Baku: An international conference titled 'Racism and Violence Against Sikhs and Other National Minorities in India: The Reality on the Ground' is being held in Azerbaijan for the first time. Organized by the Baku Initiative Group, this event aims to address the Indian government's policies against ethnic minorities.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the event is attended by Ramesh Singh Arora, Minister for Human Rights and Minorities of India's Punjab state, alongside other officials. Prominent representatives of the Sikh community from Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States are also present. Additionally, the conference includes heads of think tanks, scholars from foreign universities specializing in human rights and ethnic minority issues, and individuals who have been directly affected by the Indian government's policies.
The conference began with an exhibition of photographs illustrating measures and mass killings executed by the Indian government against the Sikh population. It was highlighted that during the 1980-1990 period, numerous members of the Sikh community in Punjab faced killings, kidnappings, and abductions, along with executions without trial on fabricated charges. Presently, Sikh activists advocating for their rights are being arrested on charges of 'separatism' or 'espionage,' with police raids in Punjab on the rise. Terrorist acts against Sikh activists residing abroad have also been noted, with authorities in Canada and the United States accusing Indian intelligence services of involvement.
The conference discusses the Indian government's systematic racial discrimination, violence, and repression against Sikhs and other ethnic minorities. It also covers India's violation of its obligations under the UN's "International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights," "International Convention against Racism," and "Convention against Torture" concerning ethnic minorities.
Participants are considering ways to bring the real situation to the forefront of international organizations and push for relevant decisions. This includes investigating the rights violations of ethnic minorities in India by the UN Human Rights Committee, documenting executions without court decisions, and detailing human rights violations by UN special rapporteurs and international monitors.
The role of international and local non-governmental organizations and academic circles in this process is being discussed, focusing on how their reports, legal opinions, and recommendations can impact international decision-making mechanisms.
Sikhism, which originated in the 15th century, promotes equality among all people and rejects the traditional Hindu caste system. The Sikh community in India, numbering over 25 million, primarily resides in Punjab, India's main agricultural region.
The Sikh community demands that the Indian government officially recognize the 1984 anti-Sikh massacres as genocide, establish an independent investigation commission, and hold the organizers accountable. They also call for clarification on the fate of thousands who disappeared in Punjab during the 1980-1990 period, punishment for those responsible, the release of unlawfully detained Sikh activists, and the granting of political prisoner status to them.