WSO examines the Framework for Cooperation on Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism between Canada and India on the human rights front.  The WSO concern gives expression to Sikh fears and concerns.

Without getting cowed down by the superfluous and baseless allegations by the Chief Minister of Punjab Amarinder Singh and the ill-read and overenthusiastic columnists of India, the World Sikh Organization of Canada has put the whole issue of human rights violations in India in the right perspective by raising the red flag on the recent announcement of the Framework for Cooperation on Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism between Canada and India.  The WSO concern gives expression to Sikh fears and concerns.

Pertinently, on the heels of the Justin Trudeau visit to Punjab, the WSO had categorically rejected all nonsensical claims of rising Sikh radicalism in Canada. Arshy Mann cautions in his Opinion column in CBC News says,“Trudeau shouldn’t be tempted to correct for his trip by interfering in the activities of peaceful activists.” He added, “But the allegation that Canada is a refuge for Sikh extremists is belied by the facts on the ground. Babbar Khalsa and the International Sikh Youth Federation — the two primary organs for violent Sikh organizing in the past — have been defunct in Canada for decades. And the last major instance of Khalistani violence in Canada is the still-unsolved murder of journalist Tara Singh Hayer, which took place 20 years ago.”

“Members of the Canadian Sikh community have continued to allege interference of Indian intelligence agencies in community affairs, media and events and have faced ongoing pressure and coercion by Indian officials in Canada. Prominent members of the Canadian Sikh community, including media personalities and politicians have been denied visas to India due to their expression of views objectionable to India.”

There is no basis or reason for this document but The Framework, announced at the culmination of the Justin Trudeau trip to India, formalizes “increased collaboration between the law enforcement and security agencies of both countries” and will “develop exchanges and facilitate effective cooperation in the fields of security, finance, justice, and law enforcement, including, where appropriate, at the operational level.”

Taking into account India’s seriously flawed track record of Indian security and intelligence agencies being regularly implicated in serious violation of human rights, the apex body of the Sikhs in Canada -the World Sikh Organization has expressed fears that “increased collaboration between Canadian and Indian counterparts may jeopardise the lives of Canadian Sikhs or their family and friends in India.”

As per the statement released by the WSO, “Canada and India had an intelligence sharing arrangement before, during the height of the insurgency in Punjab in the 80s and 90s. That arrangement, however, was stopped after Indian police and paramilitary were found to be targeting the Indian relatives of Canadian Sikhs whose names appeared in intelligence reports shared by Canada. The targeting had resulted in the abduction, torture and, in some cases, even killing of those relatives by Indian authorities.”

WSO has listed that both the Amnesty International 2017/18 report and Human Rights Watch 2018 report set out ongoing excesses committed by Indian forces.

In September 2017, Canada’s Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale released the Ministerial Direction to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service: Avoiding Complicity in Mistreatment by Foreign Entities. The Direction proibits:

a. the disclosure of information that would result in a substantial risk of mistreatment of an individual by a foreign entity;
b. the making of requests for information that would result in a substantial risk of mistreatment of an individual by a foreign entity; and
c. certain uses of information that was likely obtained through the mistreatment of an individual by a foreign entity.

It is unclear how the Framework will be in compliance with this Ministerial Direction.

WSO President Mukhbir Singh said today, “Canadian Sikhs remember that intelligence sharing by Canada and India in the 80s and 90s lead to the abduction, torture and even killing of Sikhs in Punjab.” Furthermore, in Canada, members of the Sikh community have repeatedly accused Indian intelligence agencies of ongoing interference in community affairs.

M. K. Dhar, a former Joint Director and a 29-year veteran of the Indian Intelligence Bureau, who was in Ottawa on a diplomatic posting from 1983-87, confirmed in his book “Open Secrets” that his mission was to penetrate Gurdwaras, Punjabi media, create assets in the Sikh community and also to cultivate “a few friends amongst the Canadian Members of Parliament.”

Dhar wrote, “I do not intend to disclose the details of the intelligence operations that were carried out between Mani, Shashi and me in deference to the niceties of diplomatic protocol. But we did a lot and reached appreciable penetration in the key Sikh inhabited cities in Canada.”

Members of the Canadian Sikh community have continued to allege interference of Indian intelligence agencies in community affairs, media and events and have faced ongoing pressure and coercion by Indian officials in Canada. Prominent members of the Canadian Sikh community, including media personalities and politicians have been denied visas to India due to their expression of views objectionable to India.

“The Indo-Canadian Joint Statement: Partnership for security and growth says, “The leaders -Justin Trudeau and Narendra Modi -also affirmed the importance of protecting and advancing human rights at home and abroad.” Sikhs wish that this happens sooner than later. ”

Most recently, organizers of the 2017 Carabram Punjab pavilion in Brampton reported last summer, being pressured by Indian diplomats in Toronto to cancel or merge their pavilion with the India pavilion as a separate Punjab pavilion was considered an affront to India’s unity and integrity.

WSO Senior Vice President Bhavjinder Kaur said, “Indian intelligence bodies continue to be accused of interfering in the affairs of Sikhs in Canada. While increased trade between Canada and India is beneficial to both countries, it cannot be at the expense of our human rights principles or by compromising the safety and security of individuals, as may happen with this Framework. Without dramatic improvements to their human rights records, increased cooperation with Indian security and intelligence bodies is very problematic.”

Gurpreet Singh writing in Sabrang India says, “The statement is not only silent on the growth of Hindutva extremism, it squarely blames the Islamic and Sikh militant groups for violence and terror. In other words the joint statement mimics the narrative of the Indian state on terrorism and there is hardly any acknowledgement of the threat Hindutva forces pose to peace and diversity.”

 If you like our stories, do follow WSN on Facebook.

The Indo-Canadian Joint Statement: Partnership for security and growth says, “The leaders -Justin Trudeau and Narendra Modi -also affirmed the importance of protecting and advancing human rights at home and abroad.” Sikhs wish that this happens sooner than later.