‘A terrible price has been paid by the Sikh civilisation in the chapters of its history, but if those who survive today, and those who come after, profit by the lesson and example, the glorious Khalsa Punth shall rejoice and not measure the purchase on being in terms of in-vain sacrifices but of heralding success and victory. - Sardar Kirpal Singh Sihra (13/09/1975)
Sardar Kirpal Singh Sihra was born in Kenya, East Africa. His father, Sardar Gurbuksh Singh Sihra had emigrated from the Panjab, after serving with distinction in the First World War, where he served in the Middle East.
‘For those not of Sikh faith, the Sikh revolution has re-erupted deep from within the anguished wails.’ -
Sardar Kirpal Singh Sihra (September 1984)
Kirpal Singh Sihra completed his education in Kenya and then later travelled to the United Kingdom where he studied at the University of Southampton. It was here that he qualified as a mechanical and aeronautical engineer and later as an aircraft pilot. He saw experience with the RNAS, the Berlin air lift and several British and foreign air carriers including Ethiopian Airlines Inc, where his services were especially appreciated by the late Emperor, Haille Selassie (1892-1975). Following this, he set up his own aviation company in East Africa and at the tender age of 20, he submitted a 'remarkable rocket booster system design for space flight.'
But it was in 1946, in London, that something changed for Kirpal Singh. Arising out of a confrontation with the late Mr. Krishna Menon (1896-1974), he launched the Sikh Students’ Association to lead the lobbying in the United Kingdom for an independent, sovereign Sikh homeland.
In 1975, Kirpal Singh founded the Sikh Commonwealth, an international mutual aid organisation that provided welfare, education, medical treatment and community services to Sikhs worldwide. The Sikh Commonwealth following the events in the Panjab of June 1984, had strived to formulate a peaceful solution to the Panjab problem and had taken a number of important initiatives towards this purpose including an aim to gain consultative status at the United Nations which is to be discussed below.
The Sikh Commonwealth was a very unique organisation/platform that laid great emphasis on this idea of ‘interdependence’ whereby Sikhs around the world would work constructively to be able to ‘enjoy the fruits of life in the present and for the future.’
‘No Sir, we fight for our independence and sovereignty, there is a big difference here.’
On February 16th, 1987; the applications of the Sikh Commonwealth, the ‘Lawyers Committee for International Human Rights’ and the ‘International Human Rights Law Group’ were all rejected by a 19-country committee and hence did not achieve consultative status at the United Nations. On this issue, a United Nations official stated that ‘Governments try to play off one organisation against another as bargaining chips’, the official further stated that ‘Human-rights organisations tend to fall into that trap.’ (NY Times March 9, 1987)
The decision to refuse status to the Sikh Commonwealth was ‘hailed by India which had been in touch with members to explain its objections to the application’. On this occasion, Sardar Kirpal Singh (President) said: ‘The function of the committee was usurped inasmuch as we were deprived of even a hearing’. Sardar Anup Singh (Acting Chancellor) said ‘we are not surprised by what happened, it doesn’t stop us from functioning.’ (TOI February 26, 1987)
Following this, Sardar Kirpal Singh on February 25th, 1987 sent a letter to the chairman of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organisation at the United Nations based in New York. In this letter Kirpal Singh writes that ‘when we arrived at the conference last Monday (16th February), we were informed by your secretariat that efforts had been made to contact us in London so that we did not travel as the committee was going to reject our application due to pressure from the Government of India.’
The Sikh Commonwealth was assured that they would be given a hearing, however it seems as though the chairman of the committee also came under pressure and hence deliberately denied Kirpal Singh from speaking. Kirpal Singh then writes that some UN representatives had ‘no cause or reason for objection themselves to our application being granted.’ ‘This was especially so confirmed by the very frank statement made by the distinguished delegate of France.’ Kirpal Singh ended his letter by stating that ‘we (the Sikh Commonwealth) are deeply concerned at the unwarranted interference by the Government of India with our application.’
May the memory of the Sikh Commonwealth prevail in the near future.
Simranjeet S. Rahi
07/03/2021
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