WASHINGTON, DC — The Sikh Federation International (SFI) has issued an official statement highlighting the participation of its members in a high-profile international conference focused on the right to self-determination and the right to return. The prominent global event was held inside the US Capitol in Washington, DC, this week.
Joining representatives and delegates from various independence movements across the globe, the Sikh Federation International (SFI) representatives firmly laid out the historical and contemporary case for Sikh self-determination. The delegation explicitly advocated for the establishment of an independent Khalistan, aligning with the original declaration made on April 29, 1986.
India’s Rejection of International Norms Critiqued
During the sessions, delegates sharply critiqued the colonial legacy that continues to underpin the modern Indian state structure. SFI members drew attention to India’s explicit refusal to align with global legal frameworks, noting that New Delhi formally registered a reservation against the right to self-determination when signing the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
According to the statement, rather than addressing these deep-rooted political grievances, the Indian government has chosen a path of active suppression:
“India continues to repress support for self-determination through genocide, crimes against humanity, transnational repression, and the torture and arbitrary detention of activists across the subcontinent, including Sikhs, Kashmiris, Nagas, and numerous other peoples.”
The Right to Return and Sovereign Rights
The SFI representatives also introduced a critical focus on the “right to return” for the global Sikh diaspora. This concept was framed through the historical lens of the colonial Partition of Punjab in 1947, as well as India’s contemporary policy of blacklisting and barring exiled Sikh dissidents from visiting their ancestral homeland.
The delegation firmly reiterated that the ability of the diaspora to reconnect with their cultural and spiritual roots is not a secondary issue, but rather one that is “deeply intertwined with the right to self-determination and the restoration of Sikh sovereignty in the global order.”
Joint Global Call to Action Issued at the US Capitol
The international conference concluded with a unified, multi-party call to action directed at Western lawmakers and global governing bodies. The participants collectively urged the US Congress and the broader international community to step forward and facilitate a transparent, inclusive dialogue to peacefully address the political status, self-determination, and self-government of all occupied or impacted nations worldwide.
Furthermore, given recent global law enforcement updates regarding targeted actions against diaspora activists, the conference participants jointly demanded an immediate, “credible, impartial investigation into India’s ongoing transnational repression against the Sikh people around the world.”
