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The Sikh Federation (UK) united with Sikh organisations
throughout Europe yesterday to organise the first
ever European Sikh Lobby Day. With around 150-200
Sikh delegates from across Europe the SIKH FREEDOM
LOBBY was an important international step in pushing
for greater freedoms for Sikhs.
The Federation had pre-arranged around forty separate
meetings with UK MEPs with delegates from each
region. Will the help of Neena Gill, the only
MEP with a Sikh background they had also arranged
for up to 300 Sikhs and MEPs from a number of
EU Member States to gather for what many believed
would be the largest ever lobby of its kind. They
had also arranged for a 25-member delegation of
Sikhs from across the EU to meet all MEPs just
before the Plenary Session. They were to cover
the following four freedom issues:
• the freedom of Professor Davinderpal Singh Bhullar
and other Sikh political prisoners languishing
in Indian jails
• the freedom of Sikhs in Europe to practice their
faith
• the freedom to expose the genocide of Sikhs
in 1984 and the widespread abuse of human rights
in India
• the freedom for Sikhs to exercise their right
to self determination
Despite the huge disruption caused by the EU Parliament
in refusing to allow Sikhs to enter wearing their
Kirpans many of those present reflected that the
lobby was nonetheless a massive success. The organisers
suspected that as 95% of those attending the lobby
were wearing Kirpans this may cause difficulties
due to ignorance about Sikhs in mainland Europe.
As advised Sikhs staggered their entry into the
UK Parliament from 11.30am. However, only one
or two small groups were allowed into Parliament
before security officials insisted that all Sikhs
wearing Kirpans must remove their Kirpans before
entering. Representatives from the UK, Germany,
France, Belgium and the Netherlands agreed that
Sikhs would not agree to remove their Kirpans
and made this clear to MEPs and their representatives
as they came to meet them to take them into the
Parliament building.
UK MEPs were furious that Sikhs who had pre-arranged
meetings with them were being denied access to
the building. A stand off then resulted between
MEPs and EU officials over the next three hours.
MEPs from across the political spectrum and their
assistants joined Sikhs in the lobby of the Parliament
building and worked tirelessly to find a solution
to accommodate the Sikhs. UK MEPs the Sikhs met
yesterday included: Andrew Duff, Bill Newton Dunn,
Dr Caroline Lucas, Christopher Heaton-Harris,
Claude Moraes, Daniel Hannan, Derek Clark, Diana
Wallis, Elspeth Attwooll, Eluned Morgan, Glenis
Willmott, Glyn Ford, Godfrey Bloom, Jean Lambert,
Liz Lynne, Malcolm Harbour, Neena Gill, Nigel
Farage, Niranjan Deva, Peter Skinner, Robert Kilroy-Silk,
Roger Helmer, Sajjad Karim, Baroness Sarah Ludford,
Sharon Bowles, Terence Wynn and Thomas Wise.
Some of the UK MEPS were kind enough to stop French,
German, Belgium and Dutch MEPs passing through
the lobby area to meet with delegations from these
countries. One former UK MP commented that Sikhs
from UK had been very clever in creating what
was a virtual UK Parliament 'Central Lobby' by
replacing the 'green card' system by requests
to MEPs to join them in the lobby area and then
using their sheer presence to get across why they
were there.
The no compromise stance taken by the Sikhs finally
resulted in a breakthrough when it was agreed
a 12-member delegation of Sikhs from across the
EU should be allowed to enter the EU Parliament
with their Kirpans to meet MEPs taking part in
the Plenary Session and to brief the media who
had by this time become very aware of the difficulties
being experienced by Sikhs. In addition a location
was found close to the Parliament building where
all Sikhs gathered and all 650+ MEPs were informed
that as the EU Parliament system had in effect
failed to show the tolerance and respect towards
the diversity of the Sikh identity they should
meet Sikhs at this outside location.
By taking this stance Sikhs showed that by being
united and remaining firm in their beliefs they
have the strength and respect of politicians to
win major concessions. A Federation spokesman
said: 'We turned a difficult situation to our
advantage. By the time we left many MEPs and the
media were sympathetic to our point of view. We
now need to turn that sympathy and understanding
into positive action that will benefit Sikhs.
Bhai Amrik Singh, the Chairman of the Sikh Federation
(UK) said: 'We are united in the challenge presented
to Sikhs in the EU and have offered to assist
EU institutions and member states in raising awareness
about the Sikhs - the most visible minority in
the world - and the issues that cause us most
concern. Our wish is citizens in the EU become
better informed, more tolerant and value diversity.
In a few weeks time we have pledged to return
to Brussels in even greater numbers to see if
Europe recognises our freedoms. Tens of thousands
of practising Sikhs died for freedom in Europe
in the two World Wars, the least we can expect
is respect for our right to be different and support
for our own freedom'.
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