Dal Khalsa to lead deputation of victims of state repression to Obama

Amritsar, Asserting that gross human rights abuses committed in Punjab since 1982 were not random but have been carried out as a matter of state policy, the Dal Khalsa along with family members of victims of state repression will approach the United States president Barack Obama during his forthcoming visit to india on January 26.

The resolution to this effect was adopted at the assembly of the families of those who killed in fake encounters, police custody or involuntarily disappeared.

The Dal Khalsa brought together such families to mark 66th World Human Rights Day. Another resolution passed in the conclave stated, “We the mothers, widows, daughters and sisters of the persons subjected to enforced disappearance demand the authorities to wake up from slumber and give information about our dear ones. And we will continue to demand this till we breathe our last”. Bibi Sandeep Kaur moved this resolution.

Prominent award-winning human rights activist from Kashmir Parvez Imroz addressed the gathering. He narrated the tale, plight and trauma of family members of disappeared persons who were killed allegedly by security forces in “fake encounters” in J and K. He said from Punjab to Kashmir to Nagaland, india had travelled a long way in perpetuating gross human rights abuses.

Announcing the programme, the party head H S Dhami said they would approach the US government as india only listened to the voice of powerful nations and people.

He said the Dal Khalsa would seek appointment from the US Embassy to meet the President selective families along who could narrate their woes, pain and mental trauma to the visiting dignitary.

Party spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh said many of those who designed and implemented the state policies in Punjab were still active today. He said their representatives from Europe Manmohan Singh Khalsa and Pritpal Singh Switzerland had met Ms Katia Chirizzi, Senior Advisor at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights at Geneva today evening to hand over the memo addressed to UN Secretary General to her.

In a memo, the hardliner Sikh group has sought the setting up of a Commission under the aegis of the United Nations to unearth the involuntary detentions, torture and death of Sikhs in fake encounters during the period of struggle from 1982 onwards to the present.

Later, a march was also taken out holding torches, candles and photos of the victims.