JASBIR SINGH ONLY WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE NOVEMBER 1984 SIKH GENOCIDE ISSUE
Jasbir Singh, a victim of November 1984 Sikh Genocide has announced that he did not intend to self-immolate during G8/G20 summit in Toronto, instead his aim was to invite the world’s attention to the plight of victims of November 1984 Sikh Genocide. Thousands of innocent Sikhs were massacred in November 1984 and till to-date Indian Government has failed to prosecute any organizer of the killings. Jasbir Singh himself lost more than 20 members of his family in that massacre. Jasbir Singh saw Jagdish Tytler leading mobs that killed Sikhs. He is prime witness against Tytler who was given a clean chit in April 2010. Jagdish Tytler is leader of Congress (I) and was a Member of Indian Parliament in 1984 and up until recently.
Victims of 1984 Sikh Genocide are knocking every door to have their plea for justice heard. Recently, victims wrote a letter to Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India, asking for an in person meeting during his visit to Canada for G20 Summit. According to Sikhs for Justice, victims were hopeful that PM Singh will entertain their request for meeting and victims will be able to vindicate their concerns with PM Singh. However, PM Singh as of now has not responded to the request of the victims. Although private individuals in Canada and India has indicated that they could set up a meeting of the victims with PM Singh but on official level the victims still face a stone wall.
Sikhs for Justice believes that Indian Government’s indifference to the plight of Sikh Genocide is the cause of disappointment among the victims, their families and their supporters.
Sikhs for Justice have also written to the Prime Minister Stephen Harper requesting him to use his meeting with PM Singh to bring up the issue of 1984 Sikh Genocide.
U.S. Sikhs Press President Obama for stern action against Taliban
Washington , February 24, 2010 : Washington based Sikh Council on Religion and Education (SCORE) today condemned the beheading of two Sikhs by the Taliban in Pakistan as a ‘barbaric act’ and asked President Barack Obama to intervene and take up the matter strongly with the Pakistan Government. The victims identified as Jaspal Singh and Mahal Singh, who were kidnapped a month ago from Bara in the Khyber Agency, were beheaded in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Pakistan and their heads sent to a gurudwara (Sikh temple) in Peshawar .
In a letter to the President Obama, delivered via White House officials, Dr. Rajwant Singh, Chairman of SCORE, said, “We Sikhs in the United States are outraged by this heinous crime by the Taliban against two innocent Sikhs and we are deeply concerned about the lives and property of Sikhs in Pakistan . U.S. Government must press upon the Pakistan Government to take stern action against the perpetrators of these horrendous acts. It is the primary duty of the Pakistan government to intervene on behalf of the Sikhs and other minorities and protect them from any atrocities committed by Tehrik-e-Taliban or any other group.
“It is important that U.S. government conveys our deepest concerns to the Pakistan Government via U.S. special envoy Richard Holbrooke. Since last year the religious freedom of the Sikhs has been threatened and they have been forced to leave their centuries old dwellings in the Orakzai Agency and adjacent areas. We are appalled that some Sikhs in Pakistan were being coerced into becoming Muslims. Last year some Sikh families had been taken hostage in Pakistan and forced to pay ‘jiziya’ (religious tax). These kinds of atrocities cannot be tolerated at any cost and we must ask for security and well being of all communities in Pakistan .”
Dr. Singh further stated, “We pray for the families of the victims and in this critical time, we stand by our brethren in Pakistan . We have received number of calls and emails from Sikhs all across America expressing their outrage about the situation in Pakistan . As American citizens, we request you to express our sentiments to President Zardari. We will continue to work with the State Department, congressional leaders at the Capitol Hill and the White House on this issue.”
SCORE had written a similar letter about the Sikh plight to President Obama last year prior to his meeting with President Zardari at the White House. According to the White House officials, Obama raised the issue of security and safety of Sikhs and minorities with the visiting Pakistani leader.
Two other Sikhs, Gurvinder Singh and Gurjit Singh, are still reported to be in the custody of the Taliban groups. Jaspal Singh was taken while travelling in Khyber district a month ago. His body was found on Sunday. Mastan Singh was kidnapped in the Orakzai region at about the same time.
The SGPC has also urged the Pakistan government to ensure safety and security of Pakistan-based Sikhs in the wake of increasing Taliban threats to them.
The four Sikhs had gone to the area to collect their business dues, when they were allegedly kidnapped by the Taliban, who demanded a ransom of 30 million rupees for their release.
Last year, Taliban militants took over shops and homes of 35 Sikh families and kidnapped community leaders in Ferozkhel, Orakzai Agency.
For Immediate Release: WSO Condemns Brutal Beheading of Sikh in Pakistan
Ottawa – February 24, 2010: The World Sikh Organization (WSO) condemns the brutal murder of a Sikh in the North West of Pakistan on Sunday by the Taliban. Jaspal Singh, who had been abducted several weeks ago along with several other Sikhs, was beheaded after his family was unable to pay the ransom demanded for his release. At least two other Sikhs remain in the captivity of the Taliban. It has been reported that Taliban militants in the tribal belt and in Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province, have begun imposing Islamic tax or "jiziya" on non-Muslims living in a Muslim-dominated area. In May 2009, hundreds of Sikhs were driven from their homes and several Sikh houses were razed by the Taliban after the community refused to pay the jiziya.
WSO’s International President, Ram Raghbir Singh Chahal said today, “the barbaric kidnapping and murder of Sikhs by the Taliban must be stopped. The Pakistan government must ensure the safety of minority communities in Pakistan. Sikhs have lived peacefully in the tribal areas and North-West Frontier Province for hundreds of years. The Taliban should not be allowed to drive out law-abiding citizens, no matter what their religious affiliation.”
WSO’s Senior Policy Analyst, Gian Singh Sandhu said, “the situation of the Sikh community in North West Pakistan has gone from bad to worse. After initially being forced by the Taliban to pay the jiziya, and being driven from their homes, Sikhs are now being brutally murdered. The situation is no better for people of many other faiths. There is no room in this world for religious intolerance, and the Pakistan government has a duty to act now.”
Founded in the 15th century by Guru Nanak, Sikhism is a tolerant religion that recognizes a universal God and supports the right of all to freely practice their faith.
A 15-year-old boy has been arrested in suspicion of shooting an ice cream truck driver in Vallejo, California.
California: Police confirmed the unnamed 15-year-old was arrested sometime around 7 p.m. on Wednesday, February 11 in Oakland. The boy was leaving home carrying a suitcase and a bag when he was arrested.
Police believe the teenager is responsible for the shooting of 39-year-old ice cream truck driver Amarjit Kaur. Kaur's truck was parked near Springstowne Middle School on the afternoon of February 3 when the 15-year-old demanded she hand over money when he shot her in the chest.
The gun used was recovered when police brought in the teen's alleged 14-year-old accomplice last week.
Kuar remains hospitalized while the 15-year-old is currently being held at Alameda County Juvenile Hall in San Leandro.
Singh is King director Anees Bazmee is shooting his No Problem
Singh is King director Anees Bazmee is shooting his No Problem on a set at Film City with his 17 principal male actors and 150 junior artistes , all dressed as Sadarajis dancing to a boisterous number entitled ‘Mast Punjabi’.
Says Anees, “The fun part of it is- not a single principal actor or junior artiste is a Sardarji. They’re all disguised as Sardarjis for a number that is my tribute to the community. I came to love while making Singh Is Kinng. The Sikhs too love me, so much so that I’m said to be half a Sikh myself. I had to do something after Singh Is Kingg to show my love for that wonderful community. The climax of No Problem is my tribute to the Sikhs who keep urging me to do the sequel to Singh Is Kinng.”
Anees whose affinity to the Sikh community is intense, decided to write the entire climax of No Problem as homage to the Sikh community.
Every actor from Sanjay Dutt, Sunil Shetty, Akshaye Khanna and Anil Kapoor to Paresh Rawal, Vishwajeet Pradhan and Suresh Menon is dressed as Sardarji.
“It’s supposed to be a roadside Punjabi dhaba in South Africa. We’ve called it The Dhaba. All the 17 main actors and 150 junior artistes barring Vijay Raaz are Sardarji. And a sign on the set says ‘Punjab 0-Kms’. “
Karnik will shoot in Varanasi in April.
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In Samir Karnik's Yamla Pagla Deewana, Dharmendra
and Bobby Deol play a father-son con-men duo in Varanasi. Sunny plays an upright
man married to a Canadian living in Canada who gets to know after two decades
that he has a father and brother in Varanasi. The film is about Sunny's journey
into his past and into a culture that he had left behind.
Karnik will shoot in Varanasi in April.
The interesting part of the film is the bum-chum relationship between father
Dharmendra and son Bobby, when in real life Bobby is intimidated by his father.
Laughs Karnik, "Not so any longer. Thanks to the preparation for my film, both
Bobby and Sunny have loosened up with their Dad."
While Bobby is paired with television actress Kulraj Randhawa, the Canadian
leading lady for Sunny is yet to be finalized. The film's shooting starts on Feb
15.
"And we release Yamala Pagla Deewana on December 24, Aamir Khan's slot.
This year he won't have any release in the last week of December. So we've
decided to release our film in that slot," announces Samir Karnik.
Incidentally, Karnik's lucky mascot, little Dwij Yadav who features in all of
the director's works so far, won't be part of Yamla Pagla Deewana.
"Let him grow up off camera now. He's my insurance for the future, just like
Rakesh Roshan has Hrithik," says the director emotionally.
The film's title is obviously inspired by the chartbuster 'Main Jat Yamala
Pagla Deewana' from Dharmendra's 1975 blockbuster Pratiggya.
Karnik intends to record a remix version of the Mohd Rafi hit. The director
introduces a new composing duo Nouman Javed and Rahul Seth, one of whom happens
to be from Pakistan.
Says Karnik, "I heard Nouman's music on the internet and asked him to send me
his songs on the MP3 format. Then I took another new composer Rahul Seth to
Dubai and we recorded the songs in a Nouman's land (Dubai)."
While doing a re-mix of the old hit may be considered a stroke of clever
marketing, bringing the father Deol and his two sons together hardly qualifies
as a novel strategy.
Says Karnik, "I know Dharamji, Sunny and Bobby have been brought together
earlier in Apne. But that was a very emotional drama. Yamala Pagla
Deewana is an out- and- out comedy."
UK BORDER AGENCY ANNOUNCES TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF STUDENT VISA APPLICATIONS IN NORTH INDIA
The UK Border Agency announces that, with effect from Monday 1 February, it will temporarily stop accepting student visa applications under Tier 4 of the Points Based System at visa application centres in New Delhi, Chandigarh and Jalandhar. This is a temporary suspension and the UK Border Agency will begin accepting Tier 4 visa applications again as soon as possible.
The UK Border Agency has taken this decision in response to unexpectedly high numbers of student visa applications in these areas at this time of year. The temporary suspension will allow the UK Border Agency to continue to scrutinise applications thoroughly and to manage the visa process efficiently for all our customers in North India.
Customers who have already made appointments at the visa application centres in North India to submit their Tier 4 visa applications from 1 February onwards will have their appointments suspended until the UK Border Agency begins accepting Tier 4 visa applications again in these areas, and will then be given priority. Visa application centres in Western and South India will remain open for Tier 4 visa applications. Appointments will be necessary in these centres from 1 February.
Customers who are making
applications in other visa categories are unaffected by this announcement.
The UK Border Agency's Regional Director, Chris
Dix, said:
"The UK's visa operation in India is the largest
in the world and we remain committed to providing an efficient visa operation
for all our customers. We aim to process applications fairly, thoroughly and as
quickly as possible. We will also take whatever action is necessary to ensure
that the visa operation works effectively.
"The visa operation will continue to work hard to process the student applications that we have received so far and ensure that they all meet the required standard. We will review the temporary suspension in one month's time."
British High Commissioner, Sir Richard Stagg, said: "The educational links between the UK and India are a vital part of our bilateral relationship. I am keen that Indian students continue to study in the UK and am pleased that so many Indian students are taking up this opportunity. But some applicants are attempting to abuse our visa processes and we will not let that happen. This temporary measure is designed to protect genuine students, professional agents and good education providers from anyone who is not currently playing by the rules. I am confident that a normal visa service will be resumed in good time for students who want to study in the UK in the next academic year."
GURCHARAN SINGH URGES BORIS TO BACK COUNCIL IN OPPOSING SOUTHALL DEVELOPMENT
Southall: Lady Margaret ward councillor and Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Ealing Southall, Cllr Gurcharan Singh, this week wrote to the Mayor of London urging him not to approve the controversial Southall Gasworks plans. National Grid’s plans to build 3,750 homes on the site were rejected by Ealing Council’s Planning Committee last November, but as the development has London-wide significance, Mayor Boris Johnson has the power to over-ride the Council’s decision. Cllr Singh said: “These plans are unacceptable to the people of Southall. Ealing Council has taken firm stand in saying no and I am appealing to the Mayor to respect the Council’s decision. The plans put far too much pressure on local transport and other infrastructure, access to the site has not been thought out, and there are still real concerns about the contamination of the land.” Leader of the Council, Cllr Jason Stacey, reiterated that decisions on Southall gasworks should be made locally. He said: “The reasons for refusal of the application remain as valid now as when the Planning Committee took the decision. Any attempt to ignore this and impose development on Southall without addressing theses issues would be wrong and fly in the face of the principle of the Borough being best placed to make decisions on behalf of its local community.”
Jan 31 In a bid to impart quality education, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal Sunday launched a project of Rs.70 crore for setting up of 21 model schools in the rural areas.
The project was launched after Badal laid the foundation stone of a Rs.32-lakh model school in Bhagsar village here in this district. 'Poor rural youth are generally deprived of quality education at par with the students in convent and public schools in the urban areas. Therefore, the rural students could not compete with the urban ones in getting lucrative jobs,' Badal said. 'It is the endeavour of our government to provide best education opportunities to students in the rural areas. This project is also the part of the same endeavour. Besides this, we will also upgrade the infrastructure of all existing schools in the state.'
An admitted drug smuggler, who police say was part of a criminal organization that included a corrupt border guard, has been sentenced to 12 years in jail.
Herman Riar made a heartfelt apology in Surrey Provincial Court this week after pleading guilty to smuggling millions of dollars of cocaine into Canada. Riar was caught with 208 kilos of cocaine, estimated to be worth close to $6 million, on Oct. 25, 2007, after re-entering Canada at the Pacific Border crossing. One of the 11 seized cardboard boxes contained three handguns. Prosecutor Ernie Froess told Judge James Wingham that Riar was not the mastermind of the smuggling ring, but took his orders from co-accused Shminder Johal with the aid of Canada Border Services Agency guard Baljinder Kandola. He had direct dealings with Kandola every time he crossed the border into Canada.” Kandola, who was arrested in his CBSA booth, where police had installed a hidden camera, is due to go to trial in New Westminster Supreme Court in October 2010 on six counts, including breach of trust, accepting a bribe and cocaine importation. Johal pleaded guilty along with Riar, but is now applying to the court to withdraw that plea. His application will be heard on March 26. Froess said that “together with Johal and Kandola, Riar was responsible for importing massive amounts of cocaine into Canada” over an extended period of time. The arrests followed a 13-month investigation by the Integrated Border Enforcement Team and the CBSA, sparked by a tip that a guard was allowing vehicles carrying contraband to cross unexamined. Police monitored phone calls, text messages and the movements of the drug gang.
Harjap Singh Bhangal to go all over UK and Scotland to give Free Immigration Advice – New Opportunities for Chefs with 4 years experience to go to Australia
UK’s
famous immigration lawyer Harjap Singh Bhangal has announced he is to go on tour
over UK to give free advice on immigration especially to those in North England
and Scotland.
Harjap Bhangal currently does a show on Sky Channel 793 MATV on Fridays at 7.30pm. He also conducts a talk show on Mondays at 7pm.
Harjap said “When we think of places where immigration advice is needed we usually think of Southall, Birmingham or Leicester but there are plenty of Punjabis spread all throughout the UK especially in areas such as Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield, Newcastle, Sunderland and Glasgow”.
People from there often can’t travel down south to get our advice and when I went to Huddersfield on a wedding last year I promised the gurdwara there I would come and do an advice session for the people of Huddersfield, Leeds and Bradford.
The Huddersfield advice session will be held at the invitation of Kundan Singh Aujla and Inderpal Singh Randhawa.
A lot of Punjabis have also moved to Glasgow and after having done many cases from that area and at the suggestion of Charanjit Sangha and Jaswinder Hayer of Awaaz FM I have decided to also do an advice session there on Monday 28th September 2009.
Usually we charge for immigration advice however because it is my first visit to Newcastle and Scotland all immigration advice on this tour will be free of charge.
Other than coming to or staying in the UK there are also other opportunities to immigrate to Canada and Australia. Overstayers can apply to go to Canada under certain schemes and chefs with 4 years experience in the UK can apply to go to Australia. Students and Working Holiday Makers currently in the UK can also apply to go to Canada or Australia as students.
The details of the visits are as follows:
26th September 2009 – Huddersfield, Gurdwara, Prospect Street, 12pm till 2pm.
27th September 2009 – Newcastle, Tindal Close, Newcastle Upon Tyne,
28th September 2009 – Glasgow
Locations have been fixed for Huddersfield, Glasgow and Newcastle.
For more information on this Harjap’s office can be called on 0208 571 6889.
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Dr. Kundan Singh Dhillon, the first Indian to receive the award from US President on July 4, 2009
Obama to honour PAU pharmacologist
LUDHIANA: Former head of the department of pharmacology and parasitology, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), has earned a rare honour for the state.
Dr Kundan Singh Dhillon will be conferred the Man of the Year award by American President Barack Obama at the World Forum, 2009, at a function hosted by the American Biographical Institute on July 4 at Washington DC.
Dr Dhillon is the first Indian to receive the award. A veterinary pharmacologist by profession, Dr Dhillon has done remarkable research on humans as well as animal problems.
His research works include migraine headache, role of zinc in ischemic cardiac injury and various neuronal degenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, parkinson’s in humans and mastitis, napier grass poisoning and haemoglobinuria in cattle.
Meanwhile, following in the footsteps of Dr Dhillon, Dr Jasmer Singh Khangoora, who became head of the same department, has found a place for himself in the Hall of Fame for distinguished accomplishments at Raleigh, North Carolina, American Biographical Institute (ABI) headquarters.
In PAU on Sunday to celebrate their achievement with former colleagues and friends, Dr Dhillon and Dr Khangoora talked about the findings of the research.
Dr Dhillon said trace elements played a vital role in the growth and normal functioning of an organism. Deficiency of zinc causes Alzheimer’s, he informed.
With Dr Dhillon’s name figuring in the list of 2000 outstanding intellectuals of the 20th century published by international biographical centre, Cambridge in 2001, has also served as one of the three members of the task force constituted by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research to carry out research in the degnala disease outbreak in north India in 1982.
UK immigration minister Phil Woolas has as of 9 December 2008 withdrawn the seven year policy under which a child resident in the UK for seven years would be granted leave to remain along with the rest of his or her family.
The concession set out the criteria to be applied when considering whether
enforcement action should proceed or be initiated against parents of a child who
was born here and has lived continuously to the age of seven or over, or where,
having come to the UK at an early age, they have accumulated seven years or more
continuous residence. The original purpose and need for the concession has been
overtaken by the Human Rights Act and changes to immigration rules. The fact
that a child has spent a significant period of their life in the United Kingdom
will continue to be an important relevant factor to be taken into account by
case workers when evaluating whether removal of their parents is appropriate.
Any decision to remove a family from the UK will continue to be made in
accordance with our obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)
and the Immigration Rules.
The withdrawal of DP5/96 and replacing it with consideration under the
Immigration Rules and article 8 of the ECHR will ensure a fairer, more
consistent approach to all cases involving children, whether accompanied or
unaccompanied, across UKBA. Withdrawing the policy will also prevent those
overstaying or unlawfully present in the UK having the benefit of a concession
which does not apply to those persons who comply with the Immigration Rules and
remain in the UK lawfully.
UK Immigration lawyer Harjap Singh Bhangal made the following comments “It is not necessarily the Home Office view that children resident for over seven years now should be removed or that it is proportionate to remove them and their families. I think it would be fair to say that it is to be expected that the Home Office will now refuse all applications based on long residence by children, but that will not necessarily influence the tribunal and courts. Previously, the courts had clear guidance on what was at a policy level considered to be proportionate or not, and that was always bound to be influential with judges. Now that there is no clear Home Office view, judges are on their own and will simply have to decide on the facts and evidence.”
Mr Bhangal said “This is a great blow to the people who are overstayers with children in the children. Under the old policy any family with children under 18 who had been in the UK for a continuous period of 7 years or children born in the UK who had reached the age of seven were usually given indefinite leave to remain in the UK under this concession. This concession has now been withdrawn. It means anybody applying under this category after 9th December 2008 will normally be refused. However all hope is not lost. This is because now it is up to the Courts and Judges to create new law in area relating to children and the length of residence. Until this is done it is not advisable to submit any application.
There is an alternative in that under the British Nationality Act 1983 that any child born in the UK who continually resides in the UK and reaches the age of 10 can apply for British Nationality. Apart from this hopefully later on this year the Courts will make a new ruling on children and long residence.”
Harjap Bhangal also said “regrettably it has come to my notice that many solicitors are mis-advising people in that this seven year policy has not been withdrawn. People should beware of being misadvised and being lured into making an application where the policy no longer exists. Confirmation of the withdrawal of the seven year concession can be found on the UK Border Agency website and on the internet for anybody who wishes to confirm the same”.
Sikh Youth Assaulted by Security Guards at Toronto Games Arena
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Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Gagandeep Singh, a 21 year old Sikh student, suffered injustice twice, when he was assaulted by security and then arrested by police at a Toronto Raptor's game last Friday, after security officers at the Air Canada Centre began to harass Gagandeep. UNITED SIKHS attorneys are seeking dismissal of the citations issued by police, and are writing to Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd. the owners of the Air Canada Centre warning legal recourse unless swift action is taken to redress the incident.
The incident occurred when Gagandeep, an avid Toronto Raptors fan, entered a washroom after a post-basketball event on Friday, January 30th. As he approached an empty stall, a security officer accosted Gagandeep and told him that he had to leave. When Gagandeep inquired as to why he was being asked to leave, the security officer became aggressive and began pushing Gagandeep, warning him, "you don't want to mess with me." As the situation escalated, four to five other security officers became involved in dragging Gagandeep from the washroom, at which time his turban was also knocked off by one of the security officers. Gagandeep was then brought to police, who put him in a choke hold, handcuffed him, and charged him under the trespass to property act, for both trespass and engaging in prohibited activity. Gagandeep attended the event as a birthday present from his sister Simran Kaur, who also witnessed Gagandeep in police custody.
"Gagandeep did not commit any offence. Gagandeep vehemently maintains his innocence and as his defence counsel I will vigorously defend him against these false allegations. Gagandeep and Simran were ticket paying fans of the Raptors who were both fully entitled to attend the game and other related events," said Jagmeet Singh of Dhaliwal Law, criminal defence lawyer who is representing Gagandeep Singh and working with UNITED SIKHS on this case.
He added, "The security guards and police officers had no legal justification to apply any force whatsoever to Gagandeep and in doing they committed an assault on his person. The actions of both the security guards and police were reprehensible and unjustified."
Gagandeep Singh stated, "I'm outraged by the way I was treated by security. Not only did they have the audacity to single me out because of my appearance, but then police actually charged me with trespass when I didn't do anything wrong and was supported to be there."
UNITED SIKHS Community Affairs Coordinator, Ranbir Singh, commented, "Sikhs should be able to live in dignity and with respect in Toronto, which is one of the most diverse cities in the world. We do not know of any reason the security guard could have to ask Gagandeep to leave the wash room. The guard's actions appear to be racially biased."
UNITED SIKHS is actively pursuing successful resolution of the case, including an apology, diversity-training, and compensation.
European Court Says No to Sikh Turban on Driving Licence in France
STRASBOURG, France: The European Court of Human Rights dismissed a legal challenge last week to the French law banning the wearing of the turban on ID document photos, filed by UNITED SIKHS on behalf of Shingara Mann Singh. The decision, communicated to UNITED SIKHS lawyers today, has shocked the Sikh community globally, that the Court, without requiring France to respond to Shingara Singh's legal arguments, has justified denying religious freedom on the basis of public security and protection of public order. UNITED SIKHS is filing cases before the United Nations Human Rights Committee next month on behalf of Shingara Singh and Ranjit Singh for ID photographs on their passport and residence card, respectively. French regulations require motorists to appear "bareheaded and facing forward" in their driver's licence photographs. Shingara Singh is a 53 year old Sikh from the northern Paris suburbs, whose replacement driver's licence was refused by the French authorities in 2005 and again in 2006. Sikhs are required to wear the dastaar (Sikh turban) at all times. Commenting on the decision, Mejindarpal Kaur, UNITED SIKHS Director for International Civil and Human Rights Advocacy stated, "We submitted three compelling arguments before the European Court of Human Rights: Firstly, that European Commission regulations do not require a bare head as a minimum requirement for other ID docs e.g. a passport because of the advent of biometrics; secondly, that a Sikh wears a dastaar (Sikh turban) at all times and hence is only identifiable with his turban and thirdly, that there is no evidence that the Sikh turban poses a security threat as evidenced by the fact that France a llows Sikhs of other nationalities to travel through France with ID photographs displaying the turban on their driver's licences and passports."
"This decision is a travesty of justice against the Sikh community which views the Court's decision as perverse because the Court did not require a response from France before issuing a decision that deeply interferes with a Sikh's basic religious rights," she added. You may read an excerpt of the translated judgment here.
Shingara Singh's London Lawyer, Stephen Grosz of Bindmans[] LLP stated, "The Court's approach is very disappointing. Whilst it recognized that requiring a Sikh to remove his turban is an interference with his religious rights, the Court was quite wrong to justify that removal of the turban as necessary for identification. In particular, identifying a Sikh who wears a turban at all times, with an ID photograph of the Sikh without the turban just does not accord to common sense. The issue is serious enough to demand the French government to justify this restriction, which the Court did not."
Commenting on the upcoming filings on behalf of Shingara Singh and Ranjit Singh in regard to the denial of the renewal of their passport and residence card unless they remove their turban for their ID photographs, Mr. Grosz commented, "This decision will not legally affect the fight which UNITED SIKHS will be pursuing through the UN Human Rights Committee, as the Committee is not bound by the decision of the European Court of Human Rights. Additionally, the UN Human Rights Committee has traditionally been much more receptive to cases of religious discrimination than the Strasburg Court. We hope this tendency will continue."
Seriously disappointed by the decision, Shingara Singh commented, "If we can't get justice from the European Court of Human Rights, who else can we expect justice from in Europe? We pin our hopes now on the UN Human Rights Committee before which my passport case will be filed next month. I am shocked that the European
Human Rights Court didn't require France to respond to the submissions made by my lawyers who had argued why my turban is not a security threat." Commenting further on the issue, he stated, "My business, my personal life are all affected. I now have no passport, no driving licence and my old-style ID card is not being accepted by my bank, which has refused to give me a loan because I lack valid identification. The Court's judgment is oppression against the Sikh community because a Sikh is mandated by his faith to wear a turban at all times. The Court clearly has not recognised what the turban means to a Sikh. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the Sikh mini-Parliament, has a duty to launch a global awareness campaign about Sikhs. Equally, the Punjab State Government should intervene in this matter."
Kuldip Singh, UNITED SIKHS president said, "The Sikh community, small but significant, has found itself to be at the brunt of security laws since 9/11. We have and will continue to fight the injustice faced by Sikhs and other minorities who are being denied religious freedom while the world grapples with its insecurity."
Three Sikh religious musicians were thrown out of a US Airways flight, a US-based Sikh group alleged.
New York : Three eminent Sikh religious musicians were thrown out of a US Airways flight after the pilot refused to fly with them onboard in California, a leading US-based Sikh group alleged on Wednesday.
The three -- Gulbag Singh, Davinder Singh and Iqbal Singh -- had boarded the plane in Sacramento on November 15 after being cleared by the security.
In a complaint letter to the Airways, 'United Sikhs' protested the incident and warned it of legal action unless prompt amends are made.
The group pointed to the severity of the racial profiling and discriminatory treatment, sought an apology and compensation for the three and offered training for US Airways staff.
The three, who had boarded the plane for Salt Lake City, Utah, were sitting together in the rear of the aircraft, in their assigned seats.
After having been on the plane for approximately ten minutes, they were approached by one of the ticket-reception desk workers and asked to exit the plane.
While none of the three could adequately comprehend or speak English, the group complied and exited the aircraft, the United Sikhs said.
When it became apparent that the group was unable to converse with US Airways representatives, a Punjabi interpreter was called to assist, it said.
The interpreter informed Iqbal Singh, on behalf of the US Airways representatives, that the pilot was refusing to fly if they were onboard the aircraft, it added.
When Iqbal Singh asked why, the US Airways representatives were unable to give a clear answer, and the interpreter went on to persuade the three not to raise any objection because it could lead to more problems, the organisation said.
The trio, having become concerned, fearful, and worried about what had happened, took the only option they were given, which was to stay the night in a hotel and depart on a Delta Airlines flight the following morning to Salt Lake City, it added.
Terming the treatment "discriminatory and publicly humiliating", Gulbag Singh said, "I would like to ask the average American to think about how they would feel if they were cleared by security, were sitting on their plane, and then were asked to leave for no good reason. It is ridiculous that a person should be submitted to such second class treatment."
"Sikhs will not stand to be discriminated against. There is no satisfactory justification for US Airways to treat people in this way. This is a clear violation of civil rights and they must take immediate actions to address this issue," said Harpreet Singh, Legal Director of United Sikhs.
In a separate incident on November 17, 2008 at Logan International airport in Boston, it said, one Jaspal Singh was sent to secondary screening where he was subjected to humiliating treatment when a Transportation Security Officer roughly searched his turban, almost untying it.
Sikh Child Suspended Indefinitely by Montreal School Without Investigation
Independent Eye-Witnesses to Incident Report Sikh Never Touched kirpan; Several Media Outlets Misreporting Incident
Montreal, Quebec, Canada:
A thirteen-year-old Sikh boy was suspended from school on September 11th after
being accused of threatening another student outside school with his kirpan
(a short steel or iron blade that is carried as one of five articles of faith).
The school in Le Salle suspended the Sikh student without properly investigating
the matter, as it has become apparent that multiple independent eye-witnesses to
the incident confirm that the Sikh boy never touched his kirpan. UNITED
SIKHS is assisting the family by working with local Montreal Sikh community
activists and eminent human-rights lawyer Julius Grey to have the Sikh boy's
suspension lifted and also to thwart incorrect media reports which have
misreported the incident and are using it to reignite the debate about the
kirpan in Montreal schools.
The incident occurred when a few students, including the Sikh boy, left school
for lunch. Two boys followed the students and began taunting and bullying the
Sikh boy, as they have on numerous occasions in the past. When the Sikh boy was
adjusting his loose pants, the bullies notice the boy's kirpan, which was
securely wrapped in a long cloth and had multiple rubber-bands around it. Upon
returning to school, the Sikh boy and another student reported the bullying
incident to their teacher, who responded that she would investigate the matter,
but did not have time today. Shortly thereafter, police arrived at the school
and began questioning the Sikh boy. It is believed that the bullies reported
that the Sikh boy threatened them with his kirpan to their mother, who in
turn called the police. The Sikh boy was suspended by the school for an
indefinite period of time, and police have yet to file any charges.
Assuming the allegations against the Sikh boy were true, the Montreal Gazette,
among other news agencies, reported that the incident "raises questions about
[the] court ruling," referring to the Multani decision in which the
Supreme Court of Canada upheld the right of Sikh children to wear the kirpan
to school in 2006.
Commenting on the school commission's hasty decision to suspend the boy without
investigating the incident, Julius Grey, the lawyer representing the family
stated, "It appears that there is no substance whatsoever to these claims, and I
am shocked at the cavalier way the [Sikh] boy has been treated when in fact
independent witnesses confirm these allegations are false. This is an attempt to
undo the kirpan case [Multani] without any legitimate reason."
Initially concerned that the allegations were true, UNITED SIKHS contacted the
family who were already receiving assistance from local Sikh community activists
involved with the Multani case in 2006, including Chattar Singh, Kiranpal
Singh, and Hardev Singh. After speaking with those involved and determining that
it was necessary to take immediate action, we contacted Julius Grey, who held
conference with the family, representatives from the local Sikh community, and
UNITED SIKHS on Friday and immediately issued a letter to the school demanding
that the Sikh boy be allowed to return to school.
The school, citing formal notice from Sikh student's attorney, cancelled a
meeting with the Sikh student's parents and stated that they will need to meet
internally about the matter. "What is particularly troublesome about the
school's reaction to the bullying incident is that school officials have allowed
their prejudices against the kirpan to override their duty to properly
investigate this serious matter. The same prejudices are now hindering them from
allowing the Sikh student back in school after independent witnesses to the
incident have come forward showing that the allegations are false," remarked
Jaspreet Singh, Staff Attorney for UNITED SIKHS.
Commenting on the incident, Manjit Singh, Director of Chaplaincy Services,
McGill University and one of the advisors to the family stated, "The reason why
our community is being treated in such an inconsiderate manner by the school is
because the education system in Quebec previously only focused on the
Judeo-Christian tradition with the result that those people in decision making
roles do not have an understanding of Sikhism. That is our challenge."
The father of the accused, Kamaljeet Singh, expressed distress at his son's
suspension stating, "My son's education is suffering because of these false
allegations. Wearing the kirpan is taken very seriously and it is
preposterous that my son would threaten anyone with this most important article
of faith. My son keeps asking me, what did I do to deserve this? I don't have an
answer."
Foreign
students hoping to come to the UK to study will have to meet strict new
criteria, the Government has announced
The Home Office has published proposals for much tighter rules for foreign students - and the universities and colleges hosting them - under the student tier of its new Points Based System.
All colleges and universities that want to recruit foreign students will now need a licence to do so and will have to take greater responsibility for their international students, helping Government crack down on bogus colleges who abuse the system. For the first time education providers face a ban on bringing over international students if they fail to follow strict new rules - including alerting the UK Border Agency (UKBA) if students fail to enrol.
Students will also face stringent new criteria if they want to study in the UK, ensuring only those who benefit Britain can come. Before they can study here, foreign students must:
§ be sponsored by a UKBA-licensed education institution;
§ prove that they have the means to support themselves and their families while studying here; and
§ supply their fingerprints.
Stricter rules on work placements for students will also ensure that the UK's labour market is protected.
Border and Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said:
"All those who come to Britain must play by the rules. It is right that foreign students wanting to take advantage of our world-class universities and colleges must meet strict criteria.
"By locking people to one identity with ID cards, alongside a tough new sponsorship system, we will know exactly who is coming here to study and crack down on bogus colleges."
Visas will only be granted to students who show a proven track record in education and are applying for a course that meets a minimum level of qualification. They must also be able to demonstrate they can financially support themselves and any of their dependants.
Students on courses for longer than 12 months will have to show they have sufficient funds to pay their first year of fees, plus £9,600 to cover their first year in the UK. Students wishing to bring their dependants with them will need to show they have a further £535 per month for each person they bring.
Each year, international students contribute £2.5 billion to the UK economy in tuition fees alone and an overall estimated contribution of £8.5 billion. In recognition of the many economic and cultural benefits that these students bring to the UK, earlier this year the Government announced a special visa category allowing successful international students who have graduated from a British university to work in the UK for up to two years.
Higher Education Minister Bill Rammell said:
"I welcome the education sector's involvement in developing a structure that allows international students to benefit from the excellent educational experience the UK offers, while giving them the opportunity to work in the UK for two years following graduation.
"However, I will not tolerate the minority of individuals who seek to damage the quality of our education system through bogus colleges. This is why we have introduced tighter checks to the current Register of Education and Training Providers. The new system will toughen this process further and give extra protection from the damage bogus colleges can cause."
Under the new system education providers who want to teach foreign nationals must be granted a licence by the UKBA, they can then sponsor students to come to the UK.
Without a confirmation of acceptance for studies issued to them by their sponsoring institution a student's visa application will not be considered. It also acts as a pledge from the college or university that they accept responsibility for the student while they are in the UK.
Universities and colleges face losing their licence if they fail to:
§ keep copies of all their foreign students' passports;
§ keep and update their students' contact details;
§ alert the UKBA to any students who fail to enrol on their course;
§ report unauthorised absences to the UKBA; and
§ inform the UKBA if any student stops their studies.
The sponsorship register for colleges and universities has already opened for applications.
Leading UK Immigration lawyer Harjap Singh Bhangal said “once again the UK Government is showing that it will not tolerate any abuse of it’s immigration laws. The student route has been abused by many people including Punjabis who come to the UK on the pretence of studying but really work full time. Many have enrolled in fake colleges which have later been exposed and as a result the so called students have been deported. The Government has now made sure by these changes that the system is no longer abused. The message to educational institutions is clear. If you want foreign students then they must comply with the immigration laws of the UK. By taking fingerprints of students anybody found to be working more than the permitted time can be caught and identified straight away. The ID card scheme which is to be implemented later on this year is primarily going to be introduced to spouses and students. This will prevent abuse of the system.”
On 23rd July 2008 the UK Border Agency announced new changes in relaqtion to marriage visa laws which will come into place in Autumn and December 2008.
The age at which someone can apply for a marriage visa will increase from 18 to 21 as part of a crackdown on forced marriage, the Home Office announced.
Statistics show that 30 per cent of the cases dealt with by the Government's Forced Marriage Unit involved victims aged between 18 and 21.
The new steps significantly strengthen the safeguards against forced marriage. The five key proposals announced are to:
§ raise the age of sponsorship for a marriage visa from 18 to 21;
§ ask foreign spouses to enter into an agreement to learn English before they come to the UK;
§ introduce a power to revoke leave to remain where there is evidence that the marriage route has been abused;
§ require all sponsors to register their intention to marry overseas before they leave the UK; and
§ ensure through a code of practice that specialist teams can identify vulnerable people at risk of forced marriage.
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said:
"Forced marriage
leads to victims suffering years of physical and mental abuse and - in extreme
cases - unlawful imprisonment and rape. It has no place in our society. That is
why the Government is determined to do everything it can to stamp it out and to
ensure that victims receive the help and support they need.
"That is why we are raising the age limit for visas, checking anyone entering
into a marriage does so of their own free will, and demanding that those coming
to the UK learn English."
Any British citizen applying to 'sponsor' someone to come to the UK as their spouse will have to declare their intention before they leave the UK and marry abroad. This will mean that a young person will know in advance that a marriage will take place overseas and who their prospective partner will be. This will be highly impoortant to the Asian Communities. Therefore going to India and just selecting a girl in 5-10 days marrying her, coming back and sponsoring her is out oif the question. Before a person leaves they must clearly give details and seek approval of the Home Office before flying out. If necessary the Home Ogffice can even invite the sponsor for an interview in order to ascertain and verify certain details.
Practical guidance is also being introduced so the UK Border Agency staff can spot any risk of abuse or those who are vulnerable to forced marriage and prevent them from being coerced into marriage. In these cases the Home Office will make clear what the rights of victims are and how the marriage visa will be dealt with.
Tough new rules will mean that anyone abusing the marriage visa system will be removed from the UK by the UKBA under a new power to revoke people's right to stay in the country. The Home Office will introduce new stronger measures to let the UK Border Agency revoke indefinite leave to remain rendering the individual liable to expulsion from Britain wherever they see abandonment of a spouse or evidence of abuse of the marriage route to gain settlement. This is especially relevant to those who enter into contract marriages and then quickly abandon and leave their wives or husbands after getting Indefinite Leave to Remain. This leave can now be cancelled.
The Government believes that those who stay in the UK must have a good grasp of English to ensure they integrate into British life. Before they come to the UK, spouses will need to sign up to an agreement to learn English. Soon after their arrival, the UKBA will check they are fulfilling their promise. If they are not, their leave could be cancelled. This will involve the Home Office inviting applicants to them to assess whether they have really learnt English or not.
Border and Immigration Minister Liam Byrne:
"British citizens have the right to marry whoever they choose. But we want newcomers to succeed in our society and sign up to the standards we have in common. That means freedom, not being forced to marry someone, and it means newcomers quickly acquiring a command of English, with consequences for those who break the rules."
New guidelines will help ensure that police, teachers and health workers can recognise the signs of a forced marriage, take action and help victims escape. A consultation published today will ensure the Government gets this advice for workers right.
Leading Immigration lawyer Harjap Singh Bhangal said “These changes are clearly a message sent by the Uk Government that they will no longer tolerate the abuse of the marriage visa system. They are a result of a long consultation between the government and many organisations and the UK Government is very clear about a few issues. Firstly no marriage visa will be granted to anybody under the age of 21 from December 2008. This will prevent a lot of forced marriages that are in high numbers amongst the asian community.
Secondly if you want to come to the UK, learn English. The spouse will have to sign a contract that they will elarn English within 2 years or they may be sent back. The difference will be that they will be invited in for interviews so that their progress can be checked. People who try to cheat the current system with fake ESOL certificates will no longer be able to do so.
Thirdly the system of contract marriages and where people divorce quickly after getting indefinate leave will no longer be possible. The Home Office have given themselves the power to cancel anybody’s INDEFINITE leave if they find out the marriage was fake or that the spouse abused the system. This will be helpful to a lot of punjabi people who find themselves abandoned as soon as their spouses get indefinite leave.”
Washington D.C. – April 22, 2008: Last week, prosecutors dropped criminal charges against Mr. Sahadur Singh, a Sikh American truck driver, who was arrested for wearing his kirpan (a religious article of faith) in California. The charges were dismissed after the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), the nation's oldest and largest Sikh civil rights organization, intervened on behalf of Mr. Singh.
Last December Mr. Sahadur Singh, a Utah resident, was driving in Kern County, California, when a police officer stopped him for a normal traffic violation. The police officer spotted the kirpan underneath Mr. Singh’s clothing and immediately arrested him for violating the State’s concealed weapon law and for resisting arrest when Mr. Singh tried to explain the significance of the kirpan.
On the way to the police station, Kern County officers reportedly screamed at Mr. Singh asking him, “Are you a terrorist?”, “When was the last time you went over there, Taliban?” and “Did you ever send money to the Taliban?”
At the request of Mr. Singh, SALDEF contacted the prosecutor in the case, sending information detailing the religious significance of the kirpan along with a list of case law documenting the dismissal of similar charges against other Sikhs across the country.
SALDEF is currently assisting Mr. Singh in obtaining his kirpan from the local authorities. SALDEF is also working with local Kern County officials regarding the alleged racist comments made by the Kern County police officers after the incident took place.
Over the past 12 years, SALDEF has received and resolved nearly 32 cases involving Sikhs who faced criminal charges for wearing their kirpans.
SALDEF thanks the Kern County Prosecutor's office for being receptive and understanding about the significance of the Sikh kirpan and deciding not to prosecute this case.
If you have been arrested for wearing your kirpan or if you believe you have been the victim of any form of racial or religious discrimination, please contact SALDEF’s toll-free hotline at 1-877-917-4547 or email: info@saldef.org.
The new Points Based System for managing migration will simplify the rules
A Border and Immigration Agency
spokesperson said: "Our objective is to manage migration in the national
interest, striking the right balance between safeguarding the interests of the
UK resident work force and enabling UK employers to recruit or transfer skilled
people from abroad in order to help them compete effectively in an international
market. "The new Points Based System for managing migration will simplify the
rules, ensuring that that those with the right skills to benefit Britain can
come here to contribute. We have also established the Migration Impacts Forum to
enable us to take account of the impact of migration on local areas and
services.
"The recently established Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) will advise
Ministers on where migration might sensibly fill gaps in the labour market. The
MAC has already started work on the first shortage occupation list for skilled
employment which it aims to publish in June."
NEW POINTS SYSTEM BEGINS
Details of Britain's new Australian-style points based immigration system (PBS) were announced today as the Government published the rules for highly skilled foreign workers applying to come to the UK.
The regulations will start coming into force on 29 February when any highly skilled foreign nationals currently working in Britain who want to extend their stay will need to apply under the new system. In April, the new system will begin to be rolled out overseas when anyone from India who wants to work in the UK as a highly skilled migrant will need to apply under PBS. By the summer the new highly skilled system will operate worldwide.
Speaking from Delhi during a visit to discuss how PBS will work with the Indian Government, Borders and Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said:
"Our points system is starting on time and on plan. I've no problem with taking the best systems in the world, like Australia's points system, and bringing them to the UK. This is a key part of the huge shake-up to our border security this year."
"The points system means only those migrants Britain needs can come to the UK. We know that migrants contributed to our economy to the tune of £6 billion to GDP in 2006. A strong system for highly skilled migrants is vital to Britain winning these benefits because these migrants are well-educated and pay lots of tax."
"We want India to come first because India is Britain's most important market for highly skilled migrants."
The Highly Skilled tier 1 will build upon the success of the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme by continuing to attract the most talented people with the skills the UK needs to remain a global leader in the fields of finance, business, and technological innovation.
The announcement follows the completion in January of the Border and Immigration Agency's global rollout of fingerprinting for all visas three months early. Now every person in the world coming to the UK on a visa has their fingerprints taken and their details checked against watch-lists - if they're on the list for the wrong reason they can't come in and could be banned from applying to come again for up to 10 years.
TOUGHER POWERS FOR POLICE TO TACKLE TEEN DRINKERS
Tougher police powers and a call for parents and industry to play their part to prevent young people drinking and to reduce the damage caused by alcohol to individuals and communities were outlined today by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith.
In a major speech to an audience of police and local authority licensing officers, representatives from the drinks and retail industries, community pressure groups and other frontline practitioners, the Home Secretary described a package of measures to tackle alcohol related crime and disorder. They included:
· a major new £875,000 national crack down by police from next week to confiscate alcohol from under-18 year olds drinking in public;
· extra powers for police, where necessary, to make it clear that it is unacceptable for children to drink in public;
· wider use of Parenting Contracts where poor parenting is identified as an issue when alcohol is confiscated from underage drinkers;
· a new multi-million pound Government public information campaign to launch this summer setting out the dangers associated with binge drinking, and raising awareness on recommended units of intake and the dangers of regularly exceeding those levels; and
· an independent review of how well industry standards on responsible sales are being met across the alcohol retail industry.
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said:
“There is a lot of good work being done to tackle the damage that alcohol misuse can do to individuals, to the people around them, and to the communities they live in. But I want to go further.
“Government must lead the way and I am
determined to use all the powers at my disposal to bring about change. But in
order to do this we also need the support of industry, enforcement authorities
and communities. We all need to meet our responsibilities to make a difference.
Police must have all the powers they need to make groups of young people
drinking in public a thing of the past. A new campaign to confiscate alcohol
from underage drinkers begins this month and lessons will be learned from it. At
the same time we will continue to punish those few irresponsible retailers that
flout the law by persistently selling to children.
“Parents must play their part as well and we will give parents whose children are drinking the support they need to change their damaging behaviour.”
The Home Secretary also today published a toolkit document aimed at enforcement and licensing authorities which sets out the full range of powers now available to them.
Director of Alcohol Concern Srabani Sen said:
“We warmly welcome the Home Secretary’s announcement today of the review of the drinks industry’s standards of practice in the way they produce, promote and sell alcohol. Alcohol Concern applauds those drinks producers and retailers that have actively tried to cut alcohol related harm, but too many companies put the interests of profit above the need to do everything possible to minimise the potentially damaging effects of drinking too much.
“We hope that the Home Office review will pave the way for a genuinely constructive dialogue between Government, the industry and alcohol experts about the contribution of the drinks industry to reducing alcohol harm.”
