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Rename Stonecreek Park to Jaswant Singh Khalra Park

In honoring Honoring Human Rights and Emerging Communities in Bakersfield, we propose changing the name of Stonecreek Park to Jaswant Singh Khalra Park.

Rename Stonecreek Park to Jaswant Singh Khalra Park and honor Bakersfield's Sikh community and the entire region in honor of human rights.

Southwest Bakersfield is a hub for many old and new park.pngresidents. Stonecreek Park is a neighborhood hub bringing together diverse populations of the city, especially residents of both Ward 1 and Ward 7.  Named after an early housing development, the "Stonecreek Park” name is not in sync with the changing demographics of the city. 

Jaswant Singh Khalra (1952-1995) was a human rights activist from Punjab (India).  When Punjab entered a dark period during the 1990s, Jaswant Singh made a vow to the families of his colleagues that had been unjustly killed to discover the truth.  He advocated for human rights and traveled to Canada, UK, and the US to tell the world what was happening.  He knew that his life was in danger due to his actions, but he was fearless.  Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and other international human rights organizations have recognized his work. In September 1995, the same forces that had killed so many innocents, picked him up from his home, tortured him, and murdered him with impunity.

The City of Bakersfield has recognized and acknowledges the atrocities of the 1984 Genocide in passing A Resolution of the Council of the City of Bakersfield, commemorating the November 1984 violence in India as Sikh genocide.  The City of Bakersfield has acknowledged that more than 35,000 Sikhs live and work in the City of Bakersfield and the surrounding areas, making vital contributions to the well-being of our community, acknowledging the violence against the Sikhs continued unabated for several days in more than 100 cities across India resulting in over 30,000 Sikhs killed, acknowledging in 2011, a mass grave of Sikhs was unearthed in the village of Hondh-Chillar, state of Haryana, which was followed by the discovery of other mass graves, ruined villages, burnt Gurdwaras and other traces of Sikh population annihilation during November 1984, acknowledging it is important to the Bakersfield community that we acknowledge such history in order to declare such acts atrocious, voice our hope that those responsible are punished, and express appropriate sympathy so that history does not repeat itself. 

In honoring someone who has been coined like the Martin Luther King Jr. of the Sikh community, we seek to honor the legacy ofjsk2.png Shaheed Jaswant Singh Khalra in renaming Stonecreek Park. With the success seen and community togetherness felt in Fresno, CA we seek to carry on Shaheed Jaswant Singh Khalra's legacy - the legacy of this individual reflects his dedication to human rights and the Sikh community. As an MLK Jr. park exists in communities across our nation, we seek to emulate this honoring of Human Rights and its advocates. In recognizing the City of Bakersfield and its residents, Jaswant Singh Khalra’s life is a symbol of hope for all that care about human rights, dignity, truth, and justice.  Naming a park in his honor preserves that legacy and celebrates the values that all of Bakersfield's residents hold high.  The Punjabi community is nearly unanimous in desiring this and we believe that all residents in Bakersfield would be honored upon learning of his history. 

Sign your name and stand in solidarity with the Sikh community in Bakersfield in renaming this park.  Thank you!  Please share widely!

Will you sign?

Rename Stonecreek Park to Jaswant Singh Khalra Park and honor Bakersfield's Sikh community and the entire region in honor of human rights.

Southwest Bakersfield is a hub for many old and new park.pngresidents. Stonecreek Park is a neighborhood hub bringing together diverse populations of the city, especially residents of both Ward 1 and Ward 7.  Named after an early housing development, the "Stonecreek Park” name is not in sync with the changing demographics of the city. 

Jaswant Singh Khalra (1952-1995) was a human rights activist from Punjab (India).  When Punjab entered a dark period during the 1990s, Jaswant Singh made a vow to the families of his colleagues that had been unjustly killed to discover the truth.  He advocated for human rights and traveled to Canada, UK, and the US to tell the world what was happening.  He knew that his life was in danger due to his actions, but he was fearless.  Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and other international human rights organizations have recognized his work. In September 1995, the same forces that had killed so many innocents, picked him up from his home, tortured him, and murdered him with impunity.

The City of Bakersfield has recognized and acknowledges the atrocities of the 1984 Genocide in passing A Resolution of the Council of the City of Bakersfield, commemorating the November 1984 violence in India as Sikh genocide.  The City of Bakersfield has acknowledged that more than 35,000 Sikhs live and work in the City of Bakersfield and the surrounding areas, making vital contributions to the well-being of our community, acknowledging the violence against the Sikhs continued unabated for several days in more than 100 cities across India resulting in over 30,000 Sikhs killed, acknowledging in 2011, a mass grave of Sikhs was unearthed in the village of Hondh-Chillar, state of Haryana, which was followed by the discovery of other mass graves, ruined villages, burnt Gurdwaras and other traces of Sikh population annihilation during November 1984, acknowledging it is important to the Bakersfield community that we acknowledge such history in order to declare such acts atrocious, voice our hope that those responsible are punished, and express appropriate sympathy so that history does not repeat itself. 

In honoring someone who has been coined like the Martin Luther King Jr. of the Sikh community, we seek to honor the legacy ofjsk2.png Shaheed Jaswant Singh Khalra in renaming Stonecreek Park. With the success seen and community togetherness felt in Fresno, CA we seek to carry on Shaheed Jaswant Singh Khalra's legacy - the legacy of this individual reflects his dedication to human rights and the Sikh community. As an MLK Jr. park exists in communities across our nation, we seek to emulate this honoring of Human Rights and its advocates. In recognizing the City of Bakersfield and its residents, Jaswant Singh Khalra’s life is a symbol of hope for all that care about human rights, dignity, truth, and justice.  Naming a park in his honor preserves that legacy and celebrates the values that all of Bakersfield's residents hold high.  The Punjabi community is nearly unanimous in desiring this and we believe that all residents in Bakersfield would be honored upon learning of his history. 

Sign your name and stand in solidarity with the Sikh community in Bakersfield in renaming this park.  Thank you!  Please share widely!

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Showing 374 reactions

  • Paul Wobbe
    signed 2018-03-24 13:09:10 -0700
  • Debra Marsh
    signed 2018-03-24 11:44:30 -0700
  • Janice French
    signed 2018-03-24 11:03:39 -0700
    💜
  • Mike Barron
    signed 2018-03-24 09:57:28 -0700
  • Tony Amarante
    signed 2018-03-24 09:39:17 -0700
    Bakersfield, the 53rd largest city in the United States is certainly must have a big enough heart to honor a man whose courage is an ipriration to so many of its citizens.
  • Sylvia Barron
    signed 2018-03-24 09:38:55 -0700
  • James Whelden
    signed 2018-03-24 05:53:53 -0700
  • Bikramjit Gill
    signed 2018-03-22 21:44:25 -0700
  • Barinder Singh
    signed 2018-03-22 19:27:09 -0700
  • Gurdip Dhindsa
    signed 2018-03-22 11:24:47 -0700
  • Sandeep Kaur
    signed 2018-03-22 10:48:18 -0700
  • Mandeep Singh
    signed 2018-03-22 09:17:19 -0700
  • Navneet Thind
    signed 2018-03-20 22:47:14 -0700
  • Sarbjeet Dulay
    signed 2018-03-20 11:50:08 -0700
  • Rimal Deep Singh
    signed 2018-03-20 09:41:30 -0700
  • Kashmir Shahi
    signed 2018-03-19 23:40:30 -0700
  • Mohabatpal Kaile
    signed via 2018-03-19 21:43:56 -0700
  • Gs Jaswal
    signed 2018-03-19 21:19:41 -0700
  • Pritam Badesha
    signed via 2018-03-19 12:10:21 -0700
  • Sugjit Singh
    signed 2018-03-19 09:41:53 -0700
  • Tejinder Singh
    signed 2018-03-19 08:42:13 -0700
    Jaswant Khalra has immense contribution towards an effort to bring justice to 84 genocide.
  • Manpreet Singh Tiwana
    signed 2018-03-19 04:45:40 -0700
  • Gagandeep Kang
    signed 2018-03-18 23:42:48 -0700
    Waheguru ji ka khalsa

    Waheguru ji ki fathe
  • Parveen Kaur
    signed 2018-03-18 21:41:20 -0700
  • Raman Mann
    signed 2018-03-18 20:14:00 -0700
  • Dev Shokar
    signed 2018-03-18 20:09:06 -0700
    Sarbjeet Kaur Shokar
  • Sukhwinder Kaur
    signed via 2018-03-18 19:39:11 -0700
  • Rajinder Kaur
    signed 2018-03-18 19:36:44 -0700
  • Arjun Ahuja
    signed via 2018-03-18 19:28:34 -0700
  • Harroop Kaur
    signed 2018-03-18 11:52:55 -0700