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Bring Culprits To Justice
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
On November 2, 2009, the New York-based Human Rights Watch has said that the failure of successive Indian governments to bring those responsible for mass revenge attacks on Sikhs killing thousands of innocent Sikhs after the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi 25 years ago to justice is a severe blot on India's legal system and democracy.
"Delhi was a scene of carnage, yet 25 years later the victims are still waiting for justice," said Meenakshi Ganguly, senior researcher on South Asia at Human Rights Watch. "Instead of bringing prosecutions, even when they know who was responsible, officials have done everything they could to bar the way."
"The victims of the 1984 massacres have waited for the law to take its course and, sadly, they are still waiting," Ganguly said. "India needs to change its enduring culture of impunity before its citizens will place trust in the rule of law in other conflict areas such as Kashmir and Naxalite-affected states."
For two-and-half decades, the government opposition including prolonged trials, biased prosecutors, an unresponsive judiciary, police intimidation, and harassment of witnesses have confronted victims and their families seeking justice. No senior government officials or politicians have been prosecuted despite evidence of their role in the atrocities.
The government has set up numerous commissions of inquiry, each with the promise of justice, but with no tangible results. Most recently, the Congress Party withdrew a candidate in the 2009 elections because of allegations of involvement in the 1984 Delhi attacks. But the candidate was not charged with a crime and the party appeared to compensate him making his brother a candidate.
