Sikh Genocide of 1984

1. Sikh Genocideof 1984

2. Background Information • Sikhism is the youngest of the world’s great four monotheistic religions. It was founded in the 15th century. Sikhism stemmed off of the Hindu and Muslim religions. • Sikh-disciple of the gurus • About 18-20 million all over the world. 80% live in India and Pakistan.

3. The decade of violent political opposition in Punjab -- which lasted from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s -- started when a movement within the Sikh community in Punjab turned to violence to achieve an independent state for the Sikhs in the early 1980s. • To deal with the violence in the state, Indira Gandhi, then Prime Minister of India, authorized an army assault on the Golden Temple, the center of the Sikh religion, in June 1984.

4. Basic Information • Took place in India, around the area of Delhi, in the year 1984 • Started with the assassination of Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi • Turned into an Anti- Sikh massacre by Hindu mobs lead by the ruling parties in Congress

6. Perpetrators • The Congress believes that the Sikhs were the perpetrators, but in reality, what the Hindu’s did to us was the true crime. • Ranged anywhere from the police to the head of the Congress • “After 20 years, all that we have to show as justice being done is the conviction of six men, who did not have the requisite financial or political clout to manipulate their way to freedom and are serving sentence for 'murder.”

8. Victims • Victims of the riots included any innocent person that “committed the crime” of being Sikh. • People were forced out of their homes and their families killed. Men/boys were murdered and women/girls were raped and also murdered. • Even after the government promised now 25 years later, many survivors have still not been compensated for their loses.

9. "The government had given us an assurance that adequate compensation would be given to riot victims and action would be taken against the culprits. But no corrective steps have been taken as yet," said Bhai Manmohan Singh "Our family members who died in the riots cannot come back, but at least our property should be returned to us.” • These survivors are still trying to get justice for the genocide. They state, "If the government does not take corrective action we will carry out demonstrations against the government.”

10. “stray dogs gorged on rotting human entrails, gutters were clogged with charred corpses and wailing women, clutching children too frightened to cry, fled baying mobs armed with iron rods, staves and gallons of kerosene” • Bystanders were known to be the Congress who “just sat there and twiddled their thumbs,” while this massacre continued to get out of hand. • Their were rescuers who went through towns and tried to take people who were still alive even though burnt. • Resisters went in front of the Congress and protested even thought they knew nothing would come of it.

11. World Reaction • Although the Indian government completely denied the massacre, everyone knew what really took place. The other countries had the same reaction as the Holocaust, they had evidence but did nothing about it.