Forced Conversions and Racial Discrimination in Pak: Sikhs protest UN inaction

By Purostam Sign, NYC
Tuesday, July 6, 2010

(PHOTO : Pakistani Sikh cadet in army)

PATIALA : Sikhs held protests, against United Nations’ inaction to stop continued forced conversion of minorities to Islam and grave abuse of human rights of minorities and women in Pakistan, to coincide with International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination, at Patiala near Dukhniwaran and Singh Sabha Gurudwaras, Monday.

Dr. Manjit Singh Randhawa, President of Sikh Nation Organisation, said that Sikhs appealed to the international community to prevail upon Pakistan to repeal the 'Nizam-e-Adl 2009 Regulation' that has “legitimized and legalized tyranny” by ‘Taliban’, in complete disregard to its international commitments under various UN Conventions, to safeguard Human Rights of its citizens within international borders of Pakistan.

He maintained that without repealing the Regulation it was impossible to save lives, property and Shrines of Minority Sikh and Hindu Communities in Swat Valley and North West Frontier Province in Pakistan that has been placed under ‘Taliban Rule’ by repealing all Pak Laws to maintain law and order.

The Regulation has taken away Human Rights of Women and female Children, whose freedom of conscience has been put to unreasonable restrictions and are subjected to honour killings, whipping, torture, degrading treatment and punishment in Swat Valley and adjoining province, in a country signatory to U.N. Conventions on Human Rights, he added.

Sikhs also appealed the international community to support their demand for ‘Vatican’ like status to ‘Nanakana’ Sahib along with eighteen thousand acres property of the shrine, to develop a “fear free abode for humanity”, without which “personal freedom” and “dignified survival” of Sikhs, Hindus, Christian and other Minority Communities seemed impossible.

They shamed United Nations Human Rights system for its "observed silence" on systematic and undeterred persecution of minorities that stood reduced to negligible level in Pakistan, as a result of “forced conversions, killings and migration” in the Islamic country that is signatory to various U.N. Conventions on Human and Minority Rights and Conservation of diverse Cultural and Religious World Heritage of Humanity.