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Sikhs banned from European
Parliament
WSN Network
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“In the UK the
right to wear the kirpan is enshrined in law, as it should be across
the EU. Kirpans are a religious symbol. To refuse entry to those
wearing them is discrimination.” — MEP Liz Lynne |
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BRUSSELS:
A
delegation of Sikhs from Coventry, Warwickshire and other parts of
the West Midlands were forbidden from entering the European
Parliament last Wednesday where they had been invited to visit their
LibDem Euro MP Liz Lynne. But the best thing for the Sikhs across
the world is the news that the MEP Liz Lynne joined the protests
outside, along with some other MEPs, in support of the Sikhs. LibDem
Euro-MP Liz Lynne was supposed to welcome a delegation from the Sikh
Federation to the Parliament.
For the third
year running, the delegates from the Sikh Federation in the West
Midlands group were denied entrance to the Parliament because some
were wearing the Sikh kirpan. Ms Lynne, who is vice-president of the
Employment and Social Affairs Committee and a member of the Human
Rights Subcommittee in Brussels, joined the protest outside with
other MEPs.
She said: “This
decision is outrageous. In the UK the right to wear the kirpan is
enshrined in law, as it should be across the EU.”
“Kirpans are
widely regarded as a religious symbol, not a threat, and to refuse
entry to those wearing them is discrimination.”
Interestingly,
even delegates not wearing the kirpan were also denied entrance to
Parliament.
“Sikhs have made
an outstanding contribution to the wealth and diversity of society
in the West Midlands and elsewhere across Europe, and to treat EU
citizens in this way is totally unjustified,”
Lynne said,
adding: “I wrote last week to President Pöttering of the European
Parliament hoping to ensure entrance for my constituents but to no
avail. I now hope to lead a cross party campaign on this issue to
ensure this discrimination cannot be allowed to continue here or
anywhere else.”
She said the
Sikh faith should be recognized throughout the EU. “Kirpans are
widely regarded as religious symbol, not a threat, and to refuse
entry to those wearing them is discrimination pure and simple,” she
said.
On the role of
the EU’s anti-discrimination legislation in combating discrimination
faced by Sikh’s in the workplace, Liz added: “If we are to remove
discrimination from all places of work across the
EU, including
this Parliament, we need to ensure the 2000 Employment Directive is
properly implemented across Europe, something which many Member
States have failed to do. I hope anyone who feels they have been
discriminated against in the workplace finds the courage and support
they need to take further action.”
14
May,
2008
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