WSO Calls on India to Follow Acknowledgment of 1984 Genocide with Vigorous Prosecutions

Ottawa (December 30, 2014):  The World Sikh Organization of Canada has written to Indian Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, welcoming his acknowledgement of the killing of Sikhs in November 1984 as a genocide and calling on him to follow up his announcement with investigations and prosecutions of those responsible for orchestrating and carrying out the killings.

Noting that Minister Singh’s acknowledgement has been welcomed by Sikhs in India and across the world, WSO President Dr. Amritpal Singh Shergill in his letter wrote, “India is a signatory to and has ratified the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, which recognizes genocide as an international crime and obligates signatories to prevent and punish actions of genocide. While recognition of 1984 as a genocide was a welcome and necessary first step, we encourage your government to now vigorously pursue investigations and prosecutions of those involved. The recent decision by your government to provide enhanced compensation to the victims of the 1984 genocide is appropriate as these families have suffered for much too long, but the most important step to help heal the wounds of 1984 will be to bring the murderers responsible for the killings to justice.”

The World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) is a non-profit organization with a mandate to promote and protect the interests of Canadian Sikhs as well as to promote and advocate for the protection of human rights for all individuals, irrespective of race, religion, gender, ethnicity, and social and economic status.