Vaheguru ji ka khalsa, Vaheguru ji ki fatheh!
Yesterday, on the National on CBC, Terry Milewski presented a carefully threaded web of lies, inconsistencies, and prejudiced statements to effectively shut down the annual Vaisakhi celebrations, prevent Sikhs in Canada from having a political voice, stereotype the Sikh community as a violent and hate-filled group, and put the blame for terrorist acts on innocent Sikhs.
Please view this disgusting mockery of journalism below:
http://www.cbc.ca/national/blog/video/politicseconomy/samosa_politics.html
PLEASE SEND YOUR COMMENTS, CLEARLY AND CAREFULLY WORDED TO ombudsman@cbc.ca.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU E-MAIL THE CBC OMBUDSMAN WITH YOUR THOUGHTS.
Just some of the lies in this report:
- That the Sikh community is inherently violent or supports violence outright – FALSE. The Sikh community believes in complete non-violence, and violence is only used as a last-resort in defence of the oppressed. The Sikh community has organized some of the largest and most effective peace protests in Indian history. The inspiration for Gandhi and the Indian non-violence movement was taken from Baba Ram Singh, a Sikh.
- That the Sikh community condones the Air India Bombings – FALSE. The Sikh community sympathizes with the victims families and is just as concerned about justice. Some of the passengers on Air India flight 185 were also Sikhs.
- That the Sikh community condones terrorism – FALSE. The Sikh community has been one of the most active faith communities after September 11 denouncing terrorism in all forms, and does not finance or condone any type of terrorism.
- That splitting India is a new concept, and should not be allowed – FALSE. India & Pakistan split Punjab into “East” and “West.” Khalistan would be the reuinification of the two Punjabs, giving autonomy to Sikhs and freedom of religion to all minorities (Sikhs, Hindus, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists alike). Khalistan was declared by the collective Sikh community in 1986 after witnessing the holocaust of Sikhs in 1984. India would not exist without the sacrifices of Sikhs, but Sikhs have always been a slave class in India. Therefore autonomy and independence is necessary and justified.
- That Khalistan has no significance for Canadian Sikhs – FALSE. Advocating the freedom of Khalistan is as legitimate as campaigning for Tibet or Israel. It is a peaceful movement for the freedom of a religious minority from oppression and state-sponsored terrorism. It is a human rights movement and Sikhs in Canada, USA, England and any other country have the right to peacefully campaign for Khalistan.
- That Sikhs as a community were complicit in the Air India bombings – FALSE. This accusation has never been proven in any court of law, and there is more evidence for the involvement of CSIS and Indian intelligence agencies. The inconsistencies in the investigation, deletion of wiretaps, involvement of CSIS informants, and many other leaks are evidence in the various investigations and current inquiry.
- That Talwinder Singh Parmar was a terrorist or was complicit in the Air India bombings – FALSE. This accusation has never been proven in any court of law, and charges against Mr. Parmar were dropped by the RCMP. If he was guilty, the Indian government would have allowed the due process of justice to take place, but instead killed Mr. Parmar in a false-encounter.
- … and those are just some of the lies.
Please express your opinion in an intelligent and peaceful manner, but be very clear that the Sikh community has no involvement in terrorism, and has the right to peacefully celebrate Vaisakhi and campaign for freedom from oppression.
Vaheguru ji ka khalsa,
Vaheguru ji ki fatheh !
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