Shahjee's blog

6^th Annual Holocaust and Genocides Hosted by

Americas

Together Foundation

It was my first ever attendance in an event organized by Mike Ghouse under “America Together Foundation”. The evening was full of grief and anguish because it was a memorial issue of Sikh genocide in India in 1984. The slide presentation was very touching and pinching the heart of the audience as there were some images of the unfortunate massacre in New Delhi. While I was watching that the slides I couldn’t control my tears. The picture of the massacre came in front of my eyes when I was in New Delhi and I experienced that horrible genocide of the Sikh community in the secular state that claims to be the “world’s largest” democratic state.

I met first time with Dr. Amarjit Singh, who came to attend this event, especially from Washington to deliver his speech as Keynote Speaker. In his address he stated that the wounds they received in 1984 are still fresh because the perpetrators were not taken to justice. Dr. Singh said that India called itself a “largest democracy” which is a farce, adding that even today members of American governing bodies are not permitted to belong to Punjab and Kashmir so that their brutality could not be displayed. He further emphasized that the Sikh community is still awaiting for the justice from the International Court because hundreds of people have disappeared whose whereabouts are yet unidentified, he added.

Beside his detailed speech the Bangladeshi speaker Hasan Mahmood delivered his speech on the sufferings of the people of Bangladesh in 1971. His lecture was based on blames of Pakistani army and government regarding the accused rape of women during their independence war with Pakistan during 1971. He also said that the Pakistani government did not apologize for their crime in Bangladesh, which I refuted in my 4 minutes of speech on the massacre of Biharis and non-Bengalis Urdu speaking population in Bangladesh during March to December 1971 by Mukti Bahini and Awami League workers. In my opinion, this was not a one-way street, both sides were involved in the massacre of human beings in Bangladesh.

There should be an independent investigation by any third party who was not involved in that conspiracy of creating a new country from invasion and breaking a country in a part. Enough is enough, now it is more than 41 years and both the countries should look forward to work together for the prosperity and development of their people. We cannot get any progress if we hold hatred in our soul for each other. The politics should be separated and weigh upon the uplift of the poor population of both the countries. We need education, economic development, healthcare, food and clean water for our people.

I am positive that Insha Allah one day both the countries will be able to sort out their problems and focus on the needs of the people of our country.

The sad part of this event was very obvious that the Sikh community could feel the absence of other community to support their genuine cause. It is very shameful for us that we have no courage to stand up for moral support in such an event where Sikh community was gathered to remember their martyrs of 1984 who were brutally massacred in New Delhi and other parts of the country. While I was sitting on the table of speakers, I was ashamed that only three Pakistanis were there in the hall one was a Resident Correspondent of Daily Jang, GEO and Pakistan Chronicle, Raja Zahid Khanzada, another was the President of Karakoram Thinker Forum Siraj Butt and one more Pakistani. I did not see any Hindu, Buddhist, Christian or any Sri Lankan, any Palestinians, Jews, Bangladeshi, you name it - none of them were in the hall for the support of Sikh cause. We should understand that if we do not feel the pain and anguish of others, then no one will stand with us too. We should read the writings on the walls, I am sure when Indian Muslims will come up with their memorial day, to remember the genocide of Muslims in Gujrat, there will be no one except a few from the Indian Muslim community to wipe off their tears.

There was a gentleman, who came up on the stage and registered his complaint about the Shia killings in Pakistan which is a shame for us. Unfortunately, this guy also left from the hall after registering his complaint to Mike Ghouse, the President of the event. He should bring his friends to this memorial event to show his support as a Muslim or Pakistani or Indian so that their fellow citizens could feel that other community members are supportive of their cause. I did not see any representation of any Ahmadi Muslims in that hall to support our Sikh brothers. How can they expect that other community members will stand for them to support their cause?

We should think as human beings and not as a member of a religion, caste or country. We are first a human being - then we are Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Jew or Ahmadi, Shia and Sunni. God created all of us as a human being first. It is we, who divided ourselves in different cast and religion. Islam teaches us a lesson of equality, not division.

The event was nicely organized by Dr. Harbans Lal, Mike Ghouse and their team who worked hard for this event and this team is working continuously since last 6 years to spread the brotherhood and harmony among the different cultures and religions under the flag of “America Together Foundation”.

I congratulate Mike Ghouse, Dr. Harbans Lal and his team.

Shah Alam Siddiqui

Columnist/Critique Writer, Freelance Journalist

Social Worker,