Baku: Organized by the Baku Initiative Group (BIG), an international conference titled 'June 1984, Amritsar Events: India's Transnational Repression Against Ethnic Minorities in the Context of Genocide,' will be held in Azerbaijan on June 3. The conference will feature discussions on Indian government's repressive policies against ethnic minorities.
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, the event will include participation from representatives of the Dalit community, who have faced systemic discrimination and repressive policies in India. This marks the first time they will be participating in such events in Azerbaijan. The conference will also gather prominent Sikh representatives from countries including Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Australia, and the United States. Additionally, heads of think tanks, human rights experts, and individuals who have directly experienced repression, discrimination, and persecution will be in attendance.
The conference aims to address ways to maintain the issue of transnational repression and systemic persecution by the Indian government against ethnic and religious minorities, particularly focusing on Sikh and Dalit diaspora representatives and their families, in the international agenda. It also seeks to strengthen coordinated cooperation among diaspora groups affected by such repression, enhance shared legal protection mechanisms against transnational targeting, and facilitate the exchange of views on joint action within international platforms.
Another key focus of the conference will be calls for an international legal assessment of the June 1984 Amritsar events and reported violence against the Sikh community, which resulted in significant civilian casualties. The discussions will also cover India's obligations under international frameworks on minority rights.
The conference will further delve into the 1984 operation at the Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) in Amritsar, an event described in various sources as a state-led act impacting the Sikh community's religious and cultural heritage. Some reports estimate up to 8,000 civilian deaths occurred in Amritsar and surrounding areas during this period.
A joint report titled "Beyond Borders: India's Transnational Repression against the Sikh Diaspora," developed in March this year by the Baku Initiative Group and the Sikh Federation International, will also be a focal point. The report reflects facts regarding the Indian government's policy against diaspora representatives living abroad and the 1984 Amritsar events.