AVAAZ Petition Against The Attack of Gaza

This picture from Reuters seems to sum it all up:

By now, we have all heard of Israel's latest attack on the people of Gaza. I do not pretend that the Hamas government is blameless in these attacks. I do say that Israel's response is all out of proportion to the danger Hamas poses to Israel. For those who are into arithmetic, I note that as of this writing, at least 312 Gazans have been killed in this latest offensive. But no matter.

What matters is that again - still - the civilian population of Gaza is suffering. A few pictures from BBC will serve to illustrate what is going on.

AVAAZ, an NGO that I support, has put together a petition calling for an end to the bombardment of the people of Gaza. Please read their letter below and go sign the petition. The children of Gaza continue to die while we do nothing.

From AVAAZ:

Dear friends,

As we watch the Gaza bloodshed with horror, appalled at how the crisis is spiralling further out of control, one thing is clear -- this violence will only lead to further civilian suffering and an escalation of the conflict.

There must be another way. Over 300 are dead and hundreds more injured -- rockets are striking Ashdod deep inside Israel for the very first time, and the sides are mobilising for invasion. A global response has begun, but it'll take more than words -- the immediate violence won't end, nor will wider peace be secured, without firm action from the international community.

Today, we're launching an emergency campaign which will be delivered to the UN Security Council and key world powers, urging them to act to ensure an immediate ceasefire, address the growing humanitarian crisis, and take steps to build real and lasting peace.1 Follow this link now to sign the emergency petition and send it to everyone you know:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/gaza_time_for_peace/97.php?cl_tf_sign=1

After eight or more years of ineffective US and global diplomacy -- and now Gaza's bloodiest day in recent memory -- we must issue a global outcry demanding that world leaders do more than make statements if they're to bring peace to this region. The UN, the European Union, the Arab League and the USA should now act together to ensure a ceasefire – which includes an end to rocket attacks into Israel and opening the checkpoints for fuel, food, medicine and other humanitarian aid deliveries.

With a new US President taking office in less than a month, a real opportunity exists to breathe new life into peace efforts. These latest hostilities require not only an immediate ceasefire but a commitment from Obama and other world leaders that resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is at the very top of their agendas. As the whole world is impacted by this ongoing conflict - we should demand nothing less.

In 2006 we mobilised for a ceasefire in Lebanon. For years we've worked to encourage a just and lasting peace, taking out billboards and ads across Israel and Palestine. Now as we head into 2009, we need to come together again to demand a peaceful and lasting resolution, instead of a further escalation of violence. Follow this link to put your name forward for peace:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/gaza_time_for_peace/97.php?cl_tf_sign=1

All sides to the conflict will continue to act as they have in the past if they believe that the world will stand by and allow them to do so. 2009 is a year that things can be different. As we face this crisis, and the possibilities of a new year, it's time for us to demand a ceasefire and work together to finally put an end to this cycle of violence.

With hope and determination,

Brett, Ricken, Alice, Ben, Pascal, Paul, Graziela, Paula, Luis, Iain and the whole Avaaz team


ABOUT AVAAZ
Avaaz.org is an independent, not-for-profit global campaigning organization that works to ensure that the views and values of the world's people inform global decision-making. (Avaaz means "voice" in many languages.) Avaaz receives no money from governments or corporations, and is staffed by a global team based in Ottawa, London, Rio de Janeiro, New York, Buenos Aires, and Geneva. Call us at: +1 888 922 8229 or +55 21 2509 0368

Click here to learn more about our largest campaigns.

Don't forget to check out our Facebook and Myspace and Bebo page

Jasbir Singh Testifies to CBI - Part One

I am too exhausted to write today; I did want to put this out to you, though.

More tomorrow, I hope.

Another riots witness names Tytler, Sajjan before CBI
Kulwinder Sandhu
Tribune News Service

Moga, December 26
After two days of grilling of Giani Surinder Singh, one of the two
eyewitnesses of the anti-Sikh riots being questioned by the CBI in
the USA, the two-member panel of the investigating agency questioned
the second eyewitness Jasbir Singh at Gaddar Memorial House in San
Francisco for more than four hours today.

The CBI recorded his statement with regard to the alleged role of
Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in the riots. The questioning would
continue tomorrow, revealed Jasbir Singh while talking to The Tribune
on the phone this morning.

He said he had told the CBI officials that 26 of his family members
and relatives were killed in the riots and he saved his life by
hiding himself at the river-bed of Yamuna on November 1 and 2 and in
a High School building near the inter-state bus terminal on November
3 during the riots.

"I have told the CBI that the investigating agency should not term it
as riots because no person from other communities was killed,
therefore, it should be better to term the incident as genocide", he said.

"I have told the CBI very clearly that both Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan
Kumar were directly involved in the large-scale killings of the Sikh
families in Delhi", he said, adding that he had told the CBI
officials that he recognised both leaders.

The CBI has called him again for tomorrow.

Meanwhile, many Sikh organisations gathered outside the Gaddar
Memorial House and demanded justice for the victims of riots. They
also demanded the arrest of all those who were involved in the riots.
They raised slogans against the CBI alleging that they were asking
unnecessary questions to the witnesses.

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, New York-based attorney and legal adviser to
the Sikhs For Justice, who accompanied Jasbir from New York to San
Francisco to record his statement, said they believed in the Indian
Constitution and laws but there was a need to formulate a "hate
crime" law in India, providing special prosecutorial procedures and
harsh punishments for crimes targeting religious minorities.

Karnail Singh Peer Mohammad, president of the All-India Sikh Students
Federation, announced that his organisation would file a writ
petitions in all respective state high courts where Sikhs were massacred.

The Grilling of Giani Surinder Singh

The is a follow-up to yesterday's post about CBI taking statements from these witnesses to Jagdish Tytler's murderous actions during the 1984 antiSikh pogrom in Delhi. It seems that maybe the CBI is more interested in sisrespecting these Sikh brothers and their testimony than in hearing the truth. What a surprise!

CBI grills key witnesses in US
Questioning biased, allege Sikh bodies
Kulwinder Sandhu
Tribune News Service

Moga, December 24
Sikh organisations of New York protested outside the office of the Consulate-General of India in Manhattan, alleging that CBI officials had put “unwanted” questions to Giani Surinder Singh, a key-witness in the anti-Sikh riots case, on the second day of the questioning today. They alleged that the investigating agency was trying to protect the Congress leaders involved in the riots of 1984.

A two-member team of the CBI is in the US to record the statements of Giani Surinder Singh and Jasbir Singh, key witnesses in the case.

Giani Surinder Singh had given a statement before the CBI yesterday that senior Congress leader Jagdish Tytler was directly responsible for the massacre of three Sikhs in Gurdwara Pulbhangash at Azad Nagar in Delhi on November 1, 1984, during the riots.

Talking to this correspondent on the phone from New York today, Surinder Singh had alleged that the questions asked by the CBI team gave him a feeling that the investigating team was trying to portray him as the killer.

“I have already stated that Tytler led the mob to kill Sikhs, but the CBI team has asked me whether I know or remember the names of people in the mob and what kind of clothes or shoes they were wearing,” he said.

He said: “The CBI team should have rather asked him how, when and where had he seen Jagdish Tytler instigating the mobs? How did the killings of the Sikhs took place?”

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a New York-based attorney and legal adviser of Sikh organisation “Sikhs for Justice”, who accompanied Giani Surinder Singh to the Consulate-General’s office, in an e-mail sent to The Tribune, said Giani Surinder Singh had earlier also recorded his statement in the Chandigarh office of the CBI early this year. As such the question of any pressure from any Sikh organisation did not arise.

The team had not yet recorded the statement of Jasbir Singh and would probably question him tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Karnail Singh Peer Mohammad, president of the All-India Sikh Students Federation, alleged that the way CBI team had questioned Giani Surinder Singh on the second day, it appeared that the agency was working under the pressure of Congress-led UPA government.

A VILLAGE IN PUNJAB CHERISHES THE GIRLCHILD

I know I have been castigating my readers about the evil of female foeticide and the damage it does both physically and spiritually to the Sikh community. Here is an article I have come across about a village that seems to have solved this problem.

From ExpressIndia.com

Ludhiana village values its girl child

*Bijlipur(Ludhiana), October 2 * Even as Punjab has the dubious
distinction of having one of the lowest sex ratios in the country, a village
in Ludhiana district has proved to be a remarkable exception. The average
sex ratio in Bijlipur over the last six years has been recorded at
1800:1000, as opposed to Punjab's overall sex ratio of 874 females per 1000
males according to the last census.

In the period between April 2002- March 2008, the village has seen the birth
of 32 girls and 17 boys. In addition, the village currently has 32 girls
between the ages of 3-6 years. "This is a noteworthy achievement. A special
report is being sent to the higher authorities," said multi purpose health
officer, Jasbir Singh. Surinder Kaur, the local Anganwadi worker revealed
that not a single case of female foeticide had been reported from this
village and attributes it to the high emphasis laid on education. "The
village has only one school. But the people are concerned about the
education of the child. The girls cycle down to the school in the nearby
town of Samrala".

Sarpanch Charanjit Singh informed The Indian Express that 70 per cent of the ,
village's population has passed high school. Citing his personal example he
said, "I have four sisters. All of them have a post graduate degree and are
happily settled." Former panchayat member, Jasbir Kaur encapsulates it
effectively when she says, "It is better to have five girls rather than a
drug addict son. Spoilt sons inevitably take the household to doom".

Witness Statements Against Tytler.

This is the first time I've posted two posts about the same subject in one day. If you wish to check out today's first post about testimony against Tytler, go here. Evidentally one of brothers Giani Surinder Singh has given his damning testimony against the murderer Jagdish Tytler and how he incited the murder of us back in 1984. The other, Jasbir Singh is scheduled to testify later. Here is the latest story from

Newstrack India:

'84 Sikh riot: CBI records witness statements in US
New Delhi, Tue, 23 Dec 2008 NI Wire


A CBI team recorded witness Giani Surinder Singh’s statement in New York, USA regarding Jagdish Tytler’s role in organising massacre of Sikhs in November 1984. Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a New York based attorney and legal advisor “SIKHS FOR JUSTICE” stated in a statement.

The CBI team recorded the statement of Giani Surinder Singh U/S 164 giving details of Jagdish Tytler’s role in leading and inciting mob to kill Sikhs during attack on Guruduwara Pulbhangash.

In this attack three Sikhs: Badal Singh, Thakur Singh an employee of DGPC and a former Delhi Police Inspector and Amarjit Singh were killed. The recording of witness Giani Surinder Singh U/S 164 will continue on December 23, 2008.

Attorney Pannun further stated that the CBI team will also record statement of witness Jasbir Singh regarding Jagdish Tytler’s role in organising massacre of Sikhs in November 1984. Despite initial reluctance by the CBI, it is through the constant efforts of Sikhs for Justice and All India Sikh Student Federation that the CBI finally agreed to record the statement of the witnesses in the United States.

On September 29, 2007, CBI filed a closure report regarding Jagdish Tytler’s role in massacre of Sikhs, stating witness Jasbir Singh cannot be traced and other witness Surinder Singh have refused to record statements.

AISSF and Sikhs For Justice, a US based human rights group produced US based witness Jasbir Singh before media within hours of closure report filed by CBI. Jasbir Singh who is presently living in US gave interviews to the media and showed his continuous willingness to record statement regarding Jagdish Tytler’s role in organising massacre of Sikhs in November 1984.

On December 18, 2007 Sanjiv Jain, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Delhi Court ordered CBI to re-investigate the role of Jagdish Tytler in killing of Sikhs and record the statements of Giani Surinder Singh and Jasbir Singh.

As per attorney Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, starting January 1, 2009 “Sikhs for Justice” in association with All India Sikh Students Federation President Karnail Singh Peermohammad would organise a “Justice Awareness Campaign” in order to reach out to witnesses and victims in 14 states where Sikhs were massacred in November 1984.

Sikhs For Justice, a New York based human rights group is fighting the legal battle in association with All India Sikh Students Organisation, President Karnail Singh Peermohammad to get justice to the victims of November 1984.

TEXAS SHERIFF MEETS WITH SANGAT

This is an update about the Texas Sikh American family that was terrorised by the police after the burglary of their home. Evidentally, there is a new sheriff in town who promises this sort of occurance is a thing of the past. One can only hope.

From SALDEF:

Harris County Sheriff-Elect and Judge Meet with Houston-Area Sikhs

Houston, Texas: December 22, 2008 – On Sunday, December 14 2008 at the request of SALDEF Regional Director and long-time friend, Bobby Singh, Harris County Texas Sheriff-elect Adrian Garcia met with the Sikh American community at the Sikh Center of Houston, in the aftermath of a recent incident where a Sikh family was allegedly harassed by Harris County officers after calling in a burglary.

The meeting allowed the Sikh American community to voice their concerns directly to the Sheriff-elect and was also an opportunity for the community to hear from local officials at a time when concerns and fear of the local police are high. At the meeting, Sheriff-elect Garcia remarked that the behavior of the Sheriff Deputies in this incident would not be tolerated under his administration, which takes effect on January 2, 2009.

At the meeting, the Sheriff-elect was presented with framed copies of SALDEF’s Sikh Americans and the Kirpan, and Common Sikh American Head Covering posters by the congregation, to be displayed in his office as a reminder of the diversity within his community.

During his comments to the over 200 Sikhs, in attendance Sheriff-elect Garcia committed to instituting “high quality diversity training” for all of his officers – the third largest police force in the United States.

“These meetings are part of SALDEF’s continued efforts to provide long-term and meaningful engagement with government officials in cities across the nation,” said SALDEF Regional Director Bobby Singh. “Both the community and government, must take concrete steps to understand one another, and make sure that incidents like this do not happen again. These meetings are just the beginning of a long-term partnership that SALDEF and the Sikh American community will have with the local officials to ensure open communication and to prevent misunderstandings in the future.”

Through SALDEF’s Law Enforcement Partnership Program, SALDEF previously provided law enforcement training to the City of Houston police department. In the new year, SALDEF plans to work with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office to provide a year-long training program to educate the entire force about Sikhs and Sikh Americans.

BACKGROUND
Earlier this month, in the course of investigating the burglary of a Sikh American home, Harris County police officials made suggestive remarks to the family about Muslims, terrorism and the Mumbai terrorist attacks. When one the officers noticed a family member wearing a kirpan, they pointed a taser gun at her head, and handcuffed multiple family members, including a sixty-year-old grandmother. The only reason for this action was the Sikh family practicing their faith freely in their home.

To read media reports about this incident, click below:
Sikh family accuses deputies of abuse, taunts – Houston Chronicle 12/5/08
Sheriff-elect reaches out to Harris County Sikhs – Houston Chronicle 12/14/08
Garcia, Sikhs to meet – Houston Chronicle 12/12/08
Interview with Tagore Family – Sach Productions 11/27/08