Op/Ed: Five lessons that Sikhs need to learn from the massacre of the Afghan Sikhs

The recent brutal massacre of Afghan Sikhs has twitched the hearts of the entire Sikh community. The whole world is mourning the brutal deaths of innocent Afghan Sikhs but unfortunately, due to the current circumstances, no assistance is being provided to these Sikhs in a timely fashion.

The recent massacre of Afghan Sikhs has several lessons that perhaps every Sikh needs to learn.

  1. Sikhs across the world want to help the Aghani Sikhs but we have to depend on other nations to provide assistance. Even the SGPC and Akal Takht Jathedars have shown they depend on India to provide any kind of assistance to the Afghani Sikhs.

    It’s clear from the community’s plight that the Sikhs will continue to be a victim of racial attacks from time to time and place to place until we have a Sikh state that looks after our interests.

  2. Sikhs have made huge sacrifices by fighting for India’s freedom and to protect its national borders, but India will never avenge excesses on Sikhs.

    No country, even Pakistan, USA or Canada, will take up the war against those who carried out this brutal massacre of Afghan Sikhs until unless the citizens of their majority religion are impacted.

  3. In 1947, Sikhs left their historical shrines in Pakistan. Now, unfortunately, we will have to leave our historical places behind in Afghanistan. Sikh history in Afghanistan goes back 400 years but due to the on-going conflict there, our history there is also endangered.

    In the past 4 decades, Sikhs in Punjab are leaving to settle in foreign countries in mass. Sikhs need to stop getting decentralized from their roots, i.e. Punjab, otherwise they should get ready to face the same fate that Jews faced during the early decades of the 20th century.

  4. As there is no Sikh state that the community can depend on in these circumstances, Sikhs living worldwide need to become involved in the politics of their respective countries. We have seen what a big impact has been made by Canadian Sikhs due to them having several MPs and MPPs in the Canadian Government. The same can be said about Sikhs in UK, however, we have not been able to make the same impact in other parts of the world.
  5. Sikhs need to understand the spirit of Sikh philosophy which teaches us to stand by the persecuted and meek people irrespective of their religion, caste, creed or ethnicity. As we understand the struggles of other marginalized communities and stand by them, only then we can expect them to stand with us. Sikhs have shown courage in recent times by standing with Muslims protesting CAA, however, just serving langar is perhaps not enough. Sikhs need to develop other resources and infrastructure and share that for the common good of humanity.

6 COMMENTS

  1. Supporting views for homeland is nothing but pushing people away from the land they are living in. Views like this makes people pessimist of their own country ultimate result of which is settling in some western country. Instead of becoming strong in once own homeland, people are now more focused on leaving the homeland.

    Further some so called panth leaders have made a habit of supporting muslims in each and every cause even if they don’t support you in return at times when needed. They silence is quite deafening when Sikhs faces atrocities in Afghanistan. Some of us will surely point out they should not be blamed for whats happening in Afghanistan, which by the way is correct way of looking things. But if we are so liberal in our judgement towards Muslims why don’t we apply same approach when living in India with Hindu society? Why occassionally Namaz is allowed in Gurudwara premises but never heard of any Hindu ceremony being held in Gurudwara sahib? Ever heard of Akhand Path being organized in any Masjid around the world where Sikhs are in limited numbers and Muslims are a majority?
    It is modern world, where a community should be more focused on one’s members first rather than about others. In the same Delhi where langar is distributed to lakhs of people, their is refugee colony where children of 1984 genocide victims stare at black future. We are so eager to take praise for distributing langars that we forget that we have our own, placed at the bottom of the society, that should be taken care for. Same is the case with Sikligars Sikhs. We can go Bangladesh, Syria, Iraq etc. but can’t assist those of us that live in India in states south of Delhi, Punjab.

    Our other problematic attitude is we behave as immature child in a Hindu majority society. Every act is judged as an attack on our identity. We have become so suspicious of every thing that we have forget that they too belongs to the same land, they too have faced atrocities like us. In this race of supporting muslims we never noticed that they never supported us when it required most and chose their fellow religion man (though a non Punjabi speaker) when Pakistan was being created. NO hard feelings against them, but politically it is not time that our community support others at the cost of our own interest.

    Leaving Punjab and ultimately India is the worst of the solution. If looked at any field, just after Independence, Sikhs have high representative at each level. Be it sports, armed forces etc. When compared with Jews, we must remember that our community’s education level is no where close to their’s. We must look inside first, readjust our priorities, enforce strict education for children with high morale values as provided to us by our ten beloved Guru’s and Shri GGS ji.

  2. In general, the Sikh race has changed, from the days being fearless and revolutionary.
    Politically, the western Sikh race has moved from the centre left towards the centre right.
    Unfortunately, most of them have become capitalists and self centred.
    They may know of some historical events and could name a couple of gurus.
    That is about it all. They have no further time for the religion, it’s people, it’s injustices.
    It’s all about themselves now.
    They worship and respect people with wealth not integrity.
    They would sell their daughters to these wealthy crooks for their own prestige and respect within their community.
    As religion plays a smaller part in western society, I’m afraid the Sikhs follow that tune.

  3. I would also like to add to point 2 that, Yes, Indian Sikhs have given many lives for India and for that India should be forever grateful but these are Afghan Sikhs. That is like saying If Hindus or Jains or Buddhists who live in other countries for centuries and they get killed, India should take revenge. And I did not mention Muslims or Christinas here because these religions are not native to India but they also include here. Why is this religion based revenge for citizens of other countries expected of India?

  4. I disagree with points 1 and 2 because they are absolutely wrong. I request you to speak truth and get your facts straight.

    Point 1) It is not true that SGPC and others have to depend on Indian Govt to send any assistance. Infact, here is link right on this site where Mr. Harpreet Singh is saying he will. However, India should send assistance and it has. If they come to India, they will be covered and request can be made for airlifting of those. Biggest issue here is these Sikhs are not Indians and Indian Govt can not airlift them out of blue without them requesting it and these Sikhs are requesting to go to Canada. So how can India do that? Please get your facts straight.
    https://www.sikh24.com/2020/03/28/will-make-efforts-to-relocate-afghan-sikhs-to-a-safer-place-says-giani-harpreet-singh/#.XoIsvHVKjs0

    Point 2) No body can doubt what Sikhs have done for India and India shall be forever grateful. I speak as Hindu and all other communities in India who has this knowledge is forever grateful to Sikhs and Indian govt needs to publicly acknowledge this and I will fully support this. However, AGAIN, these are not Indian Sikhs or even Indian citizens. How does Indian Govt avenge their killings specially because it is non-secular country? On one hand Sikhs support Muslims because this CAA rule is unjust because it excludes Muslims from neighboring countries and on other hand you want India to take religion based revenge.

    Please advise how are your points right?

  5. I disagree that uk sikh parliamentarians are effective because Scott Jaggi still lamenting in Indian prison for simply displaying same compassion towards sadey apney 1984 overdue justice, atey French Sikh Bhai Pal Singh only received Vahiguroo kirpa, to be released after being blinded atey much police brutality?
    Too much friction in dysfunctionally hateful musalman amongst own, others, and unjust Indian govt, SIKHS HAVE TO APPEAL TO VAHIGUROO JORR TO RECOVER MAHARAJ RANJIT SINGH KINGDOM (seems impossible with maya jorr on sikhs yoda), ATEY RECOVER HISTORIC GURDWARAS, OR SEEK NEW PUNJAB IN FOREIGN PURCHASED HUGE LAND?

  6. We certainly have to increase our visibility by promoting our youth to involve in local politics and administration. You need groups dedicated to educate/train them for these avenues. Personally I feel standing with the ShaheenBagh protestors was counterproductive, as the majority community was miffed and those we stood with have generally ignored the Afghan massacre or made a few tut-tut sounds. So we must have an organisation with Sikhs of high caliber who can guide the kaum in any crisis and give directions for a uniform Sikh response to any situation.

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