COMMUNITY ADVISORY

For Immediate Release

January 14, 2004

Contact: Preetmohan Singh

i...@sikhmediawatch.org

202-393-2700, Ext. 27

Sikh Americans to Support Religious Freedom in France

SMART Encourages Turn-out at Interfaith Demonstrations in Washington
DC, Los Angeles and San Francisco

Washington, DC- Following French President Jacques Chirac's support of
legislation banning religious insignia from public venues, the Sikh
Mediawatch and Resource Task Force (SMART), the nation's oldest Sikh
American civil rights organization, will join other organizations to
demonstrate against this proposal on Saturday, January 17, 2004 in
Washington, DC, Los Angeles and San Francisco.  Sikh Americans will
join Muslim Americans and other concerned citizens outside the French
consulates in these cities (details below). Simultaneous protests will
be held in France and the United Kingdom.

"The turban is a mandatory and integral part of Sikh's identity and
faith as laid down by its founders, the Sikh Gurus," said SMART
President Manjit Singh.  "Thousands of Sikh soldiers, including those
in the French armed forces, fought with turbans in both of the World
Wars. To force Sikhs to remove their turbans and adherents of other
faiths to shed religious insignia that have no correlation with state
functions will solely serve to exacerbate religious bigotry in
France."

The ban on religious wear, which is due to be debated in the French
Parliament next month, would ban articles of faith such as the Sikh
turban, Muslim hijab, Jewish yarmulke, and all other religious items
in courts, schools, and the public administration.  SMART is
particularly concerned about news reports that the French commission
which recommended this policy failed to interview any Sikhs during its
investigation.

Singh also stated, "The adoption of this law would needlessly limit
the display of mandatory articles of faith in a way that is contrary
to the spirit of all international documents upholding religious
freedom to which France is a signatory."

SMART encourages all Sikhs to come out in large numbers to these
demonstrations and support the rights of French citizens.  The events
will take place on Saturday, January 17 at the following locations:

Washington, DC:     French Embassy in Georgetown

4101 Reservoir Road, NW

Washington DC 20007

11 am - 2 pm

San Francisco:        San Francisco City Hall

1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102-4683

NOTE: Demonstrators will march from City Hall to the French Consulate
Building

                             11 am - 2 pm

Los Angeles:          Westwood Federal Building

                             11000 Wilshire Blvd

                             Los Angeles, CA 90095

                             Noon - 3 pm

To read a New York Times Story about Sikhs in France, please click
here:

http://www.sikhmediawatch.org/news/newsdetail.asp?newsid=584

- END -

About SMART

  <http://www.sikhmediawatch.org/images/logo1.gif>

SMART, founded in 1996, is the oldest national Sikh American civil
rights organization. Our mission is to protect the rights of Sikh
Americans through legislative advocacy, public education, legal
assistance, and ensuring accurate portrayal of the Sikh religion.

For more information about SMART visit our web site
www.sikhmediawatch.org <http://www.sikhmediawatch.org/>  or email
i...@sikhmediawatch.org. To learn how you can volunteer and assist us
please visit www.sikhmediawatch.org/aboutus/volunteernow.htm or send
an email to volunt...@sikhmediawatch.org.

Sikh Mediawatch and Resource Task Force (SMART)
1331 H Street, NW, 11th Floor
Washington, DC 20005
Tel : 202-393-2700  
Fax : 202-318-4433
Email : i...@sikhmediawatch.org
Web : http://www.sikhmediawatch.org <http://www.sikhmediawatch.org/>