NEW YORK, USA—USA based human rights group Sikhs For Justice have started a campaign to ask worldwide Skhs to sign a petition asking the UN to visit Punjab and investigate the persecution being meted out by the Punjab government and police.
An online campaign asking people to fill in their online for form which then forwards the intervention request to the UN has so far garnered 23,624 signatures.
Social media platforms and mobile communication apps have been fueling the drive and is receiving a large response from Sikhs in India and abroad.
The letter to the UN reads as follow:
Honorable Mr. Bielefeldt:
On October 14, two Sikhs were shot dead and scores injured by the unprovoked firing by the security forces in Indian occupied Punjab while peacefully protesting against desecration of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Sikhism’s holy book. [ http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2-Dead-70-Hurt-in-Clashes-Over-Holy-Book-Desecration/2015/10/15/article3080680.ece]
India’s crimes against Sikhs began with its assault on, and the massacres at, the Golden Temple in June 1984 and continued with the nationwide Genocide of Sikhs in November 1984 resulting in over 30,000 deaths followed by extra judicial killing of more than 100,000 under the cover of counter insurgency operations between 1984-98. The crimes against Sikhs still continue, not just in the cover-up and the sheltering of the criminals, but in actual outrages by the government and its minions to date.
The recent killing of Sikhs and usurpation of their right to practice and defend their religious beliefs is latest in the long terrain of violence committed against the Sikh community in India creating an existential threat to Sikhism and its adherent.
In the light of sharp increase in the threat to the peaceful existence of Sikh community by recent extra judicial killing at the hands of Indian Security forces, we urge you to immediately undertake a visit to the state of Punjab where Sikhs are facing persecution for practicing and defending their religion.
The Referendum2020.org campaign has been used to forward the above communique to the United Nations Special Report on freedom of religion or belief, Mr. Heiner Bielefeldt.
Because I am Sikh. We need justice.