What is a referendum?
Referendum is the process of direct voting to get the decision of a community on a single political question. Through referendum several nations have achieved independence. Most recently, South Sudan was created as an independent country through referendum. Scotland and Quebec both held referenda on the question of independence from UK and Canada, respectively.
What is Punjab Referendum 2020?
Punjab Referendum 2020 is a campaign to liberate Punjab, currently occupied by India. The campaign aims to gage the will of the Punjabi people with regards to reestablishing Punjab as a nation state. Once we establish consensus on the question of independence, we will then present the case to the United Nations for reestablishing the country of Punjab.
What is the objective of the Punjab Referendum 2020 campaign?
The objective of the Punjab Referendum 2020 campaign is to give the people of Punjab an opportunity to vote on their future political status. Once there is a consensus within the Punjabi people that independence from India is desired, we will then approach the UN and other international forms and bodies with the goal of reestablishing Punjab as a nation state.
What is the difference between Punjab Referendum 2020 and an official referendum?
An official referendum has an outcome that is legally binding on all parties involved. In Sudan, the United Nations administered a referendum authorized by the Sudanese government. Once conducted the South Sudanese people opted for independence. This decision was accepted by the United Nations and all major powers.
However, Punjab Referendum 2020 is an unofficial referendum where the outcome is not legally binding on India. Yet with an over whelming yes vote this unofficial referendum will start the process through which we will eventually conduct an official legally binding referendum in Punjab thereby peacefully establishing Khalistan.
How is an official referendum that creates an independent country conducted?
The official referendums that grant independence and create separate countries are conducted by:
- a) The country currently occupying a territory agrees to hold a vote on the question of independence. Canada and UK agreed and held the referenda giving the people of Quebec and Scotland the right to vote on the question of independence; or
- b) UN intervenes and negotiates an agreement between a nation demanding independence and the country occupying its territory, to let the people of the land vote on the question of independence.
What is the law regarding official referendums and peoples right to self-determination?
Article 1 of the Charter of the United Nations grants the right to self-determination to all peoples. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and International Covenant on Economic and Cultural Rights also guarantee right to self-determination for all peoples. Under UN laws, nations with a separate religion or language have the right to self-determination and can seek a referendum to gain independence from the country occupying their territory. India has signed and ratified all the UN laws that guarantee right to self-determination to the people on the basis of separate religion and language.
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“the Law”
How can Sikhs convince the UN to force India to hold a referendum in Punjab?
As a primary body to protect and promote human rights of all people, the United Nations listens and acts when a community approaches them in a large number.
The aim is to get 5 million votes in support of independence for Punjab through the Punjab Referendum 2020. The result of the Punjab Referendum 2020 will then be presented to the United Nations with a request for them to intervene and negotiate an agreement between the Punjabi peoples and India for holding an independence referendum in Punjab.
Does the UN law require a minimum number of votes in support of independence to qualify for United Nation’s intervention?
No, UN laws do not specify any number of votes to qualify for intervention. UN law only guarantees right to self-determination to all peoples on the basis of religion and language. The target of five (5) million votes was set to show the UN the will amongst the Sikh community for independence of Punjab justifying UN intervention.
Where will the voting for the Punjab Referendum 2020 be conducted?
The voting in this unofficial referendum will be conducted in 20 countries. The countries will include the state of Punjab currently occupied by India, USA, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand and other countries of Europe and Asia.
What is the value of Punjab Referendum 2020 Campaign in the Western world?
Since 1984 western countries have granted refugee status to hundreds of thousands of Sikhs on the grounds that Sikhs are persecuted in India because of their religion and for supporting the reestablishment of an independent Punjab, Khalistan.
However, the Indians have consistently portrayed those who advocate for Khalistan as a small fringe group of extremists, radicals and even terrorists. Yet this narrative is anything but the truth. Those who advocate for the reestablishment of Punjab as an independent country want to do so in a peaceful and legal way. It is India that resorts to violence and terrorism against those who peacefully advocate for this cause.
An unofficial referendum will dispel the Indian propaganda that only a small number of Sikhs want independence and those that do are violent extremists and possibly even terrorists. Furthermore, it will expose India's commitment to democracy, or lack thereof, by their actions of refusing to recognize the results of the unofficial referendum or conducting an official one to resolve the question of Khalistan.
In addition, it will allow us to engage in dialogue with UN, Western nations and other countries that are interested in supporting the will of the indigenous people of Punjab. This dialogue will be a starting point to reestablishing an independent Punjab.
https://referendum2020.org/faq