20 March 2002
Angela Eagle MP, Home Office Minister for Race Relations and Europe addressed the Sikh Human Rights Group annual dinner held at the Rembrandt Hotel in London.
Navtej Singh Ahluwalia introduced the work of the Sikh Human Rights Group with particular emphasis on the work leading up to the UN World Conference Against Racism held in South Africa last year. Manjit Singh Gill QC, Chair of the SHRG Board further addressed the work of the Group with regard to promoting the positive concept of Cultural Diversity as an alternative to some of the policies suggested in the Home Office Cantle report. He suggested that the Community Cohesion policies are more of a reaction to the disturbances in northern cities of summer 2001. He cited Southall as a prime example of how communities have gelled far better, without local or central Government involvement. It is far better that community linkages are formed from the bottom up than forced upon communities from the top down.
Angela Eagle praised the work of the Sikh Human Rights Group in particular with reference to the lobbying to raise the issues relevant to the Sikhs at the World Conference Against Racism. She acknowledged that Sikhs face discrimination and mentioned that following the September 11 terrorists attacks the first person to be killed in the backlash was a Sikh, who was mistaken for a Muslim. She agreed that Southall is a good example of a community that has empowered people whereas in other places Social Capital has broken down which has lead to the problems we saw last summer.
Public recognition of the Government is that many of the minority ethnic communities do face discrimination and a question the Government faces is how can everyone have the equal opportunity to fulfill their potential in our society. She said that the Race Relations (Amendment) Act goes a long way to improve the existing race relations legislation. She felt that the ideas put forward on promoting cultural diversity have an important place in this process.
The Minister then took some questions before Jasdev Singh Rai made the closing remarks thanking the Minister, Neil Frater, head of the Religion branch at the Home Office and others for sparing to time to attend today.
External Links:
Community Cohesion Reports:
Cantle report
Denham report