The Sikh Coalition Newsletter

Justice for All - The Weekly Newsletter
Vaisakh 27, Nanakshahi Samvat 534
May 10, 2002
Volume 8

COALITION HONORS GOVERNMENT, MEDIA, NGOs At FIRST ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET
On May 14, 2002, The Sikh Coalition will be honoring champions of tolerance and respect within government, the media and NGO community at its first annual awards banquet. Fourteen persons, including Senator Richard Durbin, Congressmen Mike Honda and Christopher Shays, and Deborah Kong of the Associated Press will be honored for their contributions to the well being of the Sikh American community in the wake of 9/11. For more information go to:
http://www.sikhcoalition.org/upcoming_20020514.asp

NEW JERSEY BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVES REQUEST TO INCLUDE SIKH HOLIDAYS ON OFFICIAL SCHOOL CALENDAR
On May 1, 2002, the New Jersey State Board of Education approved a request to have Sikh holidays included on its official school calendar. The holidays included are according to the Nanakshai calendar. The holidays included are: Vaisakhi; Guru Arjun's Dev Ji’s Martyrdom day; Guru Tegh Bahadur's Martyrdom day; Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s Birthday and Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Birthday. Rani Kaur (Goomer) led the effort to have the holidays included with assistance from various New Jersey gurdwaras and the Coalition. For more information on how you may approach your state board of education to make the same request, please contact: info@sikhcoalition.org.

COALITION TESTIFIES BEFORE NEW JERSEY CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSION
On May 7, 2002, the Coalition testified on hate crimes and airport profiling against Sikh Americans before the New Jersey Advisory Committee to the United Stated Civil Rights Commission. The New Jersey Advisory Committee provides civil rights information to the United States Commission on Civil Rights, the primary civil rights fact-finding body in the U.S. government. Ravinder Singh (Bhalla) appeared on behalf of the Coalition. His remarks can be viewed at http://www.sikhcoalition.org/pr.asp?mainaction=viewpr&prid=53.

COALITION PRESENTS AIRPORT PROFILING ISSUES TO APAICS
On May 3, 2002, the Coalition made a presentation on airport profiling issues affecting the Sikh American community before the Asian Pacific American Institute of Congressional Studies (APAICS). Many of the members in attendance were elected Asian Pacific American government officials from around the United States. APAICS seeks to politically empower Asian Pacific Americans and facilitate their entry into electoral politics. To find out more about APAICS go to: http://www.apaics.org/.

COALITION MARCHES ON BEHALF OF AMRIC SINGH AT SIKH DAY PARADE
On April 20, 2002, as part of the Coalition’s efforts in the NYPD turban matter, 40 volunteers marched together at the annual Sikh Day Parade in New York City under a banner stating, “Sikhs want to Serve in the NYPD.” The volunteers also wore T-shirts saying “Allow Sikhs in the NYPD.” One member of the Coalition was interviewed by 1010 WINS, New York City’s largest news radio station. Another member was interviewed by the Richmond Hill Times.

GURDWARAS IN WASHINGTON, CALIFORNIA, NEW JERSEY AND MINNESOTA JOIN NYPD FIGHT
Like the Gurdwaras in Atlanta and Detroit, Gurdwaras in Washington (Seattle), Minnesota, New Jersey, and California (San Jose, Fremont and Hayward) have started campaigns to collect signatures and signed petitions to the NYPD on the Amric Singh matter. Please go to http://www.sikhcoalition.org/amricsingh.asp to print a copy of the petition and flyers in Punjabi to share with your local sangat and get their support for this cause.

COALITION COMMENDS THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR INCLUDING RACE, ETHNICITY, RELIGION COMPLAINTS IN MONTHLY REPORT
The Coalition commends the Office of Aviation Enforcement Proceedings of the Department of Transportation for including for the first time in its monthly Air Travel Consumer Report, the number of complaints submitted to it alleging discrimination on the basis of race, religion, national origin or sex. The report was released on May 6, 2002. It can be found at: http://www.dot.gov/airconsumer/atcr02.htm.

COALITION SUPPORTS RENONMINATION OF PAUL IGASACKI TO THE EEOC
On May 3, 2002, the Coalition signed on to a letter from various Asian American organizations calling for the renomination of Vice-Chairman Paul Igasaki to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. As a member of the Commission, Vice-Chairman Igasaki has gone out of his way to reach out to the Sikh community. He represents a sympathetic voice to minority concerns. To find out more about the Vice-Chairman Igasaki go to: http://www.eeoc.gov/igasaki.html

COALITION REGRETS U.S. GOVERNMENT’S LACK OF SUPPORT FOR ICC
On May 6, 2002, the U.S. government announced that it would not support nor cooperate with the newly created International Criminal Court. The Coalition regrets the decision by the U.S. government to not support a mechanism for international justice where national institutions have failed to bring perpetrators of grave violations of human rights to justice. To find out more about the ICC and the U.S. position, go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/06/international/06CND-TREA.html.


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