Urgent Call at G20 Summit: Halt Trade Talks and Defend Minority Rights in India
September 4th, 2023
As Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joins global nations in New Delhi for the upcoming G20 summit hosted by India, we are deeply concerned about the implications of Canada's engagement with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). According to Amnesty and Human Rights Watch, the ruling nationalist BJP is involved in multi-faceted violations plaguing minority communities, women and girls, including civil society institutions. As Canada prepares to participate in the summit, it is deeply concerning that Canadian officials, such as Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly and Trade Minister Mary Ng, have not publicly condemned the ongoing crimes against humanity associated with the BJP.
We welcome Canada’s recent decision to "pause" trade talks with India, even though the government has not provided a specific reason for this pause. However, we strongly urge Global Affairs to officially announce the suspension of trade negotiations, which should remain in effect until there is a substantial improvement in the country’s human rights situation. Furthermore, we emphasize that this suspension should be linked to tangible progress in safeguarding the rights and safety of minority communities.
“As the world converges at the G20 summit this week, we remind the Canadian government that silence is complicity. Our engagement with India should not be predicated on economic interest, but on our moral obligation towards those persecuted,” expressed Taha Ghayyur, Executive Director.
The BJP's pursuit of a Hindu nationalist agenda and promotion of Hindutva* ideology has alienated religious minorities, particularly Muslims, including activists and journalists reporting on ground realities and community experiences. There have been calls to declare India a Hindu nation, raising serious concerns about the rights, well-being and security of religious minorities and civil society institutions.
Justice For All Canada acknowledges that India is set to become the third-largest economy, making the nation a significant entity on the global stage. However, leading G20 members, including Canada, have displayed an alarming disregard for minority welfare by still seeking to form trade deals with India at this week’s summit. Violence, discrimination, and systemic abuse against religious, ethnic and Indigenous minorities, including Muslims, Christians, Dalits, Sikhs and others, have sharply risen under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi's BJP government.
Global Affairs has recognized the importance of India in its Indo-Pacific Strategy, yet still needs to solidify human rights enforcement to its economic and security ties with the country.
BJP Human Rights Violations & Impact on Minorities
India has witnessed a surge in anti-minority violence, often fueled by elected BJP politicians who promote exclusionary politics. Recent shocking human rights abuses in states like Manipur and Haryana, which have left minorities, particularly women, exposed to heinous acts, grimly remind us of the situation's gravity.
The BJP government’s Hindu majoritarian politics and adoption of laws and policies that systematically discriminate against minorities and stigmatize government critics have led to the continued vilification of Muslims and other minorities. This has resulted in increased hate crimes targeting religious groups. There has also been a spike in attacks, vandalism and demolitions of churches and mosques, including recent killings of religious leaders. BJP government authorities are also responsible for “bulldozer” politics, causing indiscriminate destruction of Muslim homes and businesses. These “anti-encroachment" drives take place in BJP-ruled states, leading to the demolition of Muslim properties, in an attempt to harass and marginalize Muslims.
In the Northeast State of Manipur, serious violations and abuses have occurred, including sexual violence, extrajudicial killings, home destruction, forced displacement, torture, and ill-treatment facing predominantly Christian Kuki ethnic communities.
Canada’s Indo-Pacific Agreement
Canada's trade policies lack robust mechanisms for enforcing human rights. Currently, activists and NGOs nationwide have urged the government to use its position to advocate for stronger human rights protections in these agreements. Canada's approach to India should be consistent with its stance on China. Both nations are led by right-wing governments with lengthy, dismal human rights records. Canada has rightly spoken out against human rights abuses in China, including recognizing the treatment of the Uyghur Muslim community as genocide. However, Canada's response to incidents in India has been virtually silent despite warnings from organizations like Genocide Watch.
Our Demands
1. Immediate Denouncement of Human Rights Violations: We call upon the Canadian government to strongly condemn the human rights violations committed by the BJP, particularly against religious and ethnic minorities. We demand that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivers this denouncement at the highest levels.
2. Suspend Trade Talks: We urge the Canadian government to suspend trade negotiations until there is a substantial improvement in the human rights situation in the country. This suspension should be contingent on demonstrable progress in protecting the rights and safety of minorities.
3. Enforce Human Rights Clauses in Trade Agreements: We advocate for including and strictly enforcing robust human rights clauses in any future trade agreements or partnerships. These clauses should protect religious, ethnic, and Indigenous minority rights, including minority women and girls.
4. Raise Concerns at International Forums: We call upon Canada to use its position at the G20 summit to raise concerns about deteriorating human rights situation and the BJP's role in it.
5. Transparency and Reporting: In light of the Indo-Pacific Agreement, we urge the Canadian government to regularly and transparently report on the human rights situation in India, including incidents of violence, discrimination, and persecution against minorities. This information should be made available to the Canadian public and international organizations.
When Prime Minister Trudeau visits India this week, it will be time for him to take a moral stance that upholds its international legal human rights obligations. Especially when engaging with fascist-led countries, Canadian officials must use their platform to mention the degradation of values of democracy and pluralism, which are under attack in India.
*Hindutva is the belief in the hegemony of Hinduism in India and establishing the country as a Hindu rather than a secular and pluralistic state. Hindutva is the central ideology underpinning India’s nationalist BJP government.
As Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joins global nations in New Delhi for the upcoming G20 summit hosted by India, we are deeply concerned about the implications of Canada's engagement with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). According to Amnesty and Human Rights Watch, the ruling nationalist BJP is involved in multi-faceted violations plaguing minority communities, women and girls, including civil society institutions. As Canada prepares to participate in the summit, it is deeply concerning that Canadian officials, such as Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly and Trade Minister Mary Ng, have not publicly condemned the ongoing crimes against humanity associated with the BJP.
We welcome Canada’s recent decision to "pause" trade talks with India, even though the government has not provided a specific reason for this pause. However, we strongly urge Global Affairs to officially announce the suspension of trade negotiations, which should remain in effect until there is a substantial improvement in the country’s human rights situation. Furthermore, we emphasize that this suspension should be linked to tangible progress in safeguarding the rights and safety of minority communities.
“As the world converges at the G20 summit this week, we remind the Canadian government that silence is complicity. Our engagement with India should not be predicated on economic interest, but on our moral obligation towards those persecuted,” expressed Taha Ghayyur, Executive Director.
The BJP's pursuit of a Hindu nationalist agenda and promotion of Hindutva* ideology has alienated religious minorities, particularly Muslims, including activists and journalists reporting on ground realities and community experiences. There have been calls to declare India a Hindu nation, raising serious concerns about the rights, well-being and security of religious minorities and civil society institutions.
Justice For All Canada acknowledges that India is set to become the third-largest economy, making the nation a significant entity on the global stage. However, leading G20 members, including Canada, have displayed an alarming disregard for minority welfare by still seeking to form trade deals with India at this week’s summit. Violence, discrimination, and systemic abuse against religious, ethnic and Indigenous minorities, including Muslims, Christians, Dalits, Sikhs and others, have sharply risen under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi's BJP government.
Global Affairs has recognized the importance of India in its Indo-Pacific Strategy, yet still needs to solidify human rights enforcement to its economic and security ties with the country.
BJP Human Rights Violations & Impact on Minorities
India has witnessed a surge in anti-minority violence, often fueled by elected BJP politicians who promote exclusionary politics. Recent shocking human rights abuses in states like Manipur and Haryana, which have left minorities, particularly women, exposed to heinous acts, grimly remind us of the situation's gravity.
The BJP government’s Hindu majoritarian politics and adoption of laws and policies that systematically discriminate against minorities and stigmatize government critics have led to the continued vilification of Muslims and other minorities. This has resulted in increased hate crimes targeting religious groups. There has also been a spike in attacks, vandalism and demolitions of churches and mosques, including recent killings of religious leaders. BJP government authorities are also responsible for “bulldozer” politics, causing indiscriminate destruction of Muslim homes and businesses. These “anti-encroachment" drives take place in BJP-ruled states, leading to the demolition of Muslim properties, in an attempt to harass and marginalize Muslims.
In the Northeast State of Manipur, serious violations and abuses have occurred, including sexual violence, extrajudicial killings, home destruction, forced displacement, torture, and ill-treatment facing predominantly Christian Kuki ethnic communities.
Canada’s Indo-Pacific Agreement
Canada's trade policies lack robust mechanisms for enforcing human rights. Currently, activists and NGOs nationwide have urged the government to use its position to advocate for stronger human rights protections in these agreements. Canada's approach to India should be consistent with its stance on China. Both nations are led by right-wing governments with lengthy, dismal human rights records. Canada has rightly spoken out against human rights abuses in China, including recognizing the treatment of the Uyghur Muslim community as genocide. However, Canada's response to incidents in India has been virtually silent despite warnings from organizations like Genocide Watch.
Our Demands
1. Immediate Denouncement of Human Rights Violations: We call upon the Canadian government to strongly condemn the human rights violations committed by the BJP, particularly against religious and ethnic minorities. We demand that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivers this denouncement at the highest levels.
2. Suspend Trade Talks: We urge the Canadian government to suspend trade negotiations until there is a substantial improvement in the human rights situation in the country. This suspension should be contingent on demonstrable progress in protecting the rights and safety of minorities.
3. Enforce Human Rights Clauses in Trade Agreements: We advocate for including and strictly enforcing robust human rights clauses in any future trade agreements or partnerships. These clauses should protect religious, ethnic, and Indigenous minority rights, including minority women and girls.
4. Raise Concerns at International Forums: We call upon Canada to use its position at the G20 summit to raise concerns about deteriorating human rights situation and the BJP's role in it.
5. Transparency and Reporting: In light of the Indo-Pacific Agreement, we urge the Canadian government to regularly and transparently report on the human rights situation in India, including incidents of violence, discrimination, and persecution against minorities. This information should be made available to the Canadian public and international organizations.
When Prime Minister Trudeau visits India this week, it will be time for him to take a moral stance that upholds its international legal human rights obligations. Especially when engaging with fascist-led countries, Canadian officials must use their platform to mention the degradation of values of democracy and pluralism, which are under attack in India.
*Hindutva is the belief in the hegemony of Hinduism in India and establishing the country as a Hindu rather than a secular and pluralistic state. Hindutva is the central ideology underpinning India’s nationalist BJP government.