh religious parliament, finally came to his rescue, dishing out - in Singh's words - a monthly pension of Rs.10,000.

When the government set up the G.T. Nanavati Commission to probe the anti-Sikh violence, Singh refused to depose. "I feared for my life," he said Wednesday, as two armed policemen from Punjab stood by his side.

One day, prodded by the court, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) came to him to record his statement at Mohali.

And the volcano in Singh burst out.

"I told the CBI that the mob attacking our area was led by Sajjan Kumar. He met the local 'sarpanch' and said: 'They (Sikhs) have killed 'maa' (Indira Gandhi), kill them'," Singh told IANS.

Sajjan Kumar has denied similar allegations against him in the past.

The SGPC also promised to protect Singh, giving him the courage to travel to New Delhi.

Singh has nothing much to look forward to, but he feels strongly that justice needs to be done and those who killed innocents in 1984 should be punished.

He knows that even if that happens, he will remain a cripple for life - for no fault of his.

Babu Singh Dukhiya, president of a forum seeking justice for the 1984 victims, told IANS: "Singh is living a miserable life. His only wish is that the court must record his statement. He knows he may die soon."

(Ritu Sharma can be contacted at ritu.s@ians.in)

Photo: Gurcharan Singh

YOU WERE BORN TO STAND OUT!

More Laibar and Surinder - The Singhs Move Forward

So much going on right now. I have read in Sify News that Laibar Singh wants to go back to India if he can be guaranteed good medical care there.

Harpal Singh Nagra, President of the South Asian Human Rights group that was at the forefront of the fight for blocking Singh's deportation, said: “Though the CBSA told us last week that they will not enter the Sikh temple, I would now prefer that Singh should go back to India.”

He said: “Singh himself wants to go back if he is guaranteed that he will get the money for his medical treatment in India. We will raise money for him. I think he can get good treatment in India.”

We'll see if and how that plays out.

I read today in the Times of India that they are actually ready to depose Surinder Singh about Mr. Tytler's role in the murders in Delhi in 1984:


Printed from
The Times of India -Breaking news, views. reviews, cricket from across India


1984 anti-Sikh riots: CBI to record Surinder's statement today
21 Feb 2008, 0322 hrs IST,TNN

SMS NEWS to 58888 for latest updates

CHANDIGARH:

For Bhai Surinder Singh, a key witness in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case being investigated by the CBI, it's one battle won. The investigating agency contacted Singh's lawyer Navkiran Singh on Wednesday, informing him that his client should present himself in the local CBI office in Sector 30 at 11 am on Thursday to record his statement before DSP SS Kishore from Delhi.

However, there has been no word on Navkiran's other client, US-based Jasbir Singh, who apprehends threat to his life and has refused to come to India.

Both Jasbir and Surinder are witnesses against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler, who has been accused of leading a mob against Sikhs during 1984 riots. Post the summons, Surinder sounded upbeat but claimed that the pressure was still there on his family in Delhi. "My daughter-in-law is being pressurized to lodge a false case of dowry harassment against me. In return, she is being assured a passage to Canada, where my son and her husband, now lives. We have been trying to send her to Canada for the past several years, but Tytler seems to have had an upper hand." Regarding his plea to the Punjab government to provide him security and means of livelihood since he cannot return to Delhi, adviser to the chief minister, Daljit Singh Cheema said the government "is doing the needful".

On Tuesday, he had told TOI that there had been no positive response from the CBI despite his attempts to contact it in the past one week. Earlier, on February 13, Surinder had reiterated his resolve to give his side of the story after years of "living under pressure and facing threat to life".

So much trouble in the world.

Nothing, of course, will ever make up for what happened in 1984. Justice against Mr. Tytler would be at least some justice. So will we finally get some justice for 1984?

We're waiting.

A Christmas Wish For Mr. Laibar Singh (From An Anglo-Canadian)

MERRY CHRISTMAS, MR. SINGH! Doesn't it feel good to be living among people with such good will and compassion? *rolls eyes*

from The Chilliwack Times

Home for holidays for Singh

The Times


Tuesday, December 25, 2007


At this time of the year, we're all supposed to be infused with the Christmas spirit--good cheer to all mankind and all that.

But the case of Laibar Singh is creating the opposite effect as the fuss over his deportation continues to rankle many.

Here are the facts: Laibar Singh entered Canada in 2003 on a forged passport.

He applied, unsuccessfully, for refugee status. Before being deported, Singh suffered an aneurysm that left him paralyzed.

Since then, federal immigration officials have been trying to deport him and his supporters in the Sikh community have been shuffling him around from gurdwara to gurdwara.

An attempt to deport him last Monday failed, as supporters blocked his van at Vancouver International Airport.

Now Singh is in Surrey, his supporters sniping about the amount of effort required to provide care, immigration officials still wanting him out and the public, at large, wondering why Canada never seems to deport anyone.

Put simply, Singh should be sent home.

He entered the country illegally, there was no grounds found for refugee status and Canadians have no obligation to support him.

An application for him to stay based on humanitarian and compassionate grounds was rejected.

But let's remember, we're sending him back to a democracy, a fellow member of the Commonwealth and he will be cared for in one of the country's top hospitals.

It's time we stopped being so patronizing toward other nations.

Singh is an Indian citizen and they are quite capable of looking after him.

The real question, as always, is why it takes immigration officials so long to deport people.

Not to be callous, but if immigration officials had done their job, we wouldn't be having this discussion.

It might not be in the spirit of the season, but Laibar Singh needs to go home for the holidays.

© Chilliwack Times 2007








Copyright © 2007 CanWest Interactive, a division of CanWest MediaWorks Publications, Inc.. All rights reserved.

US Sikh Groups Rally For 1984 Justice

Now for absolute certain sure this blog will again be tagged as a spam blog. Three posts in one day! But this just came in and I want to get it up while my brain is in the blogging mode. And it has such a lovely picture of Mr. Tytler, who it seems is dying his hair these days!



1984 riots: Sikh groups in US rally for justice

Anirudh Bhattacharyya
CNN-IBN



STANDING FOR JUSTICE: Sikh groups in India and the US also want Tytler to hand to the CBI, the Doordarshan CDs.

New York: After CNN-IBN broadcast testimonies of key witnesses of the anti-Sikh riots of 1984, Sikh groups across the world are pushing for justice.


Sikhs For Justice, a movement set up by 15 Sikh organizations in the United States, met recently at the Baba Makhan Shah Gurudwara in New York. Their objective is to ensure that those allegedly involved in killings during the 1984 anti-Sikhs riots are punished.


“We have two witnesses who will be present when the opportunity arises,” says Sukhwant Singh, Sikhs for Justice.


Sikhs For Justice is doing the groundwork to enable witnesses to testify against Congress leaders like Jagdish Tytler, Kamal Nath and Sajjan Kumar. But the resolution passed on Sunday goes further than dropping names. They demand a Judicial enquiry into the 84 riots, headed by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court, that will look at the carnage not just in Delhi but also 9 other states. They also asked that the Akal Takht Jathedar and the SGPC appeal for witnesses to testify, offering them full protection.


“On behalf of Sikhs for Justice, in the coming two weeks, appeals will be made before the Supreme Court to take suo moto cognizance (of the cases). If the Supreme Court does not hear our pleas, then we will appeal to Sikhs at an international level, that they unite and go before the United Nations under the auspices of the Genocide Treaty, so Sikhs get justice,” says Balbir Kaur, Sikhs for Justice.


Sikh groups in India and the US also want Tytler to hand to the CBI, the Doordarshan CDs that he says show him near Indira Gandhi's body on 1st November 1984.
IBN



23 years since the riots, Sikh groups in America feel energized to form a front and start naming Indian politicians they believe were involved in the violence and to seek direct legal action in India. However, in Delhi, Sikh groups gathered at Majnu Ka Tilla gurudwara assuring support to Surinder Singh, whose chilling eyewitness account was broadcast on CNN IBN.


“It is not only Jasbir Singh or Surinder Singh who are a witness against Jagdish Tytler. There are many such people who are ready to give their account in the court,” says Karnail Singh, President, All India Sikh Student Federation.

Jasbir Singh WANTS TO TESTIFY

To avoid confusion, the gentleman wearing the black turban in the picture labeled 'Tytler Guilty' is Jasbir Singh., as is the above picture.

The other picture is of Jagdish Tytler.

I have heard that it is being said the Jasbir Singh Ji does not want to testify. Please read this story from The Times Of India. Does he sound even a little bit relunctant?

Reprinted from
The Times of India -Breaking news, views. reviews, cricket from
across India

Jasbir happy with order but cautious
19 Dec 2007, 0036 hrs
IST,TNN

SMS NEWS to 58888 for latest updates



NEW DELHI: Jasbir Singh, the man responsible for the court ordering a
re-investigation in the anti-Sikh riots case against Jagdish Tytler, told TOI
from California on Tuesday that he was happy with the order. He, however,
cautioned that justice was still a long way away.

"Twenty-six members of
my extended family were murdered. It was only because of the support of the
families of the victims that the case has come to this stage - otherwise it
would have closed," he said.

"This is the first step," he said.
"Thousands of Sikhs were murdered in a most brutal way and nothing was done to
stop them. But the order has given a new lease of life to the fight," he said.
Jasbir claims he was forced to leave the country after receiving death threats.
He, therefore, felt he would not be safe if he came to India to depose. "I don't
want to come to India to depose in the case. I want to remain in the United
States to give my deposition. My life is under constant threat in India. Had I
stayed there, I would have been dead by now," he said.

Jasbir's father,
Sattu Singh, was elated over the order. "Now we can hope for justice to be done.
I want my son to come here and look the culprits in their face and depose," he
said. Jasbir's mother however sounded a bit concerned with the proposition. "I
am scared that something might happen to him if my son comes here. It would be
far better for him to stay in America and depose," she said. Jasbir's wife
Prakash Kaur though happy with the court order was of the opinion that she would
wait till the culprits are finally punished. "The court's order has given me
some relief. But I would wait till the end and see the offenders punished," she
said.

Jasbir's mother-in-law, Gurdeep Kaur, was vociferous. "I want the
culprits to hang. We have endured the pain for many years and now I see hope,"
she said.

Oh, yeah, I totally agree with Bhenji Gurdeep Kaur. We have waited impatiently for TWENTY-THREE YEARS. TWENTY-THREE YEARS! That's a long, long time.

Eight members of our family were killed in our one house. There were others of our extended family killed elsewhere. Twenty-six members of his family were killed. Stalin, I think it was, said, 'One or two is murder. Hundreds or thousands are statistics.' This has been the attitude of the Indian authorities for nearly a quarter century. We are tired of waiting. For the first time in years, we see a glimmer of hope.

Nothing, of course, will bring our loved ones back. Nor should they be brought back. They are now our honoured shaheeds. In time, we will write stories and poems, and sing songs about them. They are and will, over time, become ever more recognised as part of our great history.

In the meantime, though, we need justice. We are not demanding that Mr. Tytler and Mr. Kumar be set alight and slowly burn to death while we watch, laughing. We are not demanding that their children be hacked apart in front of their mothers. We are not demanding that their wives, having witnessed the torture deaths of their husbands and children, be gang raped and then be left to fend for themselves. We are not even asking that their homes be looted and burned, nor that their sources of livelihood be destroyed. We are not asking 'an eye for an eye.' And we are not asking for vengeance. We are asking for justice. WE ARE DEMANDING JUSTICE.

This article, also from the TOI, wonders why Bhai Jasbir Singh went to the media rather than to the CBI. Oh my goodness, let me think for a moment. *rolls eyes* Might it just possibly be that he would like to live long enough to testify? Has that occurred to anyone at the TOI? In the media he is Jasbir Singh, Witness and Survivor. In India, he is a troublesome Sardar. He would prefer not to join the ranks of thousands of statistics, at least not before he has the chance to see justice served.

It is not clear how he will testify. It does seem clear to me, that we, the Sikh Community, need to keep a spotlight focused on our brother Jasbir Ji, in order to protect his life. As I stated above, to the Congress Party, he is just a bother that they would rather not contend with.

The Congress Party, of course, stands behind Mr. Tytler. To do otherwise would be to admit the culpability of their party in this whole horrible affair. That would be truthful, honest and courageous; Truthfulness, honesty and courage seem not to be traits of that party.

The TOI is further reporting that our witness also testified to the Nanavati Commission. What has taken so long? (See the preceding paragraph)

If you have not yet seen the TOI video, you may go here and watch.

Other Links:

NDTV: 1984 riots: Tytler's role to be reinvestigated

Sikh Sangat News: Even in United States, Jasbir Singh has enough reason to fear

CNN-IBN Article and Video: I saw Tytler inciting the mob: Jasbir Singh

31 October 1984

WHEN TYRANTS TREMBLE, SICK WITH FEAR,

AND HEAR THEIR DEATH KNELLS RINGING,

WHEN FRIENDS REJOICE, BOTH FAR AND NEAR,

HOW CAN I KEEP FROM SINGING?

ON GALLOWS HIGH OR FUNERAL PYRE,

OUR THOUGHTS TO THEM GO WINGING.

WHEN SHAHEEDS BY SHAME ARE UNDEFILED,

HOW CAN I KEEP FROM SINGING?