Sikhs for Justice

Sikhs for Justice is a Human Rights Advocacy Group based at New York.^[1]

This organization is pursuing legal battle to seek justice, at international level, for the victims of November 1984 Sikh Genocide which was perpetuated by Congress party of India along with various organs of Indian State.

Vision

As per information available on the website of the Organization, its' vision is:

More than any other time in the history of mankind and more particularly of Sikh community, it has become incumbent upon the conscientious individuals to come forward, bring forth and promote the spirit of fundamental principles and message of Sikhism and to uncover the plight of Sikh community living in different part of this globe. To enumerate a few of those principals, peace, justice, equality, love and tolerance, the principals those are shared and cherished by all faiths. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal and that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, and among these are: Right to practice and promote faith of one’s choice; Right to preserve and promote one’s culture, language and heritage; and Right to be governed by its own people of its own choice.

Principles

Sikhs for Justice seeks a world in which dis-empowered people are able to find their voice and exercise their right to develop – on their own terms and with appropriate support from their government and the international community. Sikhs for Justice believes in the power of people to take collective action and use human rights to resolve community challenges.Sikhs for Justice believes that information is the indispensable tool in achieving social justice.Sikhs for Justice believes in the power of advocacy as a tool for social change.Sikhs for Justice believes that outside support is most effective when it is developed in partnership, plays to strengths, and responds to a need, but does not impose an agenda.^[2]

Targets

Targets of Sikhs for Justice are:

TO DISSEMINATE TRUE AND CORRECT INFORMATION, STATISTICS, FIGURES AND DATA HIGHLIGHTING THE PLIGHT OF SIKH COMMUNITY LIVING IN DIFFERENT PART OF THE GLOBE AND TO CREATE CONSIDERATE PUBLIC OPINION.

TO ENHANCE the participation of the Sikhs in various activities of national and humanitarian nature;

TO ASSIST in the settlement and welcoming of new Sikh immigrants and in the advancement of social and economic conditions of all Sikhs across the Globe, via education, training, and employment opportunities;

TO PARTICIPATE in the alleviation of suffering of Sikhs worldwide and in particular, indigenous Sikhs living in Indian subcontinent;

TO ADVOCATE issues involving human rights violations, racism, and religious and cultural intolerance;

TO ENCOURAGE the spirit of multi-culturalism, tolerance, goodwill and understanding with other ethnic communities;

TO PROMOTE the research and study of the Punjabi language, culture, present affairs of the international Sikh community; publish periodicals, brochures and other literature and information;

TO INFORM the public at large on issues relating to Sikhs via our own publications.

TO CO-OPERATE with other organizations in USA and around the world in rendering assistance to Sikh immigrants and refugees. ^[3]

Contribution

Sikhs for justice gets the credit of raising the issue of the November 1984 Sikh Genocide at the International level. A petition to get recognition for the Sikh Genocide was moved in the Parliament of Canada, on 10 June 2010, at the initiative of Sikhs for Justice.

For this they are mentioned in the Annual Global Sikh and Civil Human Rights Report of 2010 published by UNITED SIKHS, an international Sikh NGO that presented this report at the United Nations Church Center as it is an NGO affiliated with the UN. This report can be found here: Global Sikh Civil and Human Rights Report 2010 In the report it states when reporting on the nation of Canada:

The Congress (I) party and Indian M.P. Kamal Nath, who are accused of planning and executing Sikh Genocide have been summoned by a U.S. Federal court in a case filed by Sikhs for Justice along with survivors and victims of the Sikh Genocide under the Alien Torts Act, 1789.

Sikhs for Justice has initiated a Justice campaign to get recognition for the November 1984 Sikh Genocide under Article 2 of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, 1948.

References