The Sikh Coalition Newsletter

Justice for All - The e-Newsletter
Phagan 8, 534 NanakShahi
February 19, 2003
Volume 20

Coalition Again Successfully Defends Sikh Right to Kirpan

On February 12, 2003, Avtar Singh, Hardeep Singh and Sukhjeet Singh of Montreal, Canada were driving to Maryland in the United States to import domes for Montreal's largest Gurdwara, Guru Nanak Darbar. The domes are manufactured in Maryland. While loading their vehicle in Maryland after picking up the domes, four police cars encircled them at approximately 7 p.m. EST. They were subsequently searched and the police discovered that Avtar Singh and Hardeep Singh had the kirpan on their persons. Both were taken to the Scagville precinct in Maryland, while Sukhjeet Singh was left behind.

Sukhjeet Singh called his congregation in Montreal. He was advised to contact the Sikh Coalition. Last year, the Coalition had successful defended the right of two Sikhs, also from Montreal, to wear the kirpan. Sukhjeet Singh contacted the Sikh Coalition at 7:15 pm. After much effort, the Coalition was able to contact an Officer Adams at the Scagville precinct and informed him that he had two innocent men in custody because the kirpan is not a mere weapon; but rather a sacred article of faith. The officer hesitated to talk over the phone and requested written representation regarding the kirpan and the requirement of carrying it.

After putting together a two page letter together with 14 pages of legal precedent, the Coalition faxed to the letter and documentation to Sukhjeet Singh Maryland at 8:15 p.m. Sukhjit Singh hand delivered the letter and supporting documentation to the police station. After reviewing the letter, the Scagville precinct released both Avtar Singh and Hardeep Singh at approximately 9:00 p.m.

The Guru Nanak Darbar president, Gurjant Singh, thanked the activists at the Sikh Coalition who have worked to protect the right to wear a kirpan for more than 10 Sikhs since September 11th. In a time of heightened security alert in the United States, the Coalition is working on a number of legal cases to defend the rights of innocent Sikhs. If you or someone you know finds that their civil liberties are being violated, please feel free to contact the Sikh Coalition at legal@sikhcoalition.org. Our able legal team and the Coalition's member organizations are here to protect those in need.

Coalition Remembers the Japanese Internment Experience: Asks Rep. Coble to apologize

The Sikh Coalition is appalled to hear the comments made by Rep. Howard Coble, R-N.C., chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security that the incarceration was justified for the safety of the Japanese Americans. It is very unfortunate that a representative who is so closely associated with providing security to Americans subscribes to these views in this day and time. It is even more disturbing that as a member of the subcommittee, he is in a position to promote these racial attitudes directly or indirectly.

Rep. Coble's inflammatory and distasteful language is highly offensive and objectionable, not only to the Japanese community but to all Americans who believe in the Freedom and Justice for ALL citizens.

Take action, please visit the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) issues center.

Coalition and JACL conduct workshop, "Civil Liberties: Then and Now"

The Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) conducted a one day education conference in Auburn, WA on "The Japanese American Incarceration: Civil Liberties Then and Now" for teachers and educators from the State of Washington. The focus of the conference was to provide tools to the teachers to educate the children about the importance of civil liberties and the Japanese Internment experience for the 1940s. Desho provided access to oral testimonies from survivors of that experience.

The Sikh Coalition conducted a workshop along with JACL on "Civil Liberties: Then and Now" . The focus was on trying to draw parallel between the Japanese experience and the experience of many communities such as the Muslims, Arabs, Somalis and the Sikhs in context of 9/11. The workshop highlighted the challenges faced by the community both from hate incidents and from the government action profiling men from some of these communities. This was followed by a panel discussion where members from these communities shared their personal stories.

Coalition Presents to the Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS)

The Sikh Coalition conducted a workshop for the staff of The Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS) in Seattle, WA. Over 80 staff members participated in the workshop that presented information on Sikhism while also highlighting stereotypes and bias faced by Sikh men, women and children because of their distinct identity. As a part of the workshop the staff members also discussed possibilities of working with the Sikh community on various social welfare issues. ACRS has served thousands of Asians and Pacific Islanders in Seattle and King County. ACRS provides a wide array of social and behavioral health services in a multicultural, multilingual setting.

Coalition Assists Woman in Need

The Sikh Coalition provided legal and emotional assistance to a Sikh women facing domestic emotional and physical abuse. The Coalition assisted her with gaining access to appropriate legal resources and a translator to properly communicate her experiences to the court. The Sikh Coalition fully supports the equal rights of women as described by Sikh teachings.

If you are a Sikh women in an abusive situation requiring assistance please contact us at women@sikhcoalition.org.

Coalition "Sikhs in School" Program Reaches out to Schoolchildren

As a part of a continuing pilot program, "Sikhs in School", focused on educating school children throughout the Midwest, the Sikh Coalition conducted another workshop on Sikhism for school children in suburban Illinois. The workshop explained the Sikh identity and principles of faith. In addition, it helped children explore the hidden biases that affect our every day behavior towards people and things we don't understand. The workshop helped to personalize the Sikh experience in America, particularity that of Sikh schoolchildren.

Nearly 1000 thousand school children throughout the Midwest have been educated as a result of "Sikhs in School" series. The Coalition plans to continue to roll out this program to other parts of the country.

Sikh Lawyer Wins Right to Wear Turban - What Does it Mean to You ?

What Happened: On Thursday, January 15, 2003, the Federal Bureau of Prisons issued a clarification to its search policy for Sikh visitors. Specifically, the Bureau of Prisons stated that turbans may be searched only if there is a "’reasonable suspicion’ that the person is about to engage in or is engaging in criminal activity."

Background: On September 10, 2003, Ravinder Singh Bhalla, Esq., a Sikh attorney went to the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, New York, to visit a client. Though he successfully passed through the metal detector, he was told that he must remove his turban so it could be searched. When he refused to remove his turban, he was told that he would not be allowed into the prison to visit his client. Ravinder Singh mobilized the Sikh Coalition, SMART, and other Sikh attorneys to write letters of concern to the Federal Bureau of Prisons requesting modification of the blanket policy requiring removal and searches of all head coverings. The New York Times highly informative news article on the issue. The Sikh Coalition’s letter to the Bureau of Prisons.

What it Means for You: The "reasonable suspicion" standard that the Bureau of Prisons has adopted for Sikh visitors is the same standard used to determine whether to conduct a "strip search" of other areas of the body where a visitor entering the prison retains a legitimate expectation of bodily privacy. A search of the Sikh turban is now considered as more intrusive than a search of a visitor's "personal effects," such as their briefcase, purse, etc., and will be considered as justified only if there is some suspicion that the search is necessary to prevent the introduction of illegal contraband into the prison. In other words, if you visit a prison, the officials may not require you to remove your turban for a search unless they have an objective reason to believe you are hiding illegal contraband underneath your turban. This is likely to reduce the number of turban searches of Sikh prison visitors to zero.

The policy clarification by the Federal Bureau of Prisons has important, broader implications. It makes clear that a U.S. federal agency has instructed its employees that the turban is an article of faith and not a simple secular head covering. This view builds on the successful efforts of Sikhs in the United States to force government agencies to adopt the same non-discriminatory standards at airports and other security-sensitive areas.

For more information or legal assistance, please contact: legal@sikhcoalition.org

Seeking Equal Opportunity for Sikh Women in Panthic Seva

The Sikh Gurus unequivocally taught equality of women and men and put these tenets into practice by encouraging women to take leadership roles in all aspects of panthic life. However, today we have strayed from these teachings in many respects, and women are denied equal opportunity to perform seva at the Sikh capital in Amritsar, Darbar Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple).

Although a resolution was passed in 1966 by the Jathedars of four Takhats and the Shiromani Parbhandak Committee recognizing Sikh women’s equal right to perform Seva at Darbar Sahib, women are still not allowed to partake in early morning seva there, and no Sikh woman has yet been given the opportunity to perform kirtan at Darbar Sahib.

A petition has been started as an initial effort to reverse this situation. The petition states, “It is urgent and imperative that this denial of Seva to women be immediately rectified.” It calls for the enforcement of equal rights for women to participate in seva at Darbar Sahib and equal opportunity for women to be appointed as Granthis and leaders. These requirements are consistent with Sikhism and exemplify the teachings and practices of the Sikh Gurus.

The Sikh Coalition highly commends the efforts of the organizers of the petition. It is imperative that we show commitment to upholding the equality of women as a unified community. We therefore call upon all Sikhs to sign the petition.

To endorse the petition as an organization, or to find out how you can help, please email sevapetition@yahoo.ca.

More information on The Coalition’s Women’s Program
Further Reading on Darbar Sahib:The Golden Temple: Its Theo-political Status