#10DaysofTerror
Guest blogged by @NSYF (National Sikh Youth Federation)
The Sikh community in the UK is once again preparing to mark the anniversary of the June 1984 Indian army invasion of their holiest place of worship. Harmandir Sahib, also known as the Golden Temple located in Amritsar, was invaded in an unprecedented Indian army action against the civilian population that resulted in massive casualties and wide spread human rights violations.
Every year for the past 27 years the UK Sikhs have been gathering in Hyde Park London for a protest march that ends with a rally in Trafalgar Square. This year is no exception with the rally taking place on the 10th of June. The rally makes vocal the Sikh demands for justice and has been seen as a show of solidarity and remembrance.
As times have changed and the Sikh diaspora have become more educated and media savvy, their methods of protest have also evolved. Young Sikhs have come together to found a charitable NGO and Think Tank called the National Sikh Youth Federation (NSYF). This organisation, whose motto is ‘To Educate, Inspire and Unite’ has become the platform for an innovative media campaign to highlight the events of June 1984. Utilising both social and physical media NSYF are attempting to create mass awareness. From the 1st to the 10th of June NSYF will be uploading one picture everyday at 0700 GMT via their twitter account @theNSYF centred around the hashtag #10DaysofTerror.
NSYF will be telling the story of June 1984 by recreating the major events of each day with a historic newsfeed, culminating in the release of a video to tie the campaign together.
19 Responses to “#10DaysofTerror”
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How long till this organization will split due to infighting? Seems like just another organization based on 1984 and not on Sikhi. I don't really see what's so innovative here. All the images they post are widely available in the public domain as is the information, albeit for the fancy photoshop work they do. The video they will release, will it have any new never before seen clips or will it be just another 1984 video floating around on youtube? It seems like the same old rubbish but with fancy words 'social, physical media, hashtag etc etc.' Perhaps these guys should take a leaf out of the Canadians book, with Jagmeet Singh delivering an address to the Canadian Parliament about the events of 1984. I doubt any of these guys have the nous or will to go into UK politics. This facebook nsyf thing will just provide another platform for Sikhs to embarress themselves by writing anti-hindu hate.
The thing about taking a leaf out of the 'Canadian's book' Cali Singh, is that there is a world of difference between what Sikhs in London and Washington do….and what Sikhs anywhere in Canada do. Hand on my heart….in 28 years of existence on earth…..the only times I ever ever seen anything happening in Canada ever mentioned on any news has been when a member of the royal family has visited there….from London. Canada could, in all honesty, have a Sikh Prime Minister and a Cabinet made up entirely of Sikhs and yet the world would be none the wiser as to who Sikhs are. Nobody pays any attention to it. In contrast….Sikh happenings in London, as with all happenings in London, make international news. Lets just take last weeks spontaneous Sikh altercation with Muslims in Luton for example…..The one regarding the raping of a Sikh girl by a Pakistani. The very next day, the Sikh demonstration was in tv and print media all over the entire globe. French, German , Spanish and Russian tv news stations had dispatched crews to the spot. Interviews with the Sikhs of Luton were being broadcast to the world. You need to, therefore, understand the spectacular global significance of London in relation to these kind of Sikhi events. In London a Sikh sneezes and it makes international news. In Canada, there would have to be an earthquake, tornado, tsunami and bubonic plague before the world displays even the slightest interest to it. Don't underestimate what is happening in London and happens every year in June. The place it is happening in is slap bang in the middle of the most visited international city in the world. A city that recieves double the amount of international tourists each year than Paris. The whole world sees the Sikhs rememberence of 1984 each year….in London.
Living in America I've never heard of any Sikh news from the UK? The argument can be used in both ways. I think your point about the Sikh girl rape case is a bit exaggerated, it wasn't in the print media over here, the only way I heard about it was on facebook and from that too I didn't get a clear message. What was the conclusion of that case? Was the boy found guilty of sexual assault? All I'm saying is that Sikhs in North America particularly the young Sikhs are light years ahead of their brethren in the UK in terms of their mindset. From my interaction with the Sikh youth of the u.k i find them to be confused in what to do, they want justice for 84 but don't know how to get it so they end up spamming facebook. Sikhs over here meanwhile are taking up government positions, (canada more so than the U.S) and they've developed their own media be it comedy (jusreign ak or music humble etc.) which isn't watched only by Sikhs.
Also,
Speaking of media, and moreso the development of media:
So, this is a short film I made which will be released shortly online that deals with the issue of extra-judicial murders in Panjab. What's even more interesting is that my bestest best brother from the UK, from SOPW, Sikh Organiation for Prisoner Welfare, helped with this film.
"Yo, wait son, I thought the UK was behind and needed to get up on that Canadian new media, Jagmeet Singh, let's get into Politics swag shit? " Nah B, we all cool.
Swag.
@DeepH – trailer looks great brother! Looking forward to the final production!
Jagmeet Singh is the product of almost a decade of grass roots work in the Brampton region. His election was not serendipitous
Sadly, the images and video's of the events of 1984 are limited, hence the recycling over and over again. One would assume anyone with half a brain would understand that. I'm not sure how this argument would fly with the Jewish holocaust awareness campaigns that regularly reuse images of the holocaust.
Let's be a bit more astute.
Right now, we don't know anything about this organization to suggest it is not about Sikhi and just about 1984. It seems new, very new, and it seems to have become public at this time. It's just inherently expected that any organization, new or old, will discuss June 1984. No?
Who ? What? When? Fella, you talk to the average Joe on the streets of London, Paris or Madrid and mention the word 'Canada' and ask for a reaction. The instant reaction will be 'Ice', 'Polar Bears', 'Eskimos' and 'Montreal'. With the exception of Montreal the average Joe in western Europe does not imagine Canada to have any medium sized towns let alone big cities. I find it difficult to understand from where you have gained your negative experience of UK Sikhs. I personally think we all, in the diaspora, have a part to play in the advancement of Sikhi and freedom for Punjab. The UK sangat, as can be seen in the way that they constantly take to the streets en masse at a moments notice and exert their muscle, reflects their nature. Nature, of course, is shaped by environment. As a community that overwhelmingly live in inner city working class neighbourhoods, it is only natural that they take to the streets so quickly and easily. What makes the UK quite unique however, compared with your locality, is the way that the hair-cut is seen as the preserve of the older generation that arrived in the 40's and 50's whereas the dastar is more common amongst the 2nd and 3rd generation UK born youth. These amritdhari youth are, mostly, very working class with very localised working class accents and dialects. Such people are more effective with direct action in the streets. I truly applaud the fact that the North american amritdharis, as well spoken educated suburbanites, are gaining high positions of political power. But you need to appreciate the dynamics of each country and understand how the war is fought on many fronts. The sangat of each individual nation need to play to their own particular strengths. For the London Sikhs that naturally boils down to direct street action in the hub of the world's media.
Well said Blightly Singh! I grew up in London, England and now live in Canada and all I can say is that you have truly 'hit the nail on the head'. Your words echo my experience! More power to the UK Sikhs!!!!
The National Sikh Youth Federation (NSYF) is an independent NGO and Think Tank that works with individuals and organisations in the Sikh Community. NSYF specialises in research and education for the advancement of core issues that affect our community. We also promote spirituality and networking amongst Sikhs in the UK. We work to support an environment that fosters collaboration and unity.
NSYF initiatives are focused on a few key areas these are:
The advancement of the Sikh Religion,
The advancement of Education of Sikh History,
The advancement of Human Rights,
The improvement of the Sikh Community.
For more information please visit our website http://www.nsyf.org.uk or email us info@nsyf.org.uk
"Living in America I've never heard of any Sikh news from the UK"
^
You answered your own query with your very first sentence Cali Singh. i.e. you live in America. A place hardly known for its wordly knowledge. You see, when you watch the news in places such as England, France and Germany etc you will notice that there is very very little 'local' news. Relatively minor events in places such as Africa, Oceana, the Netherlands, Italy or central Asia are given just as much coverage as national events. The Europeans have a very internationalist mindset. They have a mindset that sees the world as a very small place, and thus see themselves as citizens of the world rather than of their own nations. The broadcast and print news media reflect this mindset. Thus, they tend to know so much more than the average north American, that is kept in the dark by its media about wordly affairs. The 'Luton' example that I mentioned….that you think is 'exaggerated'…..is a perfect indication of this. The Sikh v Muslim altercation in Luton drew the international media because the people in those nations have, through their good news media, understood the significance of Luton. Anders Brevik, the right wing Norwegian mass murderer who last year went on a rampage killing 70 people, stated in his written response that he was motivated into committing the act after visiting Luton in England….seeing the situation there and meeting the right wing there. What then made the sikh v muslim altercation all the more interesting from an international point of view was the fact there is an unofficial alliance between the Sikhs and the right wing in Luton. Comrades in arms if you like. However, these are all things that are way beyond your level of understanding as you have been kept in the dark as to the background events. So….lets get on to your contention that the UK Sikh youth are 'confused' as to what to do and that the north american ones are 'light years ahead'. I've said it before and I'll say it again, the UK Sikh youth do not hold back. With an hours notice they, en masse, drop whatever they are doing and directly physically confront the enemy on the street. They do it constantly. All the time. The perfect example is what happened yesterday re; the Amitabh Bachan visit to Leicester situation. Once again, sheer physical presence has won the day. They have not only scared Amitabh Bachan and his family away from a planned visit to Leicester but at the same time they have educated the inviters and organisers of the event as to the background and shamed them into withdrawing their invite to him. http://www.sikhsangat.com/Index.php?/topic/67134-…
@Blighty Singh – in your "cosmopolitan" view of the world shaped by your "international mindset" why doesn't Canada get the same respect as Oceana, Africa, Italy, or even Central Asia from you?
We're all on the same team.
Thanks for the link about Bachan.
Well Canada's problem, Jodha, is a problem that is of its own making. It, as a nation, needs to carve out an identity for itself so the world will take notice of it. As it stands, it simply occupies the position of being everybody's 'nice' friend. A 'nice' friend that gets a welcome invite to occassions such as leaders summits etc, but largely ignored as irrellevent. Lets compare it to Australia for example. Both nations have the Queen as head of state and both have inherited an English system of laws and culture. However, Australia has gone all out in not only creating a unique identity for itself but also flexing its muscle on the international stage. Thus, what happens there has become important. The problem Canada has is that it lives in the shadow of its powerful neighbour to the south. The world sees it with the same speech as its neighbour….the same streets, street signs, houses, culture etc and asks itself why it needs to even bother with it when there is so much more happening in its identical neighbour to the south. Its reputation then, not only as boring and dull, is simply as a very 'nice' place to live and bring up children. Not the sort of place that makes the pages of international news. For that to change, Canada needs to learn from the Australians and make the world take notice of it. It needs to make its voice heard. Right now, it doesn't have a voice big enough to be heard on the international stage. In a room full of loud voices arguing with each other, everybody ignores the little voice of their 'nice' friend sitting in the background. Its a beautiful country. In my opinion probably the most beatiful country in the world. But not by any means an interesting country.
You sound like a horrible commentator on some American corporate news cast.
Canada doesn't have a big enough voice? Why is that? Because you said so.
You're spitting rhetoric, no facts.
Jus Riegn is from Canada. Jazzy B move to the UK and has now adopted the Enlglish accent as well. Truth is, all the shits coming your way while we Canadians are producing some of the best swaggered out Singhs in the world.
Jazzy B ? No we seem to be on different pages Deeph. I was conversing about Sikhi and real life international realities but you seem to be on the teenage bhangra page. And, pray tell, what exactly is an 'English accent' ? You can, in England, pinpoint within a few square miles, from which neighbourhood a person is from simply from his accent. For example, us London Sikhs pronounce bath as 'baarth', whereas the Birmingham Sikhs pronouce it is 'bath' and 11 or 12 miles south west of me they accentuate the 'a' and pronounce it as you do (indeed this west country / irish type brogue is the origin of your own dialect). So….this great person that you mention….this wise and powerful 'Jazzy b'…..what type of 'english accent' has he adopted ?
No no you don’t understand. The reason you are wrong, even if i dont really understand qhay you are saying is, there’s this guy jus reign and he does comedy videos. So yeah because of that your whole lyrical content is whack and you just check yourself before you become wrecked.
Remember when this post was about Operation Blue Star?
Further to Blighty's post on Amitabh B and the Liecester Sikhs please check out this link….THANK YOU UK Sikhs!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www2.amnesty.org.uk/groups/leicester/visit…
cahrity help in the any crisis or violence.people should stop fights now.thanks