BOYCOTT: Canadian Sikh Coalition takes aim at New York’s Sikh International Film Festival

LARISSA CAHUTE
VANCOUVERDESI.COM

The Canadian Sikh Coalition is boycotting the Sikh International Film Festival in New York because the event is ignoring “the memories of pain embedded in the minds of Sikhs” from the 1984 genocide.

For much more on the events of 1984, be sure to check stories here and here.

According to a release from the CSC, this year’s festival is honouring guests who “represent a state which committed … gruesome acts and never provided justice,” like Nirupama Rao, India’s Ambassador to the United States, Prabhu Dayal, Consul General India, and Hardeep Puri, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

“By honoring the Indian state at a Sikh event during the 1984 anniversary is a blow at the hearts of Sikhs worldwide,” the CSC said in a release.

In November Sikhs around the world will gather to pay homage to the innocent people who lost their lives in November 1984 when the Indian government killed thousands of Sikhs in Delhi and across the country after the death of Indira Gandhi.

The CSC urged those involved with the film festival and Sikh organizations to boycott the event to “show solidarity with the hundreds of thousands of Sikhs awaiting justice in the Indian state and the millions of other minorities who are subject to the same oppressive regime.”

“Indian politicians who were involved in the 1984 genocide have never been held to account but rather still hold powerful positions within the Indian state today.,” CSC spokesman Moninder Singh said in the release. “It is disappointing to see the Sikh Film Festival committee honour these politicians during a time that is devastating for Sikhs worldwide.”

“We must recognize that the legacy of 1984 lives on and it is through pro-active methods such as this that we can attempt to build a better and safer world for ourselves and the generations to come.”

The New York Sikh Arts and Film Festival did not immediately respond to media requests.

Tags: Canadian Sikh Coalition, New York Sikh Arts and Film festival

Pete says:

October 24, 2012 at 10:22 am

noknok – I agree.

And no comment at all on this site about Amanda Todd – which is probably the biggest story in the mainstream media.

Is it just because she is white that she doesn’t get coverage here? That’s the definition of racism.

Chris Parry says:

October 24, 2012 at 10:54 am

Should she also get coverage in Real Estate Weekly? How about the Buy and Sell?
This is a niche media outlet aimed at the South Asian community, not a copy of The Province.

noknok says:

October 23, 2012 at 7:29 pm

To Aryan, gandu.

Can you say Ad Hominem ?
Interesting how you didn’t bother to respond to my question about sikhs and diwali !!

Anyway, having news sources that cater to specific ethnic groups only enhances the process of ghettoization. In the case of the desi section of the Province, the paper is just being politically correct – which is darn shame. Don’t give me the “cultural cohesion” argument.

Chris Parry says:

October 24, 2012 at 11:08 am

Noknok, you’re incorrect. According to census information released just today, in Vancouver, 711,515 people (31 per cent of the population) spoke an immigrant language most often at home. Chinese and Punjabi are most common, and that’s why The Sun has created a Chinese language site (http://www.taiyangbao.ca) and we’ve built VanDesi.
We believe that, in serving this large segment of BC’s population and helping to inform them of events locally and in the nations they left behind, that we help to create a far more productive, cohesive, accountable and progressive society. This content may not be to your liking, which is fine – there are plenty of people who don’t cook at home, yet nobody complains that The Province features recipes. There are many people with no love for hockey, yet nobody questions the need for hockey coverage for those who love it.
So if the options are to include more people under our umbrella by meeting them in the middle, or exclude nearly a third of the province because they haven’t met our standard for assimilation, then we’ll happily take inclusion – thanks.

ed says:

October 23, 2012 at 11:51 am

interesting – i read somewhere that the sikhs also had something to do with the massacre
can the csc spell precisely thge millions of others that affected by the oppressive regime
also – why is there no boycott against the air india bombers by the CSC

please consider leaving Canada out of these arguments – i am sure this why many Indians came here – FOR PEACE

your organization is still upset by the muhgels attacks in the 1600′s

gandu salay says:

October 23, 2012 at 10:32 am

noknok ur amorron budy

noknok says:

October 22, 2012 at 10:29 pm

Why do we need a Vancouver Desi section of the Province, where’s the Vancouver Chinese section, where’s the Vancouver Hispanic section, where’s the Vancouver Italian section etc etc ??????

Aryan says:

October 23, 2012 at 3:31 am

Hey knucklehead it is done, the desi section is here …………get over it.

editor says:

October 23, 2012 at 5:21 am

To noknok,

The Chinese section resides in out sister paper the Vancouver Sun’s website called Taiyangbao.com. The others are in the making. Thank you for your inquiry.

Chris Parry says:

October 24, 2012 at 10:59 am

The Sun has a Chinese outlet. The others are coming. Thanks for your interest.

noknok says:

October 22, 2012 at 8:48 pm

To the CSC,

Get over it.

By the way (just my curious self responding), why do sikhs celebrate Diwali, Isn’t that a Hindu festival ?
Any and all responses appreciated.