Sikh Organizations in US and Canada Urge Action Against Indian Cross-Border Persecution

July 6 :
On July 3, the Sikh Coalition in the US and the World Sikh Organization of Canada released a joint statement demanding that the Indian government stop what they perceive as transnational repression of the Sikh community. Our governments are, to varying degrees, dealing with this matter seriously. 'Regardless of whether the country is a US ally or adversary,' a subcommittee of the Department of Homeland Security's Faith-Based Advisory Council emphasized in a statement, and a group of senators in the US recently demanded a 'robust diplomatic response' to the assassination plot against Sikhs in the US.

A prominent member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Senator from Oregon, Jeff Merkley, wrote a letter to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on June 17th, spearheading the effort. In response to claims that the Indian government was involved in a failed attempt to kill an American citizen in the United States, the letter demanded a briefing on the subject and urged a strong diplomatic response.

Based on the findings of the previous Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions, the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians in Canada has concluded that India poses "the second-most significant foreign interference threat to Canada's democratic institutions and processes." This finding supports the allegations made by the Sikhs in their statement from July 3.

While there have been calls for the Biden and Trudeau administrations to prioritize ending Indian transnational persecution, the statement pointed out that after last month's G7 meeting in Italy, they appear to be taking the opposite tack.

Following the summit, Prime Minister Trudeau and US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan adopted a more amicable stance in their rhetoric, placing an emphasis on discussion and strategic cooperation. According to the groups, the Sikh diasporic community's human rights and safety have received very little attention alongside this change.

The Sikh organizations went on to say that they have always emphasized that it is undesirable for self-investigation to lead to self-absolution. The Sikh faith will be jeopardized unless America and Canada stand united. On top of that, our friends and enemies around the globe will feel encouraged to dole out retribution to our citizens in any way serves their own self-interest.