WSO Remembers the Victims of June 1984

Ottawa (June 6, 2011):  The World Sikh Organization of Canada joins the Sikh community across the world in remembering the attack on the Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) complex in June 1984, in Amritsar. The attack took place as Sikhs gathered to commemorate the martyrdom day of the fifth Guru, Guru Arjan.   In addition to the Darbar Sahib complex, 38 other gurdwaras across Punjab were also attacked and thousands of innocent Sikh men women and children lost their lives. 

The tragic events of 1984 triggered a series of violence events which impacted Sikhs not just in India but across the world. 

To this day there has been no accountability or explanation for the brutal attack by the Indian Government. 

It was the tragic events of 1984 which galvanized the Canadian Sikh community to, in the spirit of the teachings of the Sikh Gurus, form the WSO to stand up for the human rights of not just Sikhs but all people.  Twenty seven years later, as WSO remembers the innocent lives lost, we also reflect on the state of human rights in the world today.  Many emerging economic powers have deeply imbedded cultures of impunity and lack the rule of law.  Countries like Canada have a duty to encourage developing states to honour their human rights commitments. 

 It is through remembrance and constant vigilance that we ensure that tragedies like the events of 1984 are never allowed to happen again. 

The World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) is a non-profit international organization with a mandate to promote and protect the interests of the Sikh Diaspora, 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.