Laying Foundations: Preparing for the Struggle Ahead

On March 31st the Khalistan Centre published a document called Laying Foundations: Preparing for the Struggle Ahead. This document covers significant ground in an accessible format to serve as an introductory guide to Sikh struggle. The sections around Locating the Sikh sangarsh, Khalsa jee’s Vision and Sidhant, and Footsteps of our Shaheeds are invaluable in outlining the ground from which the Sikh struggle is fought. Building on the theory the document identifies key lessons and actions. We highly recommend the document is read in full, the below excerpt is taken from the introduction:

In the midst of widespread panthic mobilization around the world, there has been a wave of motivation amongst panthic naujawan to organize and participate directly in the sangarsh in some form. This document collates content from previously developed resources in order to effectively understand our current moment, the challenges that lay ahead, and what panthic naujawan–as the future of the panth–can do. The document was intended to be an introductory guide to understand the context of Indian state repression, and the trajectory of the Khalsa’s ongoing struggle for the establishment of Khalistan today.

Despite the benefits of virtual technology, the bulk of the work required right now will occur through face-to-face and person-to-person engagement in local gurdwaray, university campuses, and other community spaces. For more information or direct support for your local organizing efforts, contact us at fateh@khalistan.org.

The document covers a range of topics to establish a basic understanding necessary for effective mobilization, including:

• What is happening in Punjab;

• The Indian state’s structures and mechanisms of genocide;

• The genesis of the Sikh sangarsh;

• The Guru Khalsa Panth’s vision for raj and the examples of our shaheeds; and

• Tangible ways we can move this struggle forward.

The current wave of repression we have seen in recent days is a continuation of the state’s genocidal policy to repress any Sikh mobilization that steps outside the boundaries of the state’s control. The degree of force and intensity of the psyops (psychological operations) was not only aimed at suppressing the growing political consciousness of Sikh naujawan, but also to shock, confuse, and terrorize Sikh communities around the world with the spectre of overwhelming force. Considering the state’s concerted effort to disseminate disinformation aimed at distressing viewers, it is imperative that Sikh naujawan do not get distracted into playing the state’s game on their terms. The Khalsa chooses its battlefield on its own terms.

While we continue to repel the current onslaught on multiple fronts, naujawan must prioritize strengthening our own internal capacity (individual and collective) and infrastructure as we inevitably barrel towards the next phase of our sangarsh. We call on Sikh naujawan around the world to acknowledge the gravity of the situation and avoid a false sense of satisfaction with temporary actions. Instead, we must commit to consistently building upon each small victory to move towards our ultimate objective. Foregoing overnight, symbolic victories, it is important that we begin to relish the gruelling and invisible work of preparation that will be required for sustained periods of time in the years to come.

Preparing for the next wave of conflict requires work on multiple fronts:

• Building our internal strength and capacity as individuals, organizations, and as a larger collective. This begins from the foundations of our jeevan (spiritual life) and continues to every other aspect of panthic organizing–increasing our knowledge base, strengthening our skills and organizations, and developing a variety of effective institutions necessary to confront the vast resources of the Indian state.

• Developing broad communication and coordination between Sikh jathay (units) starting at each local level and then spreading across the globe. We do not need to develop singular “mega organizations” or umbrella groups; we simply need to develop a saanjh (connection) and establish clear means of communication and coordination while maintaining the flexibility and tenacity of existing jathay at each local level. This approach allows us to develop collective grassroots leadership structures alongside a fluid and decentralized organizational model.

• Synthesizing the breadth of understanding and analysis in our panth regarding our current challenges and brainstorming audacious ways to move forward. This is necessary as we move towards consensus on three key points:

  • A firm understanding of our vision for raj, and the Khalsa’s sidhant which guide every step of our path;

  • A clear analysis of our current political context and the various vulnerabilities, threats, and opportunities in front of us; and

  • Develop the organizational structures, strategies, and tactics required to navigate our current halaat and successfully advance towards our overall objective.

While the state will continue to pursue its own counter-insurgency policy to erase our voice and eradicate our existence, Sikh naujawan around the world will continue to manifest the Khalsa’s resilience and tenacity demonstrated in every era of struggle:

Mannu is our sickle,
We, the fodder for him to mow. The more he cuts,
The more we grow.

-ਖਾਲਿਸਤਾਨ ਕੇਂਦਰ | @KhalistanCentre | www.khalistan.org 

The Khalistan Centre is dedicated to supporting and cultivating Gurmat-driven leadership to further the struggle for Khalistan.