WSO Issues Statement in Remembrance of June 1984
Government Organized Operation Blue Star Left Akal Takhat Demolished and Took Lives of Tens of Thousands of Sikhs in Less Than One Week
OTTAWA, Ontario, Canada (June 6, 2013)–The World Sikh Organization of Canada joins the Sikh community across the world in remembering the Indian army’s June 1984 assault on the Sri Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) in Amritsar, Punjab. The attack took place as Sikhs gathered to commemorate the martyrdom day of the fifth Guru, Guru Arjan Dev Ji. In addition to the Sri Darbar Sahib complex, 38 other gurdwaras across
The tragic events of 1984 triggered a series of events which impacted Sikhs not just in
To this day there has been no accountability for the brutal killings of civilians and pilgrims by the Indian army or for the wanton looting and destruction of the Sikh Reference Library which contained many priceless documents and manuscripts. Furthermore, no explanation has been provided as to why a Sikh holiday was chosen to launch military operations, when Sikh gurdwaras including Darbar Sahib would have been thronged by Sikh worshippers.
The tragic events of 1984 galvanized the Canadian Sikh community to, in the spirit of the teachings of the Sikh faith, form the WSO to defend the human rights of all persons.
Twenty nine years later, as WSO remembers the innocent lives lost, we also reflect on the state of human rights in
It is through remembrance and constant vigilance that we ensure that tragedies like the events of 1984 are never allowed to happen again.
The World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) is a non-profit international organization with a mandate to promote and protect the interests of the Sikh Diaspora, as well as to promote and advocate for the protection of human rights for all individuals, irrespective of race, religion, gender, ethnicity, and social and economic status.