Sikh and Hindu groups slam EDL

Leaders of some of the largest Sikh and Hindu organisations as well as Sikh Students in this country have signed a ‘Joint Statement’ condemning the English Defence League (EDL) including any Sikh youth who support the EDL.

The statement is also signed by two Members of Parliament from Asian background as well as a number of councillors, including Councillor Lakhbir Singh, former Mayor of Luton, who himself had suffered a vicious attack by a racist youth last year after some protests in Luton.

Other signatories include, Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Southall, the largest Sikh temple outside India, together with many other Sikh and Hindu temples in Southall, west London. Its also been signed by a major Sikh temple in Barking, east London, a hotspot for the British National Party (BNP), as well as by the British Sikh Council (UK), an umbrella organisation for a number of Sikh temples in this country.

The Sikh Student Societies include some of the most famous colleges in London, like the London School of Economics (LSE), University College London (UCL) and Imperial College as well as the University of Hertfordshire. The statement is also signed by the Indian Workers Association (GB), Sikhs In England ( SIE ), an influential Sikh organisation, and Unite Against Fascism (UAF).

The statement reads, “We, the undersigned, are deeply concerned by the rise in fascism, Islamophobia, anti-semitism and racism. The English Defence League (EDL) has organised events across the country, stirring up hatred, Islamophobia and racism – running riot in some cases and provoking violent attacks on Muslim, black and Asian communities and on Mosques and Mandirs (Hindu temples)”.

It further highlights, ” They are using the old tactics of ‘divide and rule’ and are trying to divide the Asians by isolating the Muslim community. Furthermore, some misguided Sikh youth are letting themselves to be used by the EDL while a Sikh man has disgracefully joined the BNP. These people are helping to spread mistrust within our communities and we whole heartedly condemn their actions”.

And adds that, “At a time of economic crisis with mass unemployment and impending deep public spending cuts - if the racists are allowed to make any further gains then we all would suffer from grave consequences. Thus we urge all Sikhs, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Jews and people of other faiths to come together to strongly condemn the actions of these racist organizations and unite to turn back this tide of hatred”.

Balwinder Singh Rana, spokesperson for UAF, also added, “The EDL pretend that they are not racist but they are no different than the old NF and the BNP. Now is the time for Sikhs and Hindus to stand shoulder to shoulder with our Muslim brethren and tell the EDL that their sinister aims of ‘divide and rule’ will not work. Otherwise it’s the Muslims today and it will be all us tomorrow”.

Varinder Singh, youth representative for the Turban Campaign, said, ”It is of great concern that our youth are being recruited into the fascist and Islamophobic ideology which the English Defence League promotes. We as a community must face this threat to our youth head on by staying true to the core teachings of the Sikh Guru’s, which emphasise the importance of pluralism and brotherhood amongst mankind.”

So far the EDL has held more than thirty marches and demonstrations up and down the country, often ending in violence. Now they are to return to Luton on Saturday, 5th February , which they regard their hometown as that’s where they began about 18 months ago. Councillor Lakhbir Singh, ex Mayor of Luton, who himself had suffered a vicious attack by a racist youth last year after some previous protests in Luton is also one of the signatories.

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Hindus, Jews Ask Pope to Abandon Double Standards on Roma Apartheid

Hindus and Jews claim that Pope Benedict holds double standards on the issues of Roma (Gypsy) apartheid in Europe.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed; and Rabbi Jonathan B. Freirich, prominent Jewish leader in Nevada and California in USA; in a statement in Nevada today, said that despite their repeated requests, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI had not come out openly to support the 15-million European Roma who faced apartheid conditions. But in a message for "19th World Day of the Sick, 2011", posted on Holy See's website on January 15, Pope says (as per Zenit.org translation): "...know how to recognize and serve him also in those brothers who are poor, sick, suffering and in difficulty, who have need of your help".

The Pope also points out in this message: "A society unable to accept its suffering members and incapable of helping to share their suffering and to bear it inwardly through 'com-passion' is a cruel and inhuman society". And he quotes in this message: "As I have loved you, so must you love one another" (John 13:34).

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, and Rabbi Freirich argued that it was a travesty to silently watch Roma suffer day after day for the last about 1200 years, and do nothing about it. Roma apartheid occurred right under the Pope's nose in Europe. Hindus and Jews had been regularly appealing to the Pope to openly support the Roma cause and come up with a White Paper on their plight, and yet the Pope continued to ignore these reasonable requests for justice in Europe for the Roma.

Rajan Zed and Rabbi Jonathan Freirich further said that the alarming condition of the Roma people was a social blight for Europe and the rest of the world as they reportedly regularly faced social exclusion, racism, substandard education, hostility, joblessness, rampant illness, inadequate housing, lower life expectancy, unrest, living on desperate margins, language barriers, stereotypes, mistrust, rights violations, discrimination, marginalization, appalling living conditions, prejudice, human rights abuse, and racist slogans on Internet.

The Pope needed to make a public statement against persecution of the Roma, Zed and Freirich added.

Rajan Zed and Rabbi Freirich pointed out that religions shared a conviction to help the helpless, defenseless and downtrodden. The Pope should recognize, acknowledge and affirm the Roma as children of God who deserved to be treated like all other people-as equals. Roma apartheid was shocking, reprehensible, hazardous and immoral. As the most powerful religious leader in the world, the Pope's must lead in upholding the moral obligation to make efforts to stop the frequent human rights violations suffered by Roma.

Hindu Rajan Zed and Jewish Jonathan Freirich offered help to the Pope, if asked, to support the Roma cause.

Sify News

Thanks to NewsHound for the heads-up

Three arrested in probe into EDL protest disorder in Dudley

Police have arrested three men in connection with the disorder and criminal damage that took place in Dudley in July.

Officers executed search warrants across Dudley and Walsall as part of their investigation into a number of offences of criminal damage and disorder in Dudley town centre, during a protest held by the English Defence League and an event hosted by the Dudley Interfaith Alliance on the same day.

The men, aged 18, 20 and 26, were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder. They were taken to police stations in the Black Country and questioned. They have since been released on police bail pending further enquiries. A number of criminal offences have been recorded to date, including criminal damage caused to cars and premises in the town on that Saturday afternoon, as well as pockets of disorder.

Among the premises attacked were residential homes around Alexandra Street, cars parked in roads surrounding Stafford Street, restaurants on Wolverhampton Street and the Hindu Temple. Many of these locations saw windows smashed, and damage caused to fencing. A number of vehicles were also damaged as they were targeted whilst being driven through the town.

Birmingham Post

EDL cancels Bolton protest

The 'respectful' English Defence League having a spot of bother with the police

The right-wing English Defence League has cancelled its planned demonstration in Bolton

The group said it took the decision because a Hindu religious festival is due to be held there on the same day, March 6. It also claimed to have received information that 'far-left groups were planning to attack Hindus whilst dressed in EDL clothing'.

In a statement on its website however, the EDL said it would rearrange a demonstration in the town in 'due course'. It warned that 'no street, town or city was off-limits'.

The announcement of the Bolton rally followed ugly scenes in Manchester in October. The group's protestors made Nazi salutes and sang patriotic songs during a tense stand-off with United Against Fascism (UAF) around Piccadilly Gardens and Ancoats. It resulted in 44 arrests and 10 injuries as sticks and bottles were thrown when riot police and police on horseback intervened.

In the statement on Bolton, the EDL said: “This decision was taken in light of the fact that a Hindu religious festival is scheduled for the same day, at the same time and in the same location as our planned demonstration. Due to the respect we have for the peace-loving Hindu community, we deemed it only right and proper that we cancel our own plans to ensure their safety. We hope that the action we have taken will be taken as further proof that we stand only against Muslim extremists. No other decent, honest, peaceful person or group has anything to fear from the EDL.”

The group, which describes itself as a peaceful, non-political protest group campaigning against ‘militant Islam’, had contacted police informally by telephone about staging a demonstration in Victoria Square. A Fair Trade event is also planned for the town centre on the same day.

The announcement of the planned protest was greeted with widespread condemnation from Bolton MPs and religious groups.

Manchester Evening News

If Britain Were a Village of 100 People

Thanks to andyminion for the heads-up. :-)
You can read our article on this subject here.

I did not sign BNP election form, says black woman

The BNP look set to become involved in a fraud probe after a series of "dodgy" signatures for far-right election candidates were discovered.

One African-Caribbean woman in Birmingham told a Lib Dem councillor, Martin Mullaney, that she was furious at her name appearing on a BNP nomination form. The unnamed woman was contacted by Lib Dem investigators after they became suspicious over a number of names on papers submitted by BNP candidates to the council's electoral services department.

Her name appears on a form nominating BNP's Zane Patchell as a candidate for the Lozells and East Handsworth ward in Birmingham. The Jamaican-born woman was shown the signature purporting to be from her. She strongly denied that it is her signature.

Cllr Mullaney has identified at least five other residents of "ethnic background" whose names appear on BNP nomination forms which he believes are suspicious.

The names belong to a Hindu family, a Sikh and two Muslims. Aston resident Abid Hussain has told local reporters his father signed a form but was told it was a petition calling for improvements in the local area. In nearby Sandwell two local residents, Andrew Smith and his partner Lynn Marshall, have expressed shock that their names appear on the nomination forms of BNP candidate Scott Dale.

'I never signed for the BNP, and neither did Lynn” he said. 'I’m not a BNP supporter, I’m a staunch Labour man.' Local police are investigating.

Meanwhile in north Wales, BNP candidate Dallus Weaver has been cleared over claims he had forged a signature on his nomination paper before standing in Flintshire. The signature in question is said to belong to a policeman who is now under internal investigation. In May 2001, six BNP council candidates in Burnley were excluded after it was discovered that several of the people who were supposed to have signed the nomination papers denied doing so.

blink

Backlash against BNP

Church leaders have come together to condemn the BNP over the far-right party’s latest attempts to claw their way into the town hall. Eight candidates are standing in next month’s local elections, the largest contingent ever in Tameside.

The Rev John Holland, of Christ Church, Ashton, said: "I cannot support anything that breeds division and resentment between people of different cultural backgrounds. It is disappointing to see Waterloo as one of the wards chosen to field a candidate. We enjoy a very good relationship with people of other faiths. In fact, the church is being used this weekend for a Hindu funeral. The BNP are a divisive element. We are all God’s creation and although we may know him by different names, humanity is about wholeness. The BNP want to destroy that."

Waheed Ahmed, Imam at the Katherine Street mosque, Ashton, said: "In my time here, racial aggravation has never reared its ugly head. Certainly not on the scale of nearby towns such as Oldham and Burnley. People should support political parties which are working for the good of all people, be it in relation to race, colour and class or trying to create harmony and peace among all. I’d urge everyone not to vote for the BNP or anyone else who advocates hate and violence."

The Rev Philip Burrows, of Mottram Church, said: "I am not shocked by the amount of candidates standing. I have spoken out about this in the past. I don’t think membership of the BNP is compatible with a loving Christian faith."

Dr Phil Edwards, BNP national press spokesman, said: "The church seems to have forgotten that they’re here to preach the gospel, not to interfere in the democratic process. There is nothing un-Christian about being a member of the BNP. It is a shame the Muslim leaders in this country are expanding their religion while Christian leaders are allowing our religion to wither away."

Tameside Advertiser