NDP statement on the remembrance of the 1984 Sikh Genocide

Canada’s NDP leader Jagmeet Singh issued the following statement:

"This month, Canadians and Human Rights advocates will mark the 40th remembrance of the 1984 Sikh Genocide.

We gather to honour the memory of those who were killed by brutal and targeted state-led acts of violence meant to erase a people. Sikh men were burned alive. Women were subject to unthinkable sexual violence and children were murdered. Survivors still reel from these atrocities.

This genocide not only devastated families and communities but also left an indelible mark on the collective memory of the Sikh diaspora and humanity as a whole.

As we remember those who suffered and perished, we must also acknowledge that the wounds of the 1984 Sikh Genocide were ripped open in India’s most recent campaign of violence against Sikhs – this time on Canadian soil.

We must now more than ever honour the lives lost by acknowledging the truth of this dark chapter in history. It is a moment to reflect on the profound impact of hatred and the importance of standing against injustice.

As a first step, Canada's New Democrats will move a motion to recognize these atrocities as genocide.

As we reflect on the pain and suffering endured by countless families until this day, we reaffirm our commitment to justice, healing, and remembrance.

Never forget 1984."