India's call for banning Sikhs for Justice (SFJ)

Context: Amid the Raisina Dialogue, India has demanded for the banning of the separatist Khalistani group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), with the U.S. and New Zealand. 

Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) Group

• Pro-Khalistan separatist organisation founded in 2007 by GS Pannun.  
• Headquarters: United States
• It advocates for the creation of an independent Khalistan state carved out of India, through activities like "referendums" among the Sikh diaspora. 
• SFJ operates from Western Democracies like the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
• India sees SFJ’s activities as a threat to national security, and has been urging Western nations to act against the group. 
• India's State Police Forces and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) have registered  over 120 cases against SFJ (for instigating violence, sabotage of railway operations, conspiracy with Pakistan’s ISI), since 2018 and 105 people have been arrested. 

Challenges in banning SFJ Internationally

• Legal barriers in Western democracies: Countries like New Zealand and Canada argue that peaceful advocacy for Khalistan does not constitute terrorism. In liberal democracies, lawful protests are part of protected speech, and thus prevents outright ban on SFJ. 
• Geopolitical constraints: The U.S. and Canada are investigating alleged Indian involvement in assassination plot against GS Pannun, and the killing of Canadian Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar respectively. Diplomatic tensions make countries reluctant to align with India’s requests. 
• Five Eyes Intelligence Network’s Stand: Countries in the Five Eyes (U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, New Zealand) share intelligence but have not banned SFJ. A ban by one member may trigger others to follow, however, there is no consensus yet.

Five Eyes Intelligence Network:  

• Global intelligence-sharing alliance comprising the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand. 
• Originated during World War II as a partnership between the U.S. and U.K. to intercept and decode enemy communications during World War II.  
• Formalised in 1946 through the UK-USA Agreement, expanding later to include Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. 
• It played a crucial role during the Cold War in tracking Soviet activities. 

Potential Impact of Ban on SFJ

• Ban on SFJ by key Western nations like the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, would:
  • lead to freezing of assets and funds
  • travel restrictions on separatists leaders like GS Pannun
  • criminal prosecution under anti-terror laws
  • limit SFJ’s ability to organise events like referendums, reduce its propaganda reach among the Sikh diaspora. 
• If taken to the UN Security Council under Resolution 1373, it would impose global obligations on countries to act against the group under FATF guidelines, making it harder for SFJ to operate internationally. 

SFJ’s activities pose a serious internal and external security threat to India. The ban of SFJ would depend on strong diplomatic efforts and coordination with host countries, given the legal complexities in Western democracies.