LAMBETH PALACE MUST EXPLAIN ABSENCE OF SIKHS

[JagtarSinghKhalsa]

SIKH FEDERATION (UK)

PRESS RELEASE

Sunday 10 July 2005

LAMBETH PALACE ASKED TO EXPLAIN ABSENCE OF SIKH INVOLVEMENT IN FAITH LEADERS' STATEMENT

Senior religious leaders this afternoon issued a joint statement following Thursday's terrorist attacks in London. The leaders included the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, the Free Churches Moderator, Dr David Coffey, the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, Sir Jonathan Sacks, and the Chair of the Council of Mosques & Imams, Sheikh Dr Zaki Badawi.

The Sikh Federation (UK) became aware of the statement this morning after it was mentioned on BBC Radio 4's Sunday programme. At 9.30am Lambeth Palace was asked to confirm whether or not a Sikh representative was invited to take part and if not why not. It was clear from the evasive reply that it was not simply an oversight, but almost certainly that the one "acceptable" Sikh leader was probably not available for some reason or the other and Lambeth Palace had been advised not to invite any other Sikh.

The Federation asked to see a copy of the Faith Leaders' Statement before its issue and despite the short notice said it could arrange to send a Sikh representative to Lambeth Palace for the planned press conference in the afternoon. It was explained that Sikhs are the largest and most visible ethnic minority, were being mistakenly targeted and it was important that they were represented at such events. Those at Lambeth Palace failed to realise the significance of a Sikh absence and only sent a draft of the statement around 30 minutes before its official release.

Sikhs are now not only being ignored by senior politicians during their public speeches, but also by faith leaders that should know much better. There have now been reports of two Sikh Gurdwaras being attacked in Erith and in Leeds and the attack on a Sikh bus driver in Denmark shows the "mistaken identity" problem is spreading. Politicians and faith leaders can not be allowed to get away with ignoring the Sikh community. Their attitude is totally unacceptable and must be challenged. We must also ask questions of ourselves - how have we got into a situation where one or two Sikhs are the public face of the entire Sikh community? We now have hundreds of talented Sikhs that would be more than able to represent Sikhs at such events, where it is crucial Sikhs participate and are "seen" to participate.

Gurjeet Singh

National Press Secretary

Sikh Federation (UK)

1. The full statement issued by the Sikh Federation (UK) on Thursday 7 July after the terrorist attacks is at: http://www.sikhfederation.com/news/pr_london_blast.htm

2. A second statement issued on Saturday 9 July about "Mistaken identity" is at: http://www.sikhfederation.com/news/pr_mistaken_identity.htm

[Cksinghani]

Tgis is seroiusly taking the p**s what is going on why are the sikhs suddenly a target. And you cant tell me there were no other representatives other than this one guy who was unavailable if that is the case then we are to blame for not having more representatives for the sikhs in the UK

[kurtas]

Who is this specially selected Sikh leader who could not attend ?

[total bir rass]

This is F*ck*in pathetic, I think we should take up the offer with the skin heads that is the only real offer we have been made to get our points across where are all the Sikh leaders, don’t this show we need a country of our own so our political leaders could put pressure on the British government, this makes me so vex.

[Cksinghani]

I just cant undersatnd we have so many sikhs out there that are theoligists or are appropriate to reresent sikhism taht they could not find nayone else other tahn one guy who no one knows :<Edited>:

[sikh supreme]

Who is this specially selected Sikh leader who could not attend ?

108132[/snapback]

They mite be talking about the elderly gentleman Inderjit Singh, editor of a Sikh magazine. And who regularly attends these kinds of services. But i dont know for sure.

[JagtarSinghKhalsa]

Who is this specially selected Sikh leader who could not attend ?

108132[/snapback]

They mite be talking about the elderly gentleman Inderjit Singh, editor of a Sikh magazine. And who regularly attends these kinds of services. But i dont know for sure.

108143[/snapback]

You've hit the nail on the head.

Some people are already asking him serious questions about this and his meeting with the Home Secretary on Friday. He has yet to provide any feedback.

[kurtas]

Who is this specially selected Sikh leader who could not attend ?

108132[/snapback]

They mite be talking about the elderly gentleman Inderjit Singh, editor of a Sikh magazine. And who regularly attends these kinds of services. But i dont know for sure.

108143[/snapback]

You've hit the nail on the head.

Some people are already asking him serious questions about this and his meeting with the Home Secretary on Friday. He has yet to provide any feedback.

108147[/snapback]

He is very well spoken and articulate. Besides that know nothing more about him.

As to Muslims getting invites etc, one thing I have notice is that they are more politically active and very good at forming block votes in local Labour constituencies. So when they want action, things get done as the MP is scared of being deselected or losing the Muslim block vote. I urge all Sikhs to join local political parties (just to get some representation). Until we do the only government invites/interaction we are going to get are the election time visits of MPs to Gurdwara seeking votes.