Expressing support for the recognition and commemoration of the Sikh Genocide of 1984.

Expressing support for the recognition and commemoration of the Sikh Genocide of 1984.

Whereas the Sikh religion, originating in the Punjab region of South Asia, is the fifth-largest faith in the world with over 25,000,000 followers, and is a monotheistic faith rooted in truth, service, and justice;

Whereas Sikhism is practiced by over 500,000 individuals in the United States, and Sikhs have been part of the American fabric for more than 120 years, arriving initially to work on farms, in lumber mills, mines, and on the Western Pacific Railroad, and subsequently settling in every State and territory, contributing significantly to the Nation’s social, cultural, and economic landscape across diverse fields such as art, music, trucking, agriculture, information technology, law, medicine, and many more;

Whereas systemic and orchestrated genocidal violence was perpetrated against Sikhs in 1984 in the capital territory of Delhi, the states of Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Tripura, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Maharashtra, and India-administered Jammu and Kashmir;

Whereas, during the Sikh genocide, Sikhs were assaulted, tortured, burned alive, and murdered, and Sikh women, many of whom lost their families during the genocide, were sexually assaulted and raped by groups of attackers;

Whereas Sikh homes, businesses, and gurdwaras, or houses of worship, were looted, damaged, and destroyed during the genocide, causing the intentional destruction of many Sikh families, communities, homes, and businesses;

Whereas the Indian government, through officials and Members of Parliament and with the support of the police and other state institutions, led genocidal attacks and participated in, and failed to intervene to prevent, the genocide;

Whereas, in 1984, over 30,000 Sikhs were murdered;

Whereas the “Widow Colony” in New Delhi still houses Sikh women who were assaulted, raped, tortured, and forced to witness the dismemberment, burning, and murder of their families, and who are still calling for justice against the perpetrators;

Whereas the Sikh community in the United States has not recovered from the physical and psychological trauma of the genocide, as they keep alive the memory of those who were killed, and will never forget the Sikh genocide; and

Whereas recognizing the state-sponsored violence that targeted Sikhs across India is an important and historic step toward justice, accountability, and reconciliation, which should be an example to other governments: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that it is the policy of the United States to—

(1) commemorate the Sikh Genocide of 1984 through official recognition and remembrance;

(2) call for all perpetrators, regardless of rank or status, to be brought to account; and

(3) reject efforts to enlist, engage, or otherwise associate the United States Government with denial of the Sikh Genocide.