ECB is about differentiating Sikhs
from the word 'Asian.'
Its a Vision to help raise awareness
of Sikhs in the Western World,
their history,beliefs and identity.
AMRITSAR, India (AFP) - Sikh priests have rejected an apology from a religious sect for adverts showing its leader dressed as a revered guru which triggered violence in Punjab, a senior cleric said.
The Akal Takht, the top Sikh governing body in the north Indian pilgrimage city of Amritsar, dismissed the apology from the Dera Sacha Sauda as "a shrewd tactic."
It was aimed at diverting attention from the fact that Dera chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh "himself is not forthcoming with the apology but is instead trying to hide behind nameless followers," said Takht head Joginder Singh Vedanti.
An apology had to be "sincere and from the core of the heart," he said, urging Sikhs to continue a boycott of the Dera which claims to have millions of Hindu, Muslim, Christian and Sikh followers.
The Takht would also seek legal advice to ensure the closure of centres run by the Dera in Punjab, Vedanti said.
Sikhs would also march about 100 kilometres (62 miles) from Fatehgarh Sahib to Punjab's capital Chandigarh on Thursday to mobilise support against the sect, he added.
Punjab witnessed violent clashes earlier this month after the Dera chief appeared in newspaper adverts as Guru Gobind Singh -- one of Sikhism's 10 revered saints.
This upset the Akal Takht and triggered violent protests earlier this month that left one dead and scores injured.
A religion-fuelled separatist revolt claimed thousands of lives in the 1980s in Punjab, India's only Sikh-majority state with a population of about 25 million.
The revolt was fanned after prime minister Indira Gandhi ordered troops into the Golden Temple at Amritsar to evict a Sikh militant sect in 1984. Gandhi's Sikh bodyguards shot her dead later the same year.
Sikhs make up nearly two percent of India's 1.1 billion population.
A teenager was charged with felony hate crimes yesterday, a day after he forced a 15-year-old Sikh schoolmate into a boys’ bathroom in Queens, tore off his turban and sheared his hair, the authorities said.
According to the Queens district attorney, Richard A. Brown, the teenager, Umair Ahmed, 17, walked up to the Sikh, Vacher Harpal, in a hallway at Newtown High School in Elmhurst shortly after noon on Thursday and said, “I have to cut your hair.” Mr. Ahmed was holding a pair of scissors, Mr. Brown said.
Vacher replied: “For what? It is against my religion,” according to Mr. Brown. Mr. Ahmed, who is of Pakistani descent, then displayed a ring inscribed with Arabic words, and said: “This ring is Allah. If you don’t let me cut your hair, I will punch you with this ring,” Mr. Brown said.
Mr. Ahmed then forced Vacher into a boys’ bathroom, and Vacher began crying as he removed his turban, begging Mr. Ahmed not to cut his waist-length hair, which, in accordance with the Sikh religion, had never been cut, Mr. Brown said.
But Mr. Ahmed cut Vacher’s hair to the neckline, then threw the hair into a toilet and onto the floor, Mr. Brown said. One student, who was not charged, stood at the bathroom door and acted as a lookout, the police said. Another student, a friend of Vacher’s, saw the attack, they said. The police said a teacher’s aide notified a school safety officer after being alerted by a student.
The police and students said that Mr. Ahmed and Vacher had had an argument and that Vacher had made derogatory comments about Mr. Ahmed’s mother. Vacher had apologized, but Mr. Ahmed did not accept it, according to Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly. Mr. Ahmed was arrested on charges of unlawful imprisonment and menacing as hate crimes, as well as criminal possession of a weapon and aggravated harassment, the police said.
NEW DELHI (AFP) - A religious sect has apologised for adverts showing its leader dressed as a revered Sikh guru, which triggered violence in India's Punjab state, reports said Monday.
The Dera Sacha Sauda sect offered the apology at Sirsa, the group's headquarters in the northern state of Haryana, the Tribune newspaper said.
The multi-faith organisation claims to have millions of Hindu, Muslim, Christian and Sikh followers.
The brief statement noted that in the "best interest of peace and tranquillity, the Dera tenders an apology to Guru Gobind Singh," the Press Trust of India news agency said.
"We also pray for maintaining peace and brotherhood in Punjab, Haryana, within the country and abroad," the statement added.
The sect's leader, Gurmit Ram Raheem Singh, appeared in an newspaper advert as Guru Gobind Singh, one of 10 revered saints in the religion, and was pictured offering holy water to the faithful.
The advert upset the main Sikh religious governing body, the Akal Takht, and triggered violent protests in Punjab earlier this month that left one dead and scores injured.
Sikh leaders and state and federal officials had pressed the sect's leader for an apology to calm tensions in the state, where a religion-fuelled separatist revolt claimed thousands of lives in the 1980s.
That conflict was fanned after prime minister Indira Gandhi ordered troops into the Golden Shrine at Amritsar to evict a Sikh militant sect in 1984. Gandhi's Sikh bodyguards shot her dead later the same year.
Some news reports said the carefully worded apology by the sect may not mollify the Akal Takht, which is scheduled to meet in Amritsar on Tuesday to review the issue.
Punjab, which has a population of 25 million, is India's only Sikh-majority state. Sikhs make up nearly two percent of India's 1.1 billion population.
A Queens high school student was charged with hate crimes Friday for violating a Sikh student’s religious beliefs by forcing him to remove his turban and cutting his hair, the Queens district attorney said.
“The defendant is not accused of some schoolhouse prank, but an attack on the fundamental beliefs of his victim’s religion and his freedom to worship freely,” Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said in a prepared statement.
Umair Ahmed, 17, of 42-49 77th St., was arrested in the Thursday attack in a bathroom at Newtown High School in Elmhurst. Ahmed and another student allegedly forced the 15-year-old victim into the bathroom, and after threatening him forced the boy to remove his dastar, a traditional Sikh turban. The other boy, also 15, is being treated as a juvenile.
Ahmed used scissors to cut off his victim’s waist-long hair, then threw it in a toilet and on the floor, according to a spokesman for the district attorney. Cutting a Sikh’s hair is contrary to the Sikh faith, which considers hair a gift from God that should never be cut.
Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF)
Sikh Americans across country have been subjected to inconsistent and improper screening procedures Washington D.C. – May 21, 2007 – Over the past several months, SALDEF has lodged several complaints with the Transportation Security Agency (TSA) regarding Sikh Americans being required to either have their daastars (the Sikh religious head covering) patted down or in some cases removed completely, in violation of stated TSA protocols, prior to passing through airport check points at different airports across the country. In response to these complaints, SALDEF has initiated dialogue with leading officials of the TSA to address the communities’ concerns.
In each of the incidents, the Sikh American air travelers passed through the security check point metal detectors and the ‘puffer’ machine, which blows air at passengers to determine if they have any chemical residue on their person, without any alarm sounding. Subsequent to the successful security screening, TSA agents required that the Sikh American gentleman submit to a pat-down and/or remove their daastars for further inspection. These violations have occurred in a variety of locations including San Francisco, CA; Sacramento, CA; Salt Lake City, UT and most recently Buffalo, NY.
As explained in the DOT guidelines:
“The security personnel should use the “but for” test to help determine the justification for their actions: “But for a person’s perceived race, ethnic heritage or religious orientation, would I have subjected this individual to additional safety or security scrutiny?” If the answer is “no” then the action is likely to be unjustified and violate civil rights laws.”
In each of theses cases, it appears that none of the respective air travelers were engaged in any suspicious activity which would subject them to such treatment. SALDEF believes that the Transportation Security Officer’s (TSO) involved with these cases improperly followed DOT and TSA policies which explicitly prohibit profiling based on national origin, race, or religion.
“Some Sikh American travelers have been subjected to humiliating treatment at the hands of screeners who have not consistently applied TSA prescribed protocol,” said SALDEF Managing Director Kavneet Singh. “While safety is of paramount importance, all passengers must be treated with equal respect and not singled out solely because of their physical appearance."
Over the past several months, SALDEF has been working with national TSA officials to address the community’s concerns over improper screening. These initiatives include:
An individualized training with the Federal Security Directors and TSA officials at the airports where these incidents occurred.
A national training program for TSA officials and personnel to ensure that front line staff is aware of the internal policies and procedures around screening individuals with religious headgear.
SALDEF thanks the Transportation Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security for their progressive response to these incidents and is hopeful that when these pre-emptive programs are implemented, that not only the Sikh American community but all communities will be able to fly without fear of being profiled simply due to their physical appearance.
If you believe you have been the victim of improper screening while traveling or been subject to any form of harassment, please report it immediately at http://www.saldef.org/reportform.aspx or contact SALDEF at 202-393-2700 ext 27 or info @ saldef.org.
An elderly Sikh taxi driver was knocked down and killed by his own cab after a passenger hijacked the vehicle in what murder squad detectives believe could have been a racial attack.
Police appealed for calm yesterday after the incident in which Gian Chand Bajar, 71, chairman of the Guru Nanak temple in Gravesend, Kent, was run over at least once by his assailant.
Chief Superintendent Gary Beautridge, who is leading the murder investigation, described Mr Chand as an “upstanding member of the community” who had been the victim of a “heinous and cowardly crime”.
He added: “We are keeping an open mind but we would certainly not rule out that the attack was racially motivated.”
As the Sikh community voiced its anger, local taxi drivers claimed that the murder had been “waiting to happen” because of the failure of police to tackle taxi assaults.
Mr Beautridge, who was confronted by drivers during an emergency meeting at the temple, said later: “This murder is a matter for the police to resolve and we appeal for witnesses. This is not an issue where individuals or groups should take the law into their own hands.”
Mr Chand’s son, Telu, 35, fought back tears as he said: “I don’t want anything to happen to these people responsible for my dad’s murder. I just want the police to catch them so they do not have the opportunity to do this again.”
Police have established that Mr Chand picked up a passenger at 9.43pm on Wednesday in Armoury Drive, Gravesend, and dropped him off at 9.57pm in Tooley Street, near by.
He is then believed to have been flagged down in the Springhead Road area, where he picked up a fare, and headed to the Westcourt area of Gravesend.
Witnesses saw him being assaulted and run over in St Benedict’s Avenue at 10.10pm. Residents put blankets under his head and over his body as they awaited paramedics. He was taken to the Darent Valley Hospital, in Dartford, but died later from his injuries.
Witnesses have told police that Mr Chand, who was married to Amarjit, 62, the mother of his five children, had been driven over by his own vehicle, possibly twice.
One resident said he saw burn marks on Mr Chand’s arms, possibly from where he came into contact with the car’s exhaust pipe.
His silver Skoda Octavia, registration GK02 YKA, was found burnt out in an alley adjacent to Dorchester Avenue and Lamorna Avenue.
Neil Batcheldor, 45, a taxi driver, said: “We’ve been waiting for this. We’ve had so many attacks in the last few years. We’ve been speaking to police, Gravesham Borough Council and Cab Watch, and we told them it was a case of when, where and who. It had to happen.”
Mr Chand was semi-retired and worked part-time for Millennium Data Cabs in Gravesend. Nirmal Thandi, the firm’s co-owner, said: “You could not have met a nicer man. He was very family oriented and did a lot of work for the community. He wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
Bruce Parmenter, Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesman for Gravesham and a taxi driver for 11 years, said: “My opinion is that this was a tragic incident that was bound to happen because police are not tackling crime.
“I speak from experience, having been attacked myself two and a half years ago, and I waited three days for a police response, in which time the crime scene was destroyed.”
Gurvinder Sandher, of the North West Kent Racial Equality Council, said: “There was shock at what has taken place. The shock has not just been felt in the Sikh community but in the whole community.”
Mr Chand came to England in 1971 from the Punjab where, as a civil servant, he was responsible for land allocation. At first he first worked as a builder, and later on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link project through Kent.
Earlier in the week on the 15th of May , Divided We Fall - 'Americans in the Aftermath' made it on CNN, i Guess an organisation on a par with the Global media clout of none other than our very own BBC. I had the pleasure of watching the film back in November of 2006 at the CRE conference in London, thanks to Valarie Kaur who kindly provided me with the opportunity to attend the London premiere.It was also the subject of one of our 'Sweetsikhi' shows on Panjab Radio back in November of 2006. We were inundated with callers from across the whole of the UK who were all eager to watch the documentary themselves. I share my response to the film with the readers of ECB in the following link
Ethnic Confusion Britain touched on DWF back in March and it's with great pleasure that we provide a link below to the start of the film in addition to the CNN coverage from a few days ago.....
The Sikh community is calling for tolerance and understanding of the religion if changes go ahead with aviation security legislation.
Making a submission from Auckland yesterday, Sikh Centre chairman Verpal Singh said the Sikh community understood and accepted the need for tighter security at airports following the events of 9/11.
Concern was also raised in January about airport security after a group of Sikh priests were able to board an Air New Zealand flight carrying kirpans (ceremonial knives) under their robes.
But it was hoped changes could be implemented in a way sensitive to Sikh people so they weren't unfairly targeted during security checks.
"We don't want this campaign to be aimed at the general public. We don't want to publicise that Sikhs wear a kirpan because that might make us a target," Mr Singh said.
In particular aviation security staff needed to be educated about the Sikh religion so they understood that the kirpan was a religious symbol, not a weapon.
He said Sikhs were happy to stow the kirpan in their luggage but if someone forgot and accidentally walked through a metal detector with one, he should not be automatically treated like a criminal.
He should instead be given the chance to remove the kirpan and place it in his luggage.
Mr Singh said the wearing of a turban was also an important issue that security staff needed to understand.
This practice was a religious requirement as the turban covers the hair - one of the most private and intimate parts of a Sikh.
Removing the turban in full view of other passengers would be the equivalent of being strip-searched in public.
Mr Singh said Sikh passengers should have to remove their turban only if there was a strong suspicion that something was being hidden, not solely because it looked suspicious.
Removing the turban should be done in a private area and the passenger should be given a mirror and enough time to replace it.
A committee is currently hearing submissions on the Aviation Security Legislation Bill, which aims to provide security officers with more powers to search passengers and seize prohibited items.
Air NZ yesterday supported the bill. However, it said it would rather ground a flight than allow it to take off despite a security threat, even if it was carrying a security officer.
The airline was concerned about the implications of the bill requiring it to store seized items for 30 days until they were claimed or destroyed.
It said the items should not be able to be reclaimed and should be destroyed.
The company's chief pilot, David Morgan, said 750kg of items a day were seized.
"Over time the cost involved in trying to repatriate these goods back to passengers would be too expensive."
Captain Morgan put to rest one long-held belief about guns in aircraft - he said a bullet hole in the fuselage would be highly unlikely to cause a "catastrophe".
Auckland Airport management was also concerned about the cost and time impact of the bill, saying it might mean twice the number of screening machines were needed at the airport.
The Aviation Industry Association opposed having armed guards on flights.
THOUSANDS of Indian troops were rushing to north Indian states last night to tackle the most serious Sikh uprising in decades.
The deployment came as a bomb tore through one of India's oldest and biggest mosques, killing five people and wounding 24 others as thousands of worshippers attended prayers.
The bomb was thought to have been placed inside a water tank in the southern city of Hyderabad's historic Mecca mosque. Two other devices were defused following the explosion.
Commandos from the Rapid Action Force were among those deployed to the north after days of unrest and violence between the majority Sikhs and members of a prominent religious sect, the Dera Sacha Sauda.
The unrest is believed to have a political dimension linked to elements of the Khalistan movement for a Sikh homeland that set the region ablaze more than 20 years ago, as well as controversial support by the sect for the Congress party in a recent state assembly election.
The first fatalities and injuries were reported yesterday as reinforcements were sent to Punjab and Haryana states near New Delhi, as well as western areas of the capital, which has large Sikh communities.
Troops were reported staging flag marches through some cities and towns to try to put off potential rioters.
As tens of thousands of angry Sikhs besieged ashrams and other buildings belonging to the DSS amid fears of a full-scale conflict, Home Minister Shivraj Patil summoned an emergency meeting of security officials and sent in the reinforcements.
Up to 25,000 Sikhs armed with swords and bricks were said to have surrounded a DSS campus near Salabetpura, in Punjab, as police and troops tried to separate them. At Sirsa, in Haryana state, tens of thousands of DSS were said to have mobilised to face down an advancing column of Sikhs determined to attack them.
"The situation is very grave. There is the threat of major violence," one senior security official said last night.
Reports claimed that supporters of a Khalistan independent Sikh homeland who were behind the storming of Sikhism's holiest shrine, the Golden Temple in Amritsar, in 1984 and the subsequent assassination of Indira Gandhi were in the vanguard of the attacks on the DSS.
But the immediate cause of the upsurge in communal tensions is an ultimatum from Sikh leaders to the state Government in Punjab to take action against the DSS for alleged anti-Sikh activities.
This follows fury after the leader of the DSS, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, appeared dressed as revered Sikh guru Gobind Singh in a newspaper advertisement.
It sparked two days of fierce clashes between DSS and Sikh followers.
Analysts equated the upheaval with similar clashes between the Nirnkari religious sect and other Sikh organisations in 1980.
Those clashes are regarded as the starting point for 15 years of violence and militancy in Punjab and Haryana.
Adding significantly to the current conflict is a directive, in the recent Punjab state election, given by the DSS leader to his followers to vote for the Congress party.
Congress lost the election, and the DSS support for the party enraged the winners, the Shriomani Akali Dal, which is made up mainly of nationalistic Sikhs.
Within days of the the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh describing Sikhs as part of the Hindu samaj, Delhi's top Sikh administration has announced strict enforcement of the wear-turban rule at its schools, saying pupils found defying their religious traditions risk expulsion.
"These directions will strictly apply to Sikh students. It is our duty to ensure our traditions remain intact. Otherwise, forces like the RSS will succeed in their malicious campaign against our faith," Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee chief Paramjit Singh Sarna said.
The notice by the DSGMC, which administers a number of schools and colleges, is also prompted by concerns over rapid vanishing of turbans in Punjab, the heartland of the Sikh faith and home to the Golden Temple, the SGPC and the Akal Takht, the community's highest temporal authority.
A growing number of young Sikh men are now unfurling their turbans, wearing caps, shaving their beards and trimming their locks into crew cuts, mullets, spikes and other more exotic coiffures in a phenomenon seen as a cultural crisis at the heart of the community.
"This is sacrilege. If we cannot protect our identity, which makes us stand out distinctly, what good are we for? We will have to explain to our young men and women the significance of culture and tradition," Sarna said.
The haircut trend is hugely pronounced among Sikhs living in the West, which is blamed on what is regarded as intolerance there towards overtly religious clothing.
Balbir Singh Sodhi, a petrol station owner in Arizona, was killed in a post-9/11 reprisal attack because he was wearing a turban.
B.C. Liberal MP Ujjal Dosanjh says police should be investigating a Sikh parade in Surrey last month that featured a photo of Talwinder Parmar — the man believed by authorities to have been the mastermind of the Air India bombings.
At the Air India trial, the Crown, defence and judge all agreed that Parmar was the leader of the plot, which claimed 331 lives in 1985.
Parmar came to B.C. in 1970 and lived in the province for more than 20 years before returning to India. Indian police say they killed Parmar in a shootout in 1992.
Surrey's annual Vaisakhi parade was attended by Conservative, Liberal and NDP politicians and included Parmar in its display of Sikh martyrs and saints.
There were also several young people wearing International Sikh Youth Federation T-shirts.
Dosanjh told CBC Radio Friday that those aspects of the parade were unacceptable and that police and politicians should be paying more attention.
on a personal note i was party to a man selling T-Shirts at a Asian Mela - these T -Shirts had a picture of Bin Laden and a logo 'global Hero of Islam' - Shame British MP's didn't raise this in parliament. Sadly even though the Sikhs were vindicated of the air India bombing the media seems to be talking about this issue over and over again to undermine the Sikh community in India and Globally. Conspiracy theories to undermine groups are often discussed but i think here at ECB we definatley see myriad conspiracy theories developing on the back of this story.....
Shiromani Akali Dal working president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Monday protested against the treatment meted to a Sikh in Canada, who was denied entry into a restaurant for wearing a turban.
In a communique to David Melone, High Commissioner of Canada in India, Badal said the incident was a clear case of denial of individual's right to practice one's own religion.
Expressing his anguish and concern over the incident, Badal said it was unbelievable that in a progressive and liberal country like Canada, a person could be denied entry into a restaurant on the basis of his religious identity.
"It is more surprising that the restaurant continued to escape legal and administrative actions all these years."Badal said.
Demanding an enquiry into the whole incident, Badal demanded exemplary punishment for the guilty.
Badal said he hoped that Canada would follow the policy of zero tolerance towards any disrespect shown to symbols of any religion including Sikh religion, and asked the Canadian authorities to take remedial measures to prevent such incidents in future.
Sikh military police in Kota Baru. This photo was published in W.A. Graham’s “Kelantan — a State of the Malay Peninsular" in 1908.
A new historical novel chronicles the little-known story of the pioneering Sikhs in Malaya and the emotional process of attachment towards their new homeland, writes HIMANSHU BHATT.
Malkiat Singh Lopo going through some old documents at his home in Seberang Jaya. "It is my labour of love," he says.
Malay States Guides sharpshooters at a shooting competition in Bisley, England, in 1910. Seated in the centre is Col R.S.F. Walker, first commandant of the MSG.
SOME time in the 1920s, a widower farmer from a village in the Indian province of Punjab travelled to Malaya with his son and daughter, seeking a better life and fortune.
Arjan Singh ended up in Rawang and found himself making a laborious living by breaking charcoal for the furnace in a powerhouse.
In his spare time, he reared cattle.
His son, Bachan Singh, would later move to Prai to work as a labourer in the pier, and his daughter-in-law Balwant Kaur would tend the herd in Kampung Teluk.
Little did Arjan suspect then that his struggle would one day be told to the world by his own grandson, through a scholarly work of literature.
The Enchanted Prison, a novel by Malkiat Singh Lopo, chronicles the early hardships, predicaments and successes of the Sikhs who, like other communities, helped propel Malaysia to the modern industrialised land it is today.
“We had a tough life,” recalls Malkiat, 65, of his family’s past.
“Our early generations suffered. So they knew education was important. That is why their children progressed rather fast.” Based on historical facts, The Enchanted Prison expresses in a fictional plot the conditions in India and Malaya from 1873 to 1937.
“Malaya was the first country outside the Indian subcontinent that Sikhs emigrated to,” the retired school teacher explains at his home in Seberang Jaya, Penang.
“It was referred to as the golden cage or a heavenly prison.
“It was a prison because one was so enchanted by this foreign country that you were unable to return to your ownhomeland.” Malkiat’s book describes how early immigrants underwent a transformation through an emotional process of attachment that made them devoted to Malaya. .
We are proud to announce that 'ethnicconfusionbritain' is now collaborating with DNSI and contributing relevent material towards this superb initiative 'Discrimination and national security initiative' is a US based project team looking to address the backlash against ethnic communities in the US following 9/11 via the realms of constructive academia, reporting and chronicling of events and acts of harrassment, intimidation and violence against communities ranging from Sikhs, Arabs and Muslims.They have also put together extensive research in the form of reports and press releases which include ,We are Americans Too: A Comparative Study of the Effects of 9/11 on South Asian Communities," addresses the impact of and the responses to the discrimination that South Asians faced since 9/11, focusing specifically on Indian Hindus, Pakistani Muslims, and Sikhs in the Washington, DC area. (Sept. 11, 2006) We are delighted to have been given the opportunity to learn from and work with DNSI throughout 2007 and beyond. A truly transatlantic partnership!
This is DNSI's mission statement:
Mission Statement:The goals of the project are (1) to chronicle the mistreatment of minority communities during times of military action and national crisis in an informational repository, and (2) to present the human consequences of this mistreatment from the perspective of these communities.
ANGRY villagers set out to stop two robbers from escaping after they rammed their truck into the car of some passing bystanders.
The robbers had loaded a stolen motorcycle onto their truck outside a Langley shop when residents called the police.
In their haste to escape, the robbers rammed their truck repeatedly into a family car.
Ravinder Singh, 37, a salesman, dialled 999 as he became angry witnessing the ramming in Langley Stores car park just off the High Street on Thursday night of last week.
He said: "I came out of the store and I saw what was happening, and I called the police on my mobile. There were two men who had put the motorbike onto the back of the truck. They were driving off, when this car with a family inside came into the car park.
"The driver of the truck just drove straight at it and rammed it. But he could not get by. He went crazy, driving at the car, trying to ram it out of the way. I got very angry because the car was going to be crushed by the truck. I just lost my cool.
"I ran across and jumped onto the bonnet of the car. The front window of the truck was open. I reached in and punched the truck driver. Then I tried to grab his keys from the ignition."
TORONTO: A Canadian Sikh was allegedly denied entry to a restaurant in Toronto because of his religious headgear, sparking off an international campaign to ensure justice to him.
Gaurav Singh, an employee of a multi-national bank, "a proud turban-wearing Sikh," was looking forward to a fun night with friends on the weekend when he was allegedly refused entry to Marlowe Restaurant and Wine Bar.
A friend of Singh posted a letter detailing the incident on Facebook, inadvertently launching an international campaign of support with hundreds of online responses to his plight from as far away as India, the UK and the US.
Singh sent copies of the letter to Marlowe Restaurant, the upscale eatery that is at the centre of the controversy, the Ontario Human Rights Commission, the Sikh American Legal Defence and Education Fund and Navdeep Bains, Member of Parliament, media reports said.
"What occurred was something I have never experienced in my 25 years in North America," writes Singh.
"I have travelled across the globe and I am sad to admit that the only location I have ever received such treatment was the country where I am a proud citizen of. There was no other reason other than my religious head covering." Andrew Taranowski, co-owner of Marlowe, was not available for comments.
"As you know, everyone consults their lawyer before they do anything nowadays," said a restaurant manager, who would only identify himself as John, adding that he was "under strict guidelines" not to discuss the incident
Sikh militants had in 1986 threatened to kill then Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and blow up the Toronto subway system, according to just declassified documents before the Air India inquiry commission.
An anonymous letter received by police in early July 1986 laid out the terrorist attacks that would unfold if Talwinder Singh Parmar, who mastermind the Kanishka bombing which left 329 people dead, and others in jail at the time were not released.
On July 8, 1986, the first indication of retaliation against the Canadian government emerged in the form of an anonymous letter to: kill Prime Minister Mulroney, blast the Toronto subway system, movie theatres, banks and commercial malls, says an RCMP letter outlining the threat, National Post reported today.
The letter to a counterpart at the Canadian Security Intelligence Service is among thousands of formerly secret papers just released as part of the massive disclosure at the Air India inquiry.
Parmar had been arrested in June 1986, along with five Hamilton members of the Babbar Khalsa, and charged with plotting acts of terror in India. They were later acquitted.
The Sikh Coalition have launched the 'Enlighten' project in order the facilitate education of all Americans about Sikhism. This is a library based project which aims to get books and DVD's on Sikhism in every library in the US. This aims to address ignorance about Sikhs in the US on national level and address the ethnic confusion which has led to atrocities against Sikhs in the US.
The Sikh Coalition has provided Sikhs with a Beacon of light in the vision to educate Americans about the origins of Sikhi and its History. Ultimately this will raise awarenes at a grass roots level across the the states. Here in the UK we have not yet seen a similar initiative run to tackle 'ethnic confusion Britain' , perhaps the vibrance, energy and dynamism of the Sikh Coalition will inspire the UK Sikhs to address the same issues which are so evident across the United Kingdom following on from 9/11 and 7/7. The paranoia that the average englishman/woman has when they sees a bearded bloke with a turban in the UK or US NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. Geography is academic.Over the last Few years i have been involved with a number of Books on Sikhism for key stage three of the national curriculum , 'Sikh Gurudwara'and 'Sikh Faith and practise' are two examples , the PDF of Sikh Gurudwara is attatched for your viewing. It would be monumental if British Sikhs were to follow the example set by the coalition........
The theme for the Sikh Freedom Lobby is ‘Sikh identity and appearance’ as this will keep the lobby more focused. Despite the theme of the lobby, individual Sikhs from different countries may lobby individual MEPs about other current issues they believe relevant in a European context, as they currently only visit Brussels on an annual basis. For example, although Sikhs were prevented from entering the European Parliament on 31 May 2006 they did raise a number of issues where they may wish to enquire about progress or what else can be done.
The first case concerning freedoms associated with the Sikh identity and appearance is likely to reach the European Court of Human rights in early June. We need to get several of the main party groupings together to influence the Court prior to the decision.
As we liaise with Sikhs across Europe the one concern that is being repeated is the need for some early written assurance from the administration/ security of the European Parliament that any Sikhs wearing a normal size Kirpan will not this time or in the future be prevented from entering the European Parliament. We will clarify the situation on Wednesday 2 May 2007. We are working with UK MEPs to obtain a written assurance from the highest authority in the European Parliament so practising Sikhs can avoid the situation that occurred last time.
Note:
Each MEP can sign in (accredit) a maximum of 9 people each day and may require information in advance about who is attending. Contact your MEP and inform him/her you will be taking part in the lobby at the European Parliament. Agree a time to meet the MEP and allow time for accreditation.
Email details of all meetings organised – Name of MEP, names of those meeting the MEP and the time of the meeting to info@sikhfederation.com
For more information contact any of those belonging to Sikh Lobby Networks in different European countries. Some contacts for each country are shown on the attached poster.
Tensions flared in Birmingham over the weekend and resulted in an orgy of violence in Handsworth Park in Birmingham during a Vasaikhi Mela , one man was critically injured and several others injured as a consequence of the eruption of violence............
Coalition here wants Ottawa to allow two organizations linked to violence
Kim Bolan, Vancouver Sun
Published: Tuesday, April 17, 2007
A coalition of Canadian Sikhs is putting forward a new "Sikh agenda for the Canadian government" to make a series of demands, including reversing a ban on terrorist organizations and support for the creation of a separate Sikh country called Khalistan, The Vancouver Sun has learned.
A draft of the eight-point program was posted on a popular Sikh chatroom April 12 to elicit support and comments from members of the Canadian Sikh community.
The comprehensive document says it is important for Sikhs in Canada to have a common position in lobbying the federal government and opposition members of Parliament.
"An eight-point Sikh agenda is being launched on the eve of the next national elections in Canada to make public a distinct range of aims and objectives for the Canadian Sikh community," says the document pre-amble.
"The Sikh agenda has been arrived at after widespread consultation and represents the aspirations of the disparate parts of the Canadian Sikh community. It is hoped the agenda will be progressed over the next four years with the Canadian government, the Opposition and individual members of Parliament."
The most contentious points in the document call for removal of the terrorist ban on Sikh separatist groups and support for the Khalistan movement.
In June 2003, the Canadian government outlawed the Babbar Khalsa, blamed in the 1985 Air India bombing, as well as the International Sikh Youth Federation, some members of which were convicted of political violence in Canada.
Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day said Monday the Conservative government has no intention of delisting any terrorist organizations, including the Babbar Khalsa or the ISYF.
"It is certainly not the position of the government of Canada to delist, nor to get in any way involved in this question of separatism in India," Day said.
"Our position clearly is when it comes to listing terrorist groups, safety and security of Canadians is number one."
The online document says Sikhs need to work to "make known and explain the reasons why Sikhs want to establish an independent sovereign state of Khalistan to the Canadian public, political organizations and the Canadian government."
It calls for an "increase of political pressure on the Canadian government to have the ban removed in Canada and to clear the name of the many thousands that previously belonged to and associated with the banned organizations since 1984."
The Sikh agenda also calls for greater Sikh political representation, government funding for Sikh schools and Punjabi language training.
A British group called the Sikh Federation (UK) posted the Canadian Sikh agenda and stresses that community members don't have to support every item in the document.
UK PM sends Vaisakhi Message to Sikh community Wednesday 11th of April 2007
Its Great News , The PM has given the Sikhs in the United Kingdom of Great Britain yet another Pat on the back for their way of life, tolerance of others and principles of the Faith. Perhaps he can now look at safeguarding the Sikh identity/way of life he compliments from the growing ills of ignorance and Race hatred within the UK. Perhaps not...........
I am pleased to send my very best wishes to the Sikh community in Britain for the festival of Vaisakhi.
This is a time for Sikhs here in Britain and right across the world to come together to celebrate their faith, history and tradition. The principles of the Sikh faith are inspiring - equality, an obligation to help those who are less fortunate than themselves, tolerance and respect for other individuals, communities and faiths.
As you celebrate Vaisakhi, we can all reflect on the valuable role that the Sikh community plays in Britain and your contribution to our economy, society and national life.
Why am I wandering from temple to temple looking for God?
When I stop searching, I realise that God is in me and I am in God.”
Kabir, Dhanasree, GURU GRANTH SAHIB
Date: 9th April 2007
Contact: jagdeesh singh
SIKH COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK, Slough
2007 VAISAKHI MESSAGE OF PEACE:
Care for the Planet, Care for Animals!
On 14th April 2007, the global 22 million Sikh population will mark its national day. Vaisakhi represents the beginning of the annual Sikh-Panjaabi year, based on the natural cycle of seasons in Panjaab. Sikhs activists in Slough will use the occasion to highlight the need for positive Sikh action for the planet and animals.
Sikh ethics urge positive respect for the earth and its animal creatures. Sikh ideals speak of a wholesome, collective existence between the diverse species and natural processes of the earth. "Sikh ideals celebrate the air, the rain, the sky, the diversity of animals, the mountains and the seen and unseen panorama of creation. All aspects of life - human, animal, bird, reptile, oceans, forests, rivers, sky and more - represent an equal and interconnected part of natural EARTHLY CREATION."
Sikh ideals, expressed through the seminal lives of Ten Gurus, from 1469 to 1708, speak passionately about the interconnection between earth, animals and human life. The Gurus lived and demonstrated an earth-conscious lifestyle. They lived in the woods; slept amongst grass and forests; washed in natural waterways and rivers; travelled by foot and horse; respected and cared for animals; and, ate a plant based natural diet. They spoke of the wonders and splendours of the earthly creation. 'Pavan Guru Pani Pitha, Matta Dharth Mahat' - The Air is the Guru, Water is the father, and Earth is the paramount mother.
"Wonderful are the animated beings and their distinctions. Their forms and their colours. Wonderful are the winds, the waters, and the fires that play wonders. Wonderful is the earth, and the sources of production."
Guru Nanak, Asa ki Vaar, Guru Granth Sahib
Sikh principles stress the EARTH is a sacred creation and a supreme mother of worldkind. "The Sikh Gurus demonstrated a positive love for the earth and its creatures. They spoke of a natural spiritual and ecological unity of life between them all; a unity of trust, interdependence and oneness. They opposed its unnatural fragmentation into sectarian races and species and the dominance of human interests and desires that we are witnessing globally."
Sikh belief attributes the entirety of earthly life to a supreme creator, manifest through the diversity of nature around us. Sikh ethics stress becoming one with the Creator by harmonising with universal natural creation, and not living against it - living by hukam (Hukam Rajai Chalana, Nanak Likhia Naal). Sikh principles stress life is a spiritual journey and earth is a spiritual home (before passing onto a higher life dependent on ethical living). The benevolent treatment of fellow humans, animals and ecology is a central part of that conscientious life. "All earthly life pulsates with the benevolent infusion of the global creator. For this loving creation and sustenance, all that the creator asks is love and harmony to all aspects of creation." Protection of the earth and its animals from the savagery of human egotistical actions is central part of ethical Sikh living.
The living earth and diverse life forms, are in peril due to centuries of pollution, hunting, animal killing, deforestation and wasteful consumption that human elites have inflicted on it. Rich powerful humans have dominated and subjugated the earth for so long, rather than live in harmony and equal respect with it. "Human leaders have self-assumed superiority over the earth and its natural creatures. They have battered, poisoned and tortured the earth. How much longer can we expect the earth to silently accept that oppression." Sikhs believe in the power of HUKAM (unrecognised by governments and worldly authorities) of the one ever present creator, and the ability of the same to react and give humanity a telling response through acts of natural upheaval and otherwise.
- THE END -
FACTS & FIGURES:
Over 40 million cattle, calves, sheep, pigs and 800 million poultry are slaughtered each year for meat in Britain. (RSPCA).
Every year, the global fur industry kills more than 55 million animals for fashion (fur coats, leather garments, perfumes, etc). (RSPCA)
In Canada, the annual cull of seals is currently underway: "270,000 seals will be killed in this year's cull - from which the pelts (fur) are exported for the fashion trade, mainly to Europe and East Asia. There are real fears that some of the seals - some of which are under three months old - remain conscious when skinned." (RSPCA)
Each year in Britain, we throw away 28 million tonnes of household rubbish; equivalent in weight to 3.5 million double-decker buses.
Each British mother uses for 5,850 nappies for their baby, equivalent to 8 million every day.
Every British household throws away 6 trees worth of paper.
If all alumininium cans sold in a year were recycled, there would 12 million fewer full dustbins each year.
In Slough we produce over 60,000 tonnes of rubbish each year - equivalent to 7,500 double-decker buses.
In Britain, we landfill 300 million square miles of land with rubbish each year. Equal to 28,450 Manchester United football grounds.
In South America, an area equal to Scotland and England has has been stripped of natural forests.
70% of the global ocean life has been exterminated due to intense fishing practises.
Britons throw away 1/3 of the food they buy, week by week; equalling 3.3 million tonnes whilst billions of people in Africa, India, Central Asia and Far East starve.
During Christmas, Britons throw away the equivalent of 400,000 double-decker buses of paper and food waste combined.
Irish Sikh community participate at St Patrick's Festival Parade in Ireland
Wednesday 21st of March 2007 (Panthic Weekly)
Satwinder Singh, PR officer, Irish Sikh Council
Dublin, Ireland - Irish Sikh Community displayed their rich cultural heritage this weekend by participating at the St Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin, one of the most celebrated events in Ireland.
The Sikh pageant was organised by Irish Sikh Council. With the theme of the parade being 'Legendaries', the Sikh community pageant was titled "Portraits of Courage" displaying the sheer valour and the vibrant cultural beauty that marked the golden era of Sikh rule in Punjab.
The two hour parade route was flocked by millions of spectators. Parade was kick-started at Parnell Square on a very positive note and the response received was outstanding. The outfits of both the gatka players and dancers were a fresh addition to the diverse assortment of costumes at the event and did not fail to engage the interest of onlookers. Parade was also watched by Honourable President Mrs Mary McAleese and Prime Minister Mr Bertie Ahern.
All the participants gave brilliant performance and despite the fact that both the Gatka demonstration and the dances were a bit more physically demanding than merely strutting along in the parade, as they required continuous expert body movement and synchronisation, all the participants had trained hard enough and were prepared to deliver their best. The performance also included a 9 feet Sikh warrior puppet and a float carrying the Nagara (Drum) that was specially brought over from UK for the event.
Fortunately enough, the rain too kept off for the two hours, while the cooling light drizzle was rather welcome. The parade drew over half million spectators and was broadcast live in Ireland and Germany. Over 70 TV channels from around the globe including Channel Punjab covered the event.
For a community just establishing itself, the pressure was immense to live up to the expectations of the parade, which is famous for its elaborate floats and colourful performances. Irish Sikh Council collaborated with Baba Deep Singh Gatka Akhara (Ireland), Baba Ajit Singh Gatka Akhara (UK).
A lot of ground work went into preparing the performance. As per Harpreet Singh, President of Irish Sikh Council,
"Preparations started from the Day 1 when we submitted application for participation at the parade in September last year. From drafting the theme on paper to presenting the performance at the parade, every member of Sikh community put lot of efforts in making this event a big success. Young children aged 5 and above enthusiastically practiced Gatka, every weekend regularly for nearly 6 months. After- school sessions were demanding on them, yet their enthusiasm and excitement was enough to ward off any lethargy." The skills of Irish Gatka team were brushed up by Surinder Singh and Gurmeet Singh Gill of Baba Deep Singh Gatka Akhara. Generating finances for the parade participation was another challenge for Irish Sikh Council. "We were provided 50% of funds by the St Patrick's Festival Office. Raising another 50% was a big challenge. But we were surprised to see the immense support of the Sikh community. The remaining funds were raised with in days" said Hardip Singh, treasurer for Irish Sikh Council.
"It was not work of a single person. Voluntary service by number of community members and support of the St Patrick Festival Office went a big way in helping organise the pageant. Designing of floats, arranging PA systems, booking training halls, choreography and a lot of other efforts went into preparing for the day", Satwinder Singh, PR Officer, Irish Sikh Council.
"Sikhs are a law abiding, hardworking and vibrant community and have always given more then their capacity to the countries they live in. Irish Sikhs feel proud to have been part of the national festival of Ireland and thank everyone who helped achieve this."
to check out more pictures of the event go to.......
Since creating the Blog 'Ethnic confusion Britain' we have managed to uncover some very morose facts about modern day Britain. We surveyed 50 Turbanned Sikh men across the United Kingdom of various ages and turban colours, across the major Towns and Cities including London and Birmingham , areas of arguably significant Sikh populations. From those Surveyed 60% claimed to have been a victim of Race Hate since 9/11 and 7/7 and of those who were victims 50% claimed to have been referred to as 'Bin Laden'.
These are Sad Facts of the ignorance of modern day Britain, inspite of the Rich contribution of Sikhs to the vibrance, economy and life of Britain. We have been the indirect victims of Islamic Terror versus the West due to the ignorance of our faith and religious symbols, primarily the Sikh turban.The government of India and Britian don't really seem to be concerned even though many in the community have raised this issue. Hindus and Jews face the same challenges but all three religious communties seem to be David's in terms of media coverage as compared to the Muslim Goliath media machine which harps on about 'Islamophobia' every 2 minutes.
Jagdeesh Singh has summarised the feelings of a vast majority of UK Sikhs in the link below.................
In Hillsborough, Sikhs come together to worship God and honor their guru.
Then came Sept. 11, 2001.
After that, teenagers called him a terrorist as he shopped with his daughter at Bed, Bath & Beyond. Administrators at a Pinellas County private school refused to admit his children unless they cut their hair. Perplexed, Singh found another, more tolerant school.
Sikhs, Singh and others at the temple say, have a problem: Few people know who they are and what they believe.
"People misunderstand our identity," said Devinder Sethi, a Tampa business owner and manager of the gurdwara. "We are not Muslim. We are Sikh. I'm really proud of my religion."
Still Singh, like others, feels pressure to fit in. He wants his children to become sports stars and help break down barriers for Sikhs in the public square.
"I was trying to tell my kids, 'You need to become a golfer and a tennis player so everybody will see you on television so they can see that Sikhs are like us,'" Singh said. "I tried my hardest, but my kids have so much homework. I'm still pushing them."
Young men at the temple learn to perfect answering questions from curious classmates about their headdress.
"I've been teaching them and enlightening them about what Sikhism is all about," said Neal Singh, a 16-year-old sophomore at Palm Harbor University High School. "It's made me strong in my beliefs and my faith."
Still, the adults and children know the road to widespread understanding of their religion looms long. Most Americans can't even properly pronounce their religion's name. It rhymes with stick, not seek. And many Sikhs lack religious knowledge too. [Link]
Kabir Singh (in white) hands off the Guru, a book of scripture, to Dr. Mohan Singh as they put it to bed in a modest room the size of a closet in the Sikh Gurdwara temple in Thonotasassa
Sikhs primarily come from the Punjab, a province of Northern India. Sikhs are one of the most visible minorities. With his beard and turban, a Sikh can be identified in any crowd. Still they are perhaps the least understood as a people. Not many people know about the beliefs, practices and ethics of the Sikhs, and still fewer will understand their significance.Being a Sikh, it gives me a great pleasure to write about my people’s participation in the two World Wars, a look at the brief history of the Sikh people and their contribution in World Wars.
Right from the ancient period of the Indus Valley civilization (3000 BC), the Punjab has played a significant role in the history of India. Its geographic location makes it the gateway of India from the northwest. All through the ages, the fertility of its plains became the cause of its wealth as also the reason for many invasions. Hardened with the extremes of climate that exist in the region, it soon became the birthplace of a war-like people. The Sikh religion originated in India in the fifteenth century.
Guru Nanak, the founder of the religion, preached oneness of God and brotherhood of man. At that time Hinduism and Islam were the predominant religions in India; and relations between the two communities were not good. Guru Nanak preached dignity of man and tolerance for the viewpoint of others: "The World is burning, O Lord, Save it, O Save it, by whichever door it pleases thee."(Guru Granth: The holy book).
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Thursday, March 15, 2007
Australia: Sikh made to get off Qantas flight
The Indian community in Queenstown is upset after a Sikh hotel worker was made to get off a Qantas flight last week as some passengers thought he could be a terrorist.
Harminder Singh Mavi had boarded a routine Qantas flight between Queenstown and Auckland March 7, but was requested to disembark minutes before the flight took off.
'I was shocked and I left the plane because I was a bit afraid someone might take my turban off. I was embarrassed. I had not done anything,' Mavi said.
'People either side of me were saying they don't want me on here. One of the ladies told another guy that she was not comfortable with me on the plane,' he added.
Mavi is planning to leave Queenstown because of the embarrassing incident.
Upset members of Queenstown's Indian community have urged him to file a complaint with the human rights commission and consider suing Qantas, according to scene.co.nz [Link] more»
Congratulations to the Voice and Andrew Clunis on writing a superb article and picking up on an issue which has effected many Sikhs in the UK and beyond. more»
Today we live in a fragile society where 7/7 in London has caused a rift between Society. Sikhs have a historical record for fighting injustice throughout their troubled history right through from the Boiling alive of the 5th Guru Arjan Dev Ji by the Moghul Emperor Jahanghir through to the Decapitation of the 9th Guru Tegh Bahadur in Delhi in 1675 by the Moghul Emperor Aurungzeb.Guru Tegh Bahadur Stood up for the Hindus who were being forcefully converted to Islam across Moghul India. Sargarhi is just yet another example of the Bravery of Sikhs in this instance serving under the British in what is still to this day one of the most troublesome regions of the Globe. Sikhs and Non Sikhs lets keep reminding ourselves of this History and contribution to the Free World. more»
Divided we fall -Americans in the aftermath , is a documentary film made by Valarie Kaur in the US following on from the backlash against Sikhs and Arab looking peoples in the US post 9/11.
We can learn alot from this film as in the UK a similar backlash occurred against Sikhs following on from 7/7 , arguably though not to the same degree as in the US. We live in a world of ignorance , where people assume someone brown,turbanned or just different is a terrorist. I experienced this first hand in Venice when the young Italian children saw me they assumed i was a muslim terrorist due to my turban. Is it not time we tried to educate the massess? or perhaps we can stagnate and forget about the responsibility that lies on our shoulders, thus destroying any glimmer of hope for the future generations to come...........
Valarie Kaur has kindly provided feedback for this article on 'ethnicconfusionbritain'
' Thank you for your support of the movie, Hardeep. The story in the film is not just an American story - but a story that concerns every multicultural community struggling with pluralism. I agree with you that supporting the recognition of Sikhs is deeply important, not just for our community but for all communities - for if people are able to recognize turbaned Sikhs on the street as 'one of them' we will have gone a long way in including all differences - race, religion, gender, orientation - as part of the human mosaic.'
Film maker Valarie Kaur traveled the USA following the 9/11 attacks to hear the stories of Americans who were victimized by people angered by the terrorist acts. This Sikh man in California found his property vandalized. ( Image courtesy The Fresno Bee (Photo: Christian Parlay)
please see attached an article that ECB contributed towards the Sikh Times in Nov 2006.........
