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AzerNEWS Staff

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An international conference titled “June 1984, the Amritsar Events: India’s Transnational Repression Against Ethnic Minorities in the Context of Genocide” is being held in Azerbaijan under the organization of the Baku Initiative Group.

AzerNEWS reports that the event brings together representatives of communities and experts who have raised concerns about the Indian government's policies toward ethnic and religious minorities. For the first time, members of the Dalit community, who say they have been affected by discriminatory practices in India, are participating in an event hosted in Azerbaijan.

The conference is also attended by prominent representatives of the Sikh community from Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Australia, and the United States, as well as heads of think tanks, human rights experts, specialists on ethnic minority issues, and individuals who describe themselves as victims of alleged repression and discrimination.

Participants are expected to discuss ways to keep the issue of alleged transnational repression and systematic persecution of ethnic and religious minorities—particularly members of Sikh and Dalit diaspora communities and their families—on the agenda of international organizations. The conference will also focus on strengthening cooperation among affected diaspora groups, enhancing legal protection mechanisms against transnational persecution, and promoting coordinated action on international platforms.

A key topic of discussion will be the June 1984 events in Amritsar, during which Indian security forces launched an operation at the Harmandir Sahib complex, also known as the Golden Temple, one of Sikhism’s holiest sites. Participants will examine calls for an international legal assessment of the events, including allegations of violence against the Sikh community and damage to its religious and cultural heritage.

The conference will further address concerns regarding India’s compliance with international commitments related to the protection of ethnic and religious minority rights.

According to organizers, the military operation conducted by the Indian government at the Harmandir Sahib complex in early June 1984 represented a state-led act of violence directed against the Sikh community’s religious values, freedom of worship, and historical-cultural heritage. Citing reports by non-governmental organizations, independent sources, and witness testimonies, conference organizers stated that up to 8,000 civilians may have lost their lives in Amritsar and surrounding areas during the events.

The organizers also referred to a report published in March this year by the Baku Initiative Group and Sikh Federation International titled “Across Borders: India’s Transnational Repression Against the Sikh Diaspora.” The report documents allegations regarding India's policies toward members of the Sikh diaspora living abroad and revisits the events of Amritsar in 1984.