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On Common Ground
Uncommon Diplomacy
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Hate
Crime is becoming a universal phenomenon. The exterior persona
of a Sikh has been the target for quiet some time. To combat
hate through information, dialogue and innovation is the forte
of SALDEF. The online availability of the video On Common
Ground provided Jagmohan Singh an opportunity to write an
appraisal of the video through an Open Letter to his former
Bombay associate Manjit Singh, who is presently the Chairperson
of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund.
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Dear Manjit
Singh
Waheguru Ji Ka
Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!
 It was indeed a
pleasure to watch the documentary produced by SALDEF and the
Department of Justice of the United States government. The 17-minute
documentary,
On Common Ground, like many of your earlier
works belongs to the genre of work which should have been the basic
task of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee for the Sikh
Diaspora beyond Punjab -in India and the world.
It is simple,
succinct and forthright. The language and idiom used in the video
is appropriate and relevant. The online availability of the video
at the US Department of Justice website is proof of the thorough
work done by the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund.
Apart from others, I think it would be appropriate to recognize and
laud the role of Director Sharee Freeman of the Community Relations
Service who has been a key person in enabling the Sikh American
community to establish their rightful credentials on American soil,
both in society and polity.
There is no
doubt that incidents after 9/11 have propelled a crisis which
curiously keeps knocking Sikh doors in one form or the other at
regular intervals. To combat hate through information and analysis
is a tool that has been ably adopted and perfected by you and your
colleagues.
 It
is highly commendable that a band of young Sikhs devote most of
their family time to make the lives of fellow Sikhs less taxing and
easy. I am sure that, as a result of viewing of the Sikh American
Cultural Awareness for Law Enforcement video by thousands of
security personnel, during the last one year, the experience of Sikh
passengers through the various airports in the US is now less
painful and more pleasant than prior to 9/11/2001. Not only this, I
am pretty certain that in many parts of the US, the sense of fear,
hatred and mis-identification too has diminished.
I fondly recall
the little time that we spent together while we were in Bombay. I am
happy to know that the foundation of Sikhi laid through Gurmat
Training Camps and the guidance of your parents, particularly your
father, Manmohan Singh has stood you in good stead. I am sure that
your parents must be proud of you and rightly so.
I write to you
at this juncture to acknowledge the empowering role that you have
been consistently playing for Sikh Americans. I am pleased to see
that the various posters, DVDs, training of Washington’s
Metropolitan Police and media interventions of SALDEF have resulted
in friendlier relations of Sikh Americans with senior leaders,
security personnel, media and the American citizenry.
Generally
speaking, Sikh leaders, particularly in Punjab –the young and old
have not gone beyond press statements and protestations. No serious
endeavor has been made to resolve long-pending issues. We either
protest or we accept status quo.
 You
practice dialogue, diplomacy and negotiations and to me that is a
very healthy development. It is very comforting to see the
effective use of these skills by young Sikh leaders. In Punjab
whenever the Akali Dal has used these political tools, it has
applied them on the sly and community interests have been
compromised. Invariably, Sikhs have fought their social and
political battles in the confrontation mode. More often than not,
the confrontation takes the form of protests amidst hype and misuse
of the Jaikara.
I look forward
to the day when young Sikh American leaders, drawing upon their
experience gained by participation in Congressional hearings,
leadership programmes, democratic functioning and contesting racial
profiling will come to Punjab and enable change in the Sikh polity.
I am aware that some young leaders had attempted to play this role
in the past. It must be said that though they could not exert much
influence in the political scenario, they made contributions on the
social, cultural and heritage fronts. The tentacles of party
politics have entrapped some senior rich Sikh Americans to Punjab
but their contribution so far has been on the negative side.
What you and
your team have done is a benchmark for Sikhs across the world to
emulate. Retaining the basic structure, Sikhs living in all parts of
the world must replicate the documentary. Till that happens,
volunteer translators from all parts of the world must translate the
script of the On Common Ground video into world languages and
send copies to their respective law enforcement agencies and civil
liberties groups.
It goes to the
credit of your team that yours is not just a post-9/11 development.
I have consistently monitored your journey from SMART to SALDEF and
beyond. I am particularly enchanted with the swift mechanism set up
by your organization to respond to stereotyping of Sikhs in the
American media over the last ten years. Such media-watch has been
attempted half-heartedly by many Sikh organizations in many parts of
India, without success. Surely, one day the SALDEF team would
evolve a model for others to follow. I see that happening very
soon. I am sure that the SMART technology will enable concerned
young Sikh leaders in every sphere to supplement their hard work
with smart strategies as well.
 To
the naïve and the cynic, all efforts, including the present one, may
also appear to be a matter of expediency. To me it is a classic
example of humane responsiveness. Contrary to the teaching of our
Gurus, true praise and recognition of a fellow-Sikh does not come
easily to us. Many an effort has gone unnoticed and unrecognized.
The author of the Encyclopedia of Sikhism -Harbans Singh of the
Punjabi University died unsung. His work is now used by students
and scholars alike. Political leaders, thinkers and writers
reminisce about the religio-political work of Bhai Sahib Sirdar
Kapur Singh; no one cared for him when he was alive. All I can say
is that good souls have to continue their endeavors.
I believe that
there is an unhealthy trend of competition and upmanship amongst
advocacy groups in the US. Whatever little I have read over the
Internet pains me. It reminds me of the petty fights among the
various Akali Dals in Punjab. This is tragic and should be
addressed by you and others without delay in a positive manner.
Any further deterioration of this trend will result in another kind
of stereotyping of Sikhs and that would be detrimental, not only to
the Sikh image but also to the democratization of the Sikh polity,
particularly in the US.
Though I have
written this letter to you, every single member and associate of
SALDEF and the
US agencies
involved in the production of this video deserve praise for this
timely constructive effort. I take this opportunity to express
gratitude to your wife, children and the family members of all your
associates for affording you the time and freedom to take up such
painstaking tasks.
I once again
congratulate you on the milestone you have crossed and pray that
Waheguru will give you strength to continue to serve Sikhi.
Rab Rakha.
Jagmohan Singh
Jagmohan Singh
is a commentator based in Ludhiana,
Punjab. He may
be contacted at
jsbigideas@gmail.com
13 February 2008
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