Nirvair S Khalsa

[align=center:66e52dea6f]SIKH FEDERATION (UK)

Tanglewood House, Pine Walk, Chilworth, SO16 7HQ

www.sikhfederation.com

info@sikhfederation.com

PRESS RELEASE

Saturday 16 June 2007

CHANGE IN LABOUR LEADERSHIP MAY SIGNAL A SHIFT TOWARDS GREATER APPRECIATION OF SIKH ISSUES[/align:66e52dea6f]

[align=left:66e52dea6f]The Sikh Federation (UK) has over the last three to four weeks been in regular contact with each of the Deputy Leadership candidates for the Labour Party and Sikhs have taken part in several of the official hustings in several parts of the UK.

Each of the candidates has been made aware of some of the key concerns of the Sikh community. These issues have included:

The need to ensure fair treatment of Sikhs and their organisations with regards to government funding for capacity building, improved consultation, better representation in the House of Lords, an increase in the number and profile of public appointments for Sikhs etc.

Support for the inclusion of Sikhs as a separate ethnic group for the Census 2011 questionnaire and if a language question is introduced for there to be a separate tick box for the Panjabi language, which is believed to be the second most widely used language in the country.

An expectation that a Code of Practice concerning Sikh articles of faith that will properly protect the Sikh identity and articles of faith at work, in business and in public places is introduced as soon as possible in the UK. In addition, a pledge that the UK Government will try to get a similar Code of Practice introduced across Europe.

The need to work with the British Sikh community to see if the Criminal Justice Act can be used to prosecute those coming to the UK who have been involved in torture, genocide and other crimes against humanity against Sikhs in the last 25 years. In particular, to prosecute those who have committed human rights violations against British Sikhs and their families.

A request to work with the Canadian and US Governments (other countries where more than 500,000 Sikhs live) to act as the international voice of the Sikhs and to exert international pressure to:

i) force the Indian Government to allow Amnesty International access to Panjab where they have been unable to investigate for almost 30 years;

ii) ensure India stops denying the UN Rapporteur on Torture from examining the situation in Panjab; and

iii) permitting a UN led-investigation to be set up to investigate the persistent failure of successive Indian Governments to ensure the prosecution of those alleged to be responsible for the killings and destruction in the November 1984 ant-Sikh pogroms.

Today was the last official hustings that took place in London. There were around 400 Labour Party members from London and the South East. The Rt. Hon. Gordon Brown MP, the Prime Minister elect, when answering a question on faith communities and community cohesion started by first mentioning the Sikhs.

It was no coincidence that he first mentioned Sikhs when speaking about faith communities and this is in stark contrast to recent times when the current Prime Minister and other Ministers have on a number of occasions forgotten to mention Sikhs on more than one occasion.

Gurjeet Singh

National Press Secretary

Sikh Federation (UK)[/font:66e52dea6f][/align:66e52dea6f]

Hang on a minute this is the same guy who sat on a throne and got people to touch his feet whilst he wore a Kalgi plume on his turban like Guru Gobind Singh.

Whilst people came to touch his feet including quite eldery singhs and singhanis he hit their heads with his hand and behind him there was a massive picture of himself. They all came with birthday presents of which he had piles.

This guy can't seriously be telling other people about fake babas.

DHADHRIAAVALA SAADH GURU GOBIND SINGH NAHEE BAN SAKDA!

check out these videos!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=4XppyuTTHKU

http://youtube.com/watch?v=7kmzQSXbYTo&amp...ted&search=

[align=center:259171981e]"CHECK OUT" THESE VIDEOS!

PART 1:

PART 2:

[align=center:1871c03f80]Veer "Kam1825" Jee,

WHAT EXCELLENT SEWA!!!

These are GEMS you have provided the Sangat with...Hope Maharaaj keeps you in Chardhee Kalaa to keep up this Sewa!

Vaheguroo Jee Kaa Khalsa, Vaheguroo Jee Kee Phateh!!![/align:1871c03f80]

Very good video, thanks!

Hang on a minute this is the same guy who sat on a throne and got people to touch his feet whilst he wore a Kalgi plume on his turban like Guru Gobind Singh.

Whilst people came to touch his feet including quite eldery singhs and singhanis he hit their heads with his hand and behind him there was a massive picture of himself. They all came with birthday presents of which he had piles.

This guy can't seriously be telling other people about fake babas.

DHADHRIAAVALA SAADH GURU GOBIND SINGH NAHEE BAN SAKDA!

check out these videos!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=4XppyuTTHKU

http://youtube.com/watch?v=7kmzQSXbYTo&amp...ted&search=

[align=center:21bbcfe4d9]"CHECK OUT" THESE VIDEOS!

PART 1:

PART 2:

Hang on a minute this is the same guy who sat on a throne and got people to touch his feet whilst he wore a Kalgi plume on his turban like Guru Gobind Singh.

Whilst people came to touch his feet including quite eldery singhs and singhanis he hit their heads with his hand and behind him there was a massive picture of himself. They all came with birthday presents of which he had piles.

This guy can't seriously be telling other people about fake babas.

DHADHRIAAVALA SAADH GURU GOBIND SINGH NAHEE BAN SAKDA!

check out these videos!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=4XppyuTTHKU

http://youtube.com/watch?v=7kmzQSXbYTo&amp...ted&search=

[align=center:972aa2b0f6]"CHECK OUT" THESE VIDEOS!

PART 1:

PART 2:

can you please stop spamming the forum with same message over and over again? all the events should go in sikh current affair section and should not be posted twice or forum shouldnt be spammed.

Please re-read the rules and regulations of this forum before posting replica topics.

VJKK VJKP!!!

Apologies Veer Jee, have read the "Rules and Regs"...will make note for future...

...If it is possible, could you please delete this topic as it has been posted in the Sikh Current Affairs Section?...

Many Thanks and Bhull Chuk Maarf,

VJKK VJKP!!!

Dhaas

[align=center:e066021c18]A SIKH SANGAT NEWS ITEM:

___________________________________________________

FIRST VISIT TO USA BY BABA DHADRIANWALE FOR GURMAT PARCHAAR

___________________________________________________

-SOURCE-

FULL ARTICLE CAN BE READ ON SIKH SANGAT NEWS BY GOING TO THE FOLLOWING LINK:

http://www.sikhsangat.org/news/publish/ame..._Parchaar.shtml[/font:e066021c18][/align:e066021c18]

[align=center:3fe8784301]A SIKH SANGAT NEWS ITEM:

___________________________________________________

FIRST VISIT TO USA BY BABA DHADRIANWALE FOR GURMAT PARCHAAR

___________________________________________________

-SOURCE-

FULL ARTICLE CAN BE READ ON SIKH SANGAT NEWS BY GOING TO THE FOLLOWING LINK:

http://www.sikhsangat.org/news/publish/ame..._Parchaar.shtml[/font:3fe8784301][/align:3fe8784301]

[align=center:d9cf86db0f]A SIKH SANGAT NEWS ITEM:

___________________________________________________

FIRST VISIT TO USA BY BABA DHADRIANWALE FOR GURMAT PARCHAAR

___________________________________________________

-SOURCE-

FULL ARTICLE CAN BE READ ON SIKH SANGAT NEWS BY GOING TO THE FOLLOWING LINK:

http://www.sikhsangat.org/news/publish/ame..._Parchaar.shtml[/font:d9cf86db0f][/align:d9cf86db0f]

[align=center:5edc285af8]A clip from a Diwaan by Sant Baba Ranjit Singh Jee Khalsa Dhadrianwale, where they speak about controversy, disagreement and lack of Ekta in the Sikh Panth...

PART 1:

PART 2:

...Sant Baba Ranjit Singh Jee Khalsa Dhadrianwale talk about how the Sikh Panth is trying to put down their own people, rather than being in high spirits that so many people are getting initiated into the Khalsa Panth...[/align:5edc285af8][/font:5edc285af8]

[align=center:cf36975bbb]A SIKH SANGAT NEWS ITEM:

___________________________________________________

FIRST VISIT TO USA BY BABA DHADRIANWALE FOR GURMAT PARCHAAR

___________________________________________________

-SOURCE-

FULL ARTICLE CAN BE READ ON SIKH SANGAT NEWS BY GOING TO THE FOLLOWING LINK:

http://www.sikhsangat.org/news/publish/ame..._Parchaar.shtml[/font:cf36975bbb][/align:cf36975bbb]

[align=center:714c267d59]A SIKH SANGAT NEWS ITEM:

___________________________________________________

FIRST VISIT TO USA BY BABA DHADRIANWALE FOR GURMAT PARCHAAR

___________________________________________________

-SOURCE-

FULL ARTICLE CAN BE READ ON SIKH SANGAT NEWS BY GOING TO THE FOLLOWING LINK:

http://www.sikhsangat.org/news/publish/ame..._Parchaar.shtml[/font:714c267d59][/align:714c267d59]

[align=center:9a3fad4fa1]A SIKH SANGAT NEWS ITEM:

___________________________________________________

FIRST VISIT TO USA BY BABA DHADRIANWALE FOR GURMAT PARCHAAR

___________________________________________________

-SOURCE-

FULL ARTICLE CAN BE READ ON SIKH SANGAT NEWS BY GOING TO THE FOLLOWING LINK:

http://www.sikhsangat.org/news/publish/ame..._Parchaar.shtml[/font:9a3fad4fa1][/align:9a3fad4fa1]

[align=center:2d1758334c]A clip from a Diwaan by Sant Baba Ranjit Singh Jee Khalsa Dhadrianwale, where they speak about controversy, disagreement and lack of Ekta in the Sikh Panth...

PART 1:

PART 2:

...Sant Baba Ranjit Singh Jee Khalsa Dhadrianwale talk about how the Sikh Panth is trying to put down their own people, rather than being in high spirits that so many people are getting initiated into the Khalsa Panth...[/align:2d1758334c][/font:2d1758334c]

[align=center:700231fc8a]A clip from a Diwaan by Sant Baba Ranjit Singh Jee Khalsa Dhadrianwale, where they speak about controversy, disagreement and lack of Ekta in the Sikh Panth...

PART 1:

PART 2:

...Sant Baba Ranjit Singh Jee Khalsa Dhadrianwale talk about how the Sikh Panth is trying to put down their own people, rather than being in high spirits that so many people are getting initiated into the Khalsa Panth...[/align:700231fc8a][/font:700231fc8a]

[align=center:f4c72d4017]A NEWS ITEM:

SOURCE:http://www.sikhsangat.org/news/publish/eur...dom_Rally.shtml

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Key Announcements Made By Sikhs At Freedom Rally

The Sikh Federation (UK) the main organisers of the remembrance march and freedom rally has in the past 12 months been putting together an international Sikh coalition to help deliver justice and freedom for the Sikh Nation. At the Freedom Lobby in Trafalgar Square the Federation made the following three key announcements.

Three key announcements at the Freedom Rally

1984 Justice & Freedom Centre – Establishment of an international centre to increase awareness of the atrocities committed against the Sikhs since 1984 and promote the campaign for Sikh freedom and the creation of an independent sovereign Sikh State. Bhai Amrik Singh, the Chair of the Sikh Federation said: 'We are setting up the centre to take our campaign of raising awareness and our need for freedom to another level'.

Database of Wanted Human Rights Violators - Launch of a comprehensive database of all Indian police officers, army personnel and politicians involved in crimes against humanity, such as the torture and genocide of Sikhs. As Sikhs have been unable to get justice in India this database of wanted human rights violators will be used to make Europe, Canada, USA and other parts of the world no-go areas for what Sikhs regard as 'war criminals'. Bhai Amrik Singh said: 'These torturers must realise Sikhs are putting in place a comprehensive database that will be supported by a coalition of Sikh lawyers that will mean wanted human rights violators will not be able to escape justice when they leave the safety of India".

World Summits to promote the vision of an independent sovereign Sikh State – The first World Summit will be taking place in the UK later this year and will be followed by summits in the USA and Canada. These will discuss different aspects of the international political strategy of the Sikh Nation and will also be linked to progress at international events, such as, the World Sikh Lobby at the United Nations and the Sikh Freedom Lobby in the European Parliament.

Gurjeet Singh

National Press Secretary, Sikh Federation (UK)

----------------------------------------------------------------------[/align:f4c72d4017][/font:f4c72d4017]

[align=center:33dce1ffc6]A NEWS ITEM:

SOURCE:http://www.sikhsangat.org/news/publish/eur...dom_Rally.shtml

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Key Announcements Made By Sikhs At Freedom Rally

The Sikh Federation (UK) the main organisers of the remembrance march and freedom rally has in the past 12 months been putting together an international Sikh coalition to help deliver justice and freedom for the Sikh Nation. At the Freedom Lobby in Trafalgar Square the Federation made the following three key announcements.

Three key announcements at the Freedom Rally

1984 Justice & Freedom Centre – Establishment of an international centre to increase awareness of the atrocities committed against the Sikhs since 1984 and promote the campaign for Sikh freedom and the creation of an independent sovereign Sikh State. Bhai Amrik Singh, the Chair of the Sikh Federation said: 'We are setting up the centre to take our campaign of raising awareness and our need for freedom to another level'.

Database of Wanted Human Rights Violators - Launch of a comprehensive database of all Indian police officers, army personnel and politicians involved in crimes against humanity, such as the torture and genocide of Sikhs. As Sikhs have been unable to get justice in India this database of wanted human rights violators will be used to make Europe, Canada, USA and other parts of the world no-go areas for what Sikhs regard as 'war criminals'. Bhai Amrik Singh said: 'These torturers must realise Sikhs are putting in place a comprehensive database that will be supported by a coalition of Sikh lawyers that will mean wanted human rights violators will not be able to escape justice when they leave the safety of India".

World Summits to promote the vision of an independent sovereign Sikh State – The first World Summit will be taking place in the UK later this year and will be followed by summits in the USA and Canada. These will discuss different aspects of the international political strategy of the Sikh Nation and will also be linked to progress at international events, such as, the World Sikh Lobby at the United Nations and the Sikh Freedom Lobby in the European Parliament.

Gurjeet Singh

National Press Secretary, Sikh Federation (UK)

----------------------------------------------------------------------[/align:33dce1ffc6][/font:33dce1ffc6]

[align=center:9f474817f2]BELOW IS THE MEMORANDUM THAT WAS HANDED TO '10 DOWNING STREET' BY THE 'FEDERATION OF SIKH ORGANISATIONS' (FSO)

**ATTACHED TO THIS POST IS THE PDF VERSION OF THIS MEMORANDUM IN ITS FULL VERSION**[/align:9f474817f2]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

[align=center:9f474817f2]Federation Of Sikh Organisations UK

106, East Park Road, Leicester LE5 4QB

_______________________________________________________[/align:9f474817f2]

[align=left:9f474817f2]3rd June 2007[/align:9f474817f2]

The Rt. Hon. Tony Blair,

Prime Minister,

10 Downing Street,

London.

Dear Prime Minister,

[align=center:9f474817f2]UK Sikh Community calls on the British Government to act on the

23rd Anniversary of India's Military Attack on the Golden Temple, Amritsar.[/align:9f474817f2]

You will be aware, that despite the failure to date of the international community to respond to

the outrage of India's military assault on the Sikhs in Amritsar in June 1984, the UK's Sikh

community continues to commemorate those lives which were so tragically lost. In order to

suppress an exemplary movement for greater autonomy, the Indian army sealed off Punjab,

expelled the international media and used tanks and artillery to attack the centre of Sikhism,

killing thousands of pilgrims. That attack forced the Sikhs to struggle to secure independence in

order to protect their nation and homeland. India has resorted to committing genocide, carrying

out crimes against humanity and political suppression to crush that freedom movement.

Whereas these criminal acts of the Indian state have been condemned by international human

rights bodies it is now incumbent on the international community to instigate criminal

proceedings to hold India to account for the gross abuses it has carried out as a matter of state

policy. Once again, thousands of us have demonstrated here in London today in order to call for

that international action. We call upon you - even in your last days in office - to speak out against

these atrocities and back our demand for action. It is never too late to do the right thing and you

will hopefully be able to take this opportunity to do so.

An ethical foreign policy – once a proudly made claim of your Government – surely cannot be

evidenced by your Government's refusal to engage with British Sikhs in respect of this bloody

episode and their related humanitarian concerns. We attach copies of our Memoranda to you,

delivered to your official residence, on 1st June 2003, 6th June 2004, 12th June 2005 and 4th June

2006. None of these have received a substantive response. Britain's Sikhs are rightly offended by

this frankly dismissive attitude of your Government.

When copies of these documents were personally presented to the Foreign Secretary on 10th

November 2006, she was clearly embarrassed by this state of affairs. Her office has since

claimed that she mislaid the documents and so is unable to respond. Whilst there may be a

consequence for the Labour Party in those constituencies where Sikhs will use their franchise

wisely, it is clearly not in Britain's national interest to be so cavalier in dealings with a sizeable

and important minority community such as the Sikhs. It is perhaps not surprising that there is

such a discrepancy between Britain's foreign policy and the expectations of its citizens.

We do hope that your successor, the Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP, will ensure that our concerns

and grievances are addressed. We are copying this letter to him and request that he arranges a

meeting between us and the relevant minister at the Foreign Office once his new ministerial team

takes over. Our concerns remain as set out in the attached copy Memoranda but we would make

specific mention of a number of key issues which we believe the British Government should take

up and which we would want to address at that meeting, including:

· Sikhs (even a British Sikh recently arrested and tortured in police custody in Punjab)

continue to face politically motivated persecution in India.

· Those who are guilty of the massive human rights abuses of the 1980s and 1990s against

the Sikhs (including the pogroms of November 1984 in Delhi and elsewhere) are

protected by the state, rather than punished for their crimes. It is almost a daily

occurrence that police atrocities are being exposed in Punjab (innocent people having

been killed and secretly cremated by police officers claiming rewards for eliminating

'militants'), yet the guilty officers remain in place and maintain the terror of those dark

days.

· Even today, Amnesty International and the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture are denied

access to Punjab.

· Free speech is not respected – Sikh leaders who call for the Sikh Nation to be able to

freely exercise, in accordance with international law and using exclusively peaceful

means, its right of self-determination in the Sikh homeland are routinely arrested and

charged with sedition.

These are clear examples of abuses which can and should be raised as part of the dialogue with

India. A review of British Government policy concerning relations with India is needed. This, in

our submission, should be based on a clear link between Indian compliance with internationally

accepted standards of human rights and British Government aid and trade policies.

In addition, Britain should not support India's claim for a permanent seat on the UN Security

Council, whilst it oppresses nations such as the Sikhs, Kashmiris, Nagas, Assamese, Manipuris,

Bodos and others. These nations are now working together politically to defeat the imperialism

which has been imposed on them by the use of force, and at the cost of democratic legitimacy.

India has started and continues a nuclear arms race in South Asia. Neither its internal nor its

external actions merit a permanent seat and it is instead vital for the international community to

retain scope for the effective diplomatic and political pressure that will be lost by such a move.

Both Gordon Brown and you will also be aware that the Indo-Sikh conflict remains unresolved.

As the architect of the peace process in Ireland, we trust you recognise the need to address the

causes of the conflict, not just the manifestations of conflict. The underlying problem in Punjab

is that the Sikhs, as a nation, have been forcibly denied their right to self-determination. Some

200,000 Sikhs have been killed in India since 1984 in an attempt to crush a legitimate freedom

struggle. The Sikhs are a proud and determined nation; having freely determined, at its national

gathering (Sarbat Khalsa) in January 1986, to establish a sovereign Sikh state of Khalistan in

Punjab, it has been suppressed by force. No solution to the conflict can be secured without the

Sikh right to self-determination being recognised and respected. The UK Government should,

given its colonial responsibility for the region and its peoples, encourage India to comply with its

obligations under the1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which confirms

that self-determination is accepted as the bedrock of human rights.

We would, in addition to a formal acknowledgement of receipt of this Memorandum, welcome a

commitment from the UK Government to address the issues set out herein, issues that have been

seriously neglected over recent years. We also hope to hear from your successor so that we can

contribute more fully to a new and much needed dialogue over matters of great concern to UK

Sikhs.

Yours sincerely,

Gurmej Singh Gill

Balbir Singh

Amrik Singh Gill

Manmohan Singh Khalsa

Gurdev Singh Chohan

Avtar Singh

Amrik Singh Sahota, OBE

[align=center:9f474817f2](The representatives of the UK Sikh groups making up the Federation of Sikh Organisations, UK)

COORDINATORS and Correspondence Contacts:

Kuldip Singh and Joga Singh

c/o Guru Tegh Bahadur Gurdwara, 106, East Park Road, Leicester LE5 4QB[/align:9f474817f2]

cc Rt Hon Gordon Brown, Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Rt Hon Margaret Beckett, Foreign Secretary.

[align=center:9f474817f2]------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/align:9f474817f2][/font:9f474817f2]

[align=center:29b79e2800]BELOW IS THE MEMORANDUM THAT WAS HANDED TO '10 DOWNING STREET' BY THE 'FEDERATION OF SIKH ORGANISATIONS' (FSO)

**ATTACHED TO THIS POST IS THE PDF VERSION OF THIS MEMORANDUM IN ITS FULL VERSION**[/align:29b79e2800]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

[align=center:29b79e2800]Federation Of Sikh Organisations UK

106, East Park Road, Leicester LE5 4QB

_______________________________________________________[/align:29b79e2800]

[align=left:29b79e2800]3rd June 2007[/align:29b79e2800]

The Rt. Hon. Tony Blair,

Prime Minister,

10 Downing Street,

London.

Dear Prime Minister,

[align=center:29b79e2800]UK Sikh Community calls on the British Government to act on the

23rd Anniversary of India's Military Attack on the Golden Temple, Amritsar.[/align:29b79e2800]

You will be aware, that despite the failure to date of the international community to respond to

the outrage of India's military assault on the Sikhs in Amritsar in June 1984, the UK's Sikh

community continues to commemorate those lives which were so tragically lost. In order to

suppress an exemplary movement for greater autonomy, the Indian army sealed off Punjab,

expelled the international media and used tanks and artillery to attack the centre of Sikhism,

killing thousands of pilgrims. That attack forced the Sikhs to struggle to secure independence in

order to protect their nation and homeland. India has resorted to committing genocide, carrying

out crimes against humanity and political suppression to crush that freedom movement.

Whereas these criminal acts of the Indian state have been condemned by international human

rights bodies it is now incumbent on the international community to instigate criminal

proceedings to hold India to account for the gross abuses it has carried out as a matter of state

policy. Once again, thousands of us have demonstrated here in London today in order to call for

that international action. We call upon you - even in your last days in office - to speak out against

these atrocities and back our demand for action. It is never too late to do the right thing and you

will hopefully be able to take this opportunity to do so.

An ethical foreign policy – once a proudly made claim of your Government – surely cannot be

evidenced by your Government's refusal to engage with British Sikhs in respect of this bloody

episode and their related humanitarian concerns. We attach copies of our Memoranda to you,

delivered to your official residence, on 1st June 2003, 6th June 2004, 12th June 2005 and 4th June

2006. None of these have received a substantive response. Britain's Sikhs are rightly offended by

this frankly dismissive attitude of your Government.

When copies of these documents were personally presented to the Foreign Secretary on 10th

November 2006, she was clearly embarrassed by this state of affairs. Her office has since

claimed that she mislaid the documents and so is unable to respond. Whilst there may be a

consequence for the Labour Party in those constituencies where Sikhs will use their franchise

wisely, it is clearly not in Britain's national interest to be so cavalier in dealings with a sizeable

and important minority community such as the Sikhs. It is perhaps not surprising that there is

such a discrepancy between Britain's foreign policy and the expectations of its citizens.

We do hope that your successor, the Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP, will ensure that our concerns

and grievances are addressed. We are copying this letter to him and request that he arranges a

meeting between us and the relevant minister at the Foreign Office once his new ministerial team

takes over. Our concerns remain as set out in the attached copy Memoranda but we would make

specific mention of a number of key issues which we believe the British Government should take

up and which we would want to address at that meeting, including:

· Sikhs (even a British Sikh recently arrested and tortured in police custody in Punjab)

continue to face politically motivated persecution in India.

· Those who are guilty of the massive human rights abuses of the 1980s and 1990s against

the Sikhs (including the pogroms of November 1984 in Delhi and elsewhere) are

protected by the state, rather than punished for their crimes. It is almost a daily

occurrence that police atrocities are being exposed in Punjab (innocent people having

been killed and secretly cremated by police officers claiming rewards for eliminating

'militants'), yet the guilty officers remain in place and maintain the terror of those dark

days.

· Even today, Amnesty International and the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture are denied

access to Punjab.

· Free speech is not respected – Sikh leaders who call for the Sikh Nation to be able to

freely exercise, in accordance with international law and using exclusively peaceful

means, its right of self-determination in the Sikh homeland are routinely arrested and

charged with sedition.

These are clear examples of abuses which can and should be raised as part of the dialogue with

India. A review of British Government policy concerning relations with India is needed. This, in

our submission, should be based on a clear link between Indian compliance with internationally

accepted standards of human rights and British Government aid and trade policies.

In addition, Britain should not support India's claim for a permanent seat on the UN Security

Council, whilst it oppresses nations such as the Sikhs, Kashmiris, Nagas, Assamese, Manipuris,

Bodos and others. These nations are now working together politically to defeat the imperialism

which has been imposed on them by the use of force, and at the cost of democratic legitimacy.

India has started and continues a nuclear arms race in South Asia. Neither its internal nor its

external actions merit a permanent seat and it is instead vital for the international community to

retain scope for the effective diplomatic and political pressure that will be lost by such a move.

Both Gordon Brown and you will also be aware that the Indo-Sikh conflict remains unresolved.

As the architect of the peace process in Ireland, we trust you recognise the need to address the

causes of the conflict, not just the manifestations of conflict. The underlying problem in Punjab

is that the Sikhs, as a nation, have been forcibly denied their right to self-determination. Some

200,000 Sikhs have been killed in India since 1984 in an attempt to crush a legitimate freedom

struggle. The Sikhs are a proud and determined nation; having freely determined, at its national

gathering (Sarbat Khalsa) in January 1986, to establish a sovereign Sikh state of Khalistan in

Punjab, it has been suppressed by force. No solution to the conflict can be secured without the

Sikh right to self-determination being recognised and respected. The UK Government should,

given its colonial responsibility for the region and its peoples, encourage India to comply with its

obligations under the1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which confirms

that self-determination is accepted as the bedrock of human rights.

We would, in addition to a formal acknowledgement of receipt of this Memorandum, welcome a

commitment from the UK Government to address the issues set out herein, issues that have been

seriously neglected over recent years. We also hope to hear from your successor so that we can

contribute more fully to a new and much needed dialogue over matters of great concern to UK

Sikhs.

Yours sincerely,

Gurmej Singh Gill

Balbir Singh

Amrik Singh Gill

Manmohan Singh Khalsa

Gurdev Singh Chohan

Avtar Singh

Amrik Singh Sahota, OBE

[align=center:29b79e2800](The representatives of the UK Sikh groups making up the Federation of Sikh Organisations, UK)

COORDINATORS and Correspondence Contacts:

Kuldip Singh and Joga Singh

c/o Guru Tegh Bahadur Gurdwara, 106, East Park Road, Leicester LE5 4QB[/align:29b79e2800]

cc Rt Hon Gordon Brown, Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Rt Hon Margaret Beckett, Foreign Secretary.

[align=center:29b79e2800]------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/align:29b79e2800][/font:29b79e2800]

[align=center:5fef51582a]*SARSE WALA SAADH GURU GOBIND SINGH NAHI BAN SAKDA*

Talwandi Slem (Nakoder Samagam - 19/05/2007)

-SANT BABA RANJIT SINGH JEE KHALSA DHADRIANWALE-

(Gurdwara Parmeshar Dwar Saahib Patiala) of Sree Nirvair Khalsa Dal (Jatha Dhadrian)

http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=...60&hl=en-GB (Part 1 of 4)

http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=...46&hl=en-GB (Part 2 of 4)

http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=...81&hl=en-GB ( Part 3 of 4)

http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=...96&hl=en-GB (Part 4 of 4)

...A recent live diwaan recording regarding the current state of affairs in Panjab concerning Pakhand "Dera Sacha Sauda" and "Raam Raheem Baba"...

Vaheguroo Jee Kaa Khalsa, Vaheguroo Jee Kee Phateh!!![/align:5fef51582a]

[align=center:346dd9e2be]EXCELLENT LINK TO PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN BY A 'NON-SIKH' WHO ATTENDED THE SUNDAY 3RD JUNE 2007 REMEMBRANCE MARCH AND FREEDOM RALLY:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fgt/sets/72157600310438914[/font:346dd9e2be][/align:346dd9e2be]

[align=center:bd0eb6e7fb]The Sikh Federation (UK) receive numerous emails about various events - those on 'Sikh Awareness' will be interested in the message below from the 'Mystiq Art Gallery (India)'. Some may wish to check out the so-called 'Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan' Gallery to make sure Sikhs are not being negatively portrayed…[/align:bd0eb6e7fb]

8th June 2007

To

SIKH FEDERATION (UK)

Email: info@sikhfederation.com

Dear Mr Singh

Brief Introduction and Invitation:

Ours is an art Gallery in New Delhi and we are having an art show in London .The show is scheduled in the month of July from 11th July to 19th July.This show is based on Sikh Art but most of the works are on Golden Temple in Amritsar.The artist has beautifully drawn Harmandir Sahib from different angles with the help of pen and Ink.

This is an invitation for the show at Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan Gallery from 11th July to 19th July.Please do take out time and visit the gallery during this period and have a look at the works.Also do invite your friends and people from Sikh Community.

In case you need further information please do get in touch at:

Mobile 93125 08191

Email: mystiqart@yahoo.co.in

Mystiq Art Gallery

D 3 Defence Colony

New Delhi 110024

India

The Venue of the exhibition and the complete address is :

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan

4a Castletown Road

West Kensington

London W14 9HE

United Kingdom

Telephone & Fax contacts

Dept & Numbers

General

T. 020 7381 3086

020 7381 4608

F. 020 7381 8758

The entry is free for all.

[align=center:a576770dfb]HUNDREDS OF NEW PHOTOGRAPHS FROM

THE SUNDAY 3RD JUNE 2007 REMEMBRANCE MARCH AND FREEDOM RALLY

HAVE BEEN ADDED ON

WWW.TELKHALSA.CO.UK:

http://www.telkhalsa.co.uk/Hyde%20Park%202007/index.htm[/font:a576770dfb][/align:a576770dfb]

QUOTES FROM A DIFFERENT FORUM:

I went to London Hype Park, for the remembrance walk that happens every year. This was my first time so I didn't know what to expect.

When we first arrived I was gob smacked by the sea of oranges, white, blue Singhs and Singniya. I'd never seen so many Sikh's in my life! When the walk started I was slightly nervous and felt uneasy because everyone around me was Amrit darri. I wanted to my fight for freedom also but felt like I couldn't because I felt embarrassed. I stood out in a crowd of Gurmurks. I wished I could be more like them.

After a while I walked along side some rather passionate Singhs and I really felt their love and anger for the fight for freedom. There was SO much sangat, I was amazed! Totally blown away by everyone.

The end of walk came in Trafalgar square, where the Panj Payre stood on the stage and speeches where made. Screen videos were shown that brought tears to my eyes. Although I knew I about what happened to Sikhs in 84, I learnt a lot more about the Indian government and how they cheated Sikhs. Innocent victims tortured and killed, it made me feel distress. I could now understand why it's so important to show people our history, Sikh history. A lot of non Sikhs saw the videos and stopped and listened to speeches made by various people.

All in all, it ended with adrass. It's a concidence that on the coach to the rally I learnt the power of adrass. During the adrass I opened my eyes and looked around, I saw women, children, and men. I could feel the power, the concentration from everyone. I felt over whelmed and proud to be amongst such devoted people. I would defiantly go again next year.

Please note I'm not educated is Sikhi, im trying my best to learn more. Please forgive me if I have offended anyone, it was not my intension.

Fateh penji

it was also my firt ever time, and it really did open my eyes more, and i was blessed also with the darshan of chardikala sikhs and it was just udescribable,..................i think i wil never miss it again and urge more ppl to be there, i think we shud bear in mind what its all about, the screen was a good idea , it was relly touching watching the videos............ well done everyone who made it