London, UK - The significance of the decisions last week by the international Sikh community taking part in the first World Sikh Lobby at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland is now becoming clear.
Leading Sikh organisations across the globe came together to take important steps to ensure there is a better co-ordinated Sikh political voice on the international stage and safeguard Sikh interests abroad.
The organisations are also clear in their long term objective. Bhai Amrik Singh, the Chair of the Sikh Federation (UK) said: 'There is no question about our ultimate goal - we are all committed to working towards establishing an independent sovereign Sikh State that will provide a solution to many difficulties faced by the Sikh community. An independent sovereign Sikh State will only be achieved by exerting international political pressure and through diplomatic means.'
The process of better international co-ordination is being led by the Sikh Federation (UK), the first and only Sikh political party in the UK. It has demonstrated through its actions and political successes at a national and European level over the last few years the need to professionally present the Sikh case.
Bhai Narinderjit Singh, the General Secretary of the Sikh Federation (UK) said: 'The developments in Switzerland last week signal a move in the right direction. There is a need to mirror the political activities of Sikhs in the UK in each country where significant numbers of Sikhs live.'
The timing of the move by the international Sikh community follows the recent election results in Panjab which have highlighted the sad state of affairs with Sikh politics in the region and the absence of a strong, distinct and independent Sikh political voice.
The Shromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) often referred to as the 'Sikh Parliament' has become an extension of the same second-rate and failed political process. The message from Sikhs living abroad is the SGPC does not possess the necessary expertise or vision to tackle the international challenges before the Sikh Nation.
The key outcomes from the meeting of Sikh representatives that took part in the first World Sikh Lobby and gathered at the UN in Geneva were the establishment of a World Sikh Lobby Network, International Sikh Advisory Board, International Sikh Consultative Forum and the holding of one-day international summits to discuss the international political strategy of the Sikh Nation.
World Sikh Lobby Network - In organising the first World Sikh Lobby, holding an International meeting of Sikh delegates and committing to hold one-day international summits and min-summits it has allowed the establishment of a World Sikh Lobby Network of around 150 Sikh political activists across the globe. An appeal has been made to all leading Sikh organisations across the globe for Sikh political activists to join the Network by emailing contact information to info@sikhfederation.com.
In each country a national Sikh lobby network is being established that will comprise Sikh activists from a range of Sikh organisations that will co-ordinate political lobbying at the regional and national level as well as contribute to the international initiatives. For example, the national network in Canada - Sikh Lobby Network (Canada) is to be formally established within the next three months with the assistance of the Sikh Federation (UK). It is expected to be in place in time for the next national elections with a Sikh Agenda for the Canadian Government. Each national network is expected to be in place before the first one day international summit in London in September. In Europe the networks are already taking shape with the next Sikh Freedom Lobby in the European Parliament taking place on 9 May 2007 in Brussels.
International Sikh Advisory Board - At the international meeting of Sikh delegates it was decided to establish a 25-member International Sikh Advisory Board. The Board will be made up of appropriately qualified Amritdhari Sikhs from across the world and will work with national governments and at the international level for the recognition of Sikhs as a 'Qaum' and accepting the Sikh's right to religious freedom and the need to properly protect the Sikh identity and articles of faith at work, in business and in public places. Further details of the structure and working of the Board will be released after the first one day international summit in London in September.
International Sikh Consultative Forum and one-day international summits - It was also agreed that two one-day international summits will be held each year to discuss the international political strategy of the Sikh Nation. The first summit following the highly successful meeting in Switzerland will be held in London in September. Possible venues for other summits include Vancouver, Canada and San Francisco, USA. Mini-summits will take place at international events, such as, the next Sikh Freedom Lobby in the European Parliament in Brussels in May. The one-day summits and mini-summits will in effect constitute 'meetings' of the newly established International Sikh Consultative Forum that was proposed by Sikhs from the USA.
