Sikhs in Britain suffering from racism

[Jeevan]

WJKK

WJKF

As a Sikh born, educated and working in Britain, I am only now begginning to become aware of 'subtle' racism rather the obvious physical and verbal abuse. For example when I was at school, I wanted to take O level French as an option but was persuaded not even though the my grade never slipped below A mark. My French teacher advised me against taking the language as an option. The excuse was while my written assessments were excellent but my verbal skills were lacking. Surely though this comes with practice and interaction? I speak fluent English and Punjabi and can understand dialects of Hindi, Urdu etc. At no time did I ever attend Punjabi school or classes but being part of the Punjabi heritage we pick up and learn so why couldn't I have mastered the French language.

On the work front I worked for a NHS Trust in London, even with the right qualification &, experience etc myself and other Sikhs were never considered for management and the Trust always picked white foreigners from South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, etc. what is this about? I spoke to some Moslems friends and they said 'funny that' because they had noticed and thought it was just them.

Then there are the amount of times I get pulled over by the Police on 'routine matters'.

Please post up your 'subtle experiences' of racism.

[Mahavir]

The "look".

No one can document it or capture it on video, yet it has been spotted by every visible Sikh.

[Khalsa Fauji]

Gurfateh!!

I think it differs from place to place, because where i am there are not many Gursikhs or even keshdharis, and alot of people do not hesitate to enquire about why i wear a "turban" or why i have a beard, and it feels good to know that you've shown them an insight into Sikhi that they never would have seen. One gora was in the shopping que before me and he saw me and he said, "you're a very religious looking person, may God bless you" i was so taken back but felt so proud that we have an identity,

But you're always going to get "the look" it's just because many people don't know what we are and human instinct is fear if something doesnt look the same, but alot of those people are curious, i don't think they're racist.

Anyway thats my point of view. :TH:

Bhul Chuk Maaf

Gurfateh!!

[Gupat Singhni]

hmm,

I have to be honest and say that I have not experienced that much racism, even subtle. Teachers have their own agenda's as to why the do not want you to do a certain class. They usually encourage you to take another class that lacks numbers so they get financial resources.

Regarding the promotion of South African's etc..Well the reason the NHS does that is because in most cirmcumstances it is cheaper to promote them. They can pay them less. It's really sad but that is the way it works. That is why there are lots of foreign nurses. The NHS can pay them less, therefore the NHS can save money..

But I do agree that there is some racism, but it is a lot better than it was. I have only seen in institutes such as the army etc.

[kurtas]

WJKK

WJKF

As a Sikh born, educated and working in Britain, I am only now begginning to become aware of 'subtle' racism rather the obvious physical and verbal abuse. For example when I was at school, I wanted to take O level French as an option but was persuaded not even though the my grade never slipped below A mark. My French teacher advised me against taking the language as an option. The excuse was while my written assessments were excellent but my verbal skills were lacking. Surely though this comes with practice and interaction? I speak fluent English and Punjabi and can understand dialects of Hindi, Urdu etc. At no time did I ever attend Punjabi school or classes but being part of the Punjabi heritage we pick up and learn so why couldn't I have mastered the French language.

On the work front I worked for a NHS Trust in London, even with the right qualification &, experience etc myself and other Sikhs were never considered for management and the Trust always picked white foreigners from South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, etc. what is this about? I spoke to some Moslems friends and they said 'funny that' because they had noticed and thought it was just them.

Then there are the amount of times I get pulled over by the Police on 'routine matters'.

Please post up your 'subtle experiences' of racism.

NHS is well known for racism when it comes to promoting Sikhs.

I remember going to the graduate assesment centre and the only reason they could find for not giving me a job was because they thought I would do better in the private sector. Strange that because if I had wanted to work in the private sector I would not have applied. Anyhow I met a person who was selelcted for the scheme and she left after two days.

Another time I went to a large Insurance company in Manchester and the excuse they gave me was I was not funny enough. Strange that because I was known at work as being a comedy genius.

I think for some graduate assesment centres they invite a few Sikhs to make the numbers up for their equal opportunity returns. They have no intention of actually recruiting a Sikh.

[Getae]

I saw that undercover cop BBC documentary, you guys have a serious problem with racism in the UK.

[Jeevan]

Thank you to all those who have added their comments.

In Britain the Sikhs have done very well out of education and business. However more and more Sikh children do not want to take over from mum and dad in running the business. Therefore in the job market we are finding alot more Sikhs in the public sector and unfortunately racism is a big part of British Society. Mum and Dads' shop is hardly going to be racist against their own kids? So now a new generation of Sikhs who now have degrees are trying to make/break in to professions are being exposed to racism that they they have been protected from before.

[Jeevan]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/race/story/0,113...1394292,00.html

Asians yet to gain quango job equality

Vikram Dodd

Thursday January 20, 2005

The Guardian

The majority of government departments are failing to appoint a fair number of Asians to jobs on powerful public bodies, says a survey published today.

Eleven of 18 departments fail to appoint Asians in proportion to their numbers in Britain, says the survey, seen by the Guardian. A foreword written by the prime minister admits "there is still much to do".

The worst was the Northern Ireland Office, with four Asians in 1,002 quango posts available; at the the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, five out of 788 posts went to Asians, - 0.63% of the total, when Asians make up 3.96% of the population.

The survey of quango appointments since May 2004 was compiled by Labour MP Keith Vaz, with the help of the public sector union Unison. The departments declined to help with data; it is unclear whether they had the figures, or lacked data since appointments to quangos do not have to be ethnically monitored. Last night a Cabinet Office spokesman surmised that they did have the data.

The survey took a year of parliamentary questions. Asian appointments could be identified by their names, but an attempt to find out how many African-Caribbeans had been appointed had to be dropped because they were not easily identifiable.

Other poor departments include constitutional affairs, 1.3%, transport, 2.2%, defence, 2.3%, and education, 2.4%. The Scottish Office appointed no Asians, but s

ince May 2004 made four appointments only.

Departments doing well include international development, 9.5%, health, 6.5%, and the Foreign Office, 5.4%.

Mr Vaz said ministers should insist shortlists for quangos included one Asian and one African-Caribbean person.

"The pool of talent is there," he said. "Whitehall departments are not taking seriously the commitment that has been shown by the prime minister that Britain is a culturally diverse society."

In his foreword, Tony Blair writes: "I would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm the government's commitment to improving the representation of people from ethnic minority backgrounds on the boards of public bodies, subject of course to the principle of selection on merit.

"The government recognises that there is still much to do in this area. I can confirm that this issue remains at the top of our diversity agenda."

A survey in 1998 showed eight cabinet ministers, including the prime minister, had failed to appoint a single Asian to any public body since Labour came to power in 1997.

Across government, Asians made up 1.7% of appointments, a figure the latest survey shows has now nearly doubled. The earlier survey found 16 departments had failed to appoint Asians in proportion to their numbers in Britain.