SikhRI Published a Special Report on the Eve of 1984 40th Anniversary

The Sikh Research Institute (SikhRI) has recently released a 14-page report titled Sikhs, Panjab, India and the Diaspora: Locating the Current Crisis. The report provides a comprehensive overview of the current crisis as an educational resource for policy-makers, academics, governments and the community with a focus on the historical context primarily from 1984 to 2023. The report underscores the unaddressed issues of human rights violations, state-led violence, and mass disappearances against Sikhs, particularly during the June 1984 Indian Army attack on Darbar Sahib and other Sikh Gurdwaras and the Sikh Genocide of November 1984. It discusses the Khalistan movement’s evolution, the involvement of Sikh leaders, and the use of terms like terrorism and extremism in legal contexts. The report mentions recent incidents, including the deaths of Sikh activists Avtar Singh Khanda and Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Khalistan Referendum, the assassination attempt on Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, and international reactions, including diplomatic tensions between Canada and India. The policy implications section suggests recommendations to countries with Sikh populations. These include assurances of Sikh rights and safety and appointing a Special Representative to combat anti-Sikh hate. It urges countries to assure Sikhs in the diaspora and India that their rights are protected and their safety is guaranteed. It suggests creating open channels of communication and stopping the amplification of manufactured and/or rare events as a pattern of violence by the Sikhs.It calls for understanding that the Sikh and Indian Panjab issues remain unaddressed; ending the demonization of Sikhs every time they protest; and treating Indian Panjab’s grievances as part of the national and international political solution.