Uncontrolled Immigration, Religious Ideologies and Integration

President Donald Trump has issued an executive order targeting branches of the Muslim Brotherhood. This is an attempt by the most powerful head of the Western world to confront the Islamist networks that have []]allegedly] embedded themselves across the free world. The allegation is that they exploit democratic systems and have become powerful voting blocs. They have reshaped the civic and cultural life of entire cities. That Muslim Brotherhood is active in public sectors. The alleged ultimate aim of Muslim Brotherhood is to continue with the Islamist aims and objectives worldwide, to establish a new Islamist caliphate, including the imposition of sharia law.

Regarding unchecked mass immigration to Europe and other Western countries, there is general concern about a class of under-employed immigrants who feel little or no connection with their host societies. That creates law and order disturbances which are on the increase. Minorities like the Sikhs do not feel safe. The question of Sikh hate crimes is an important issue taken up by Sikh jathebandis. However, the suggestion is that it should not mirror the Islamophobia related definition and demands.

From direct or mistaken-identity attacks on the Sikhs, the ideology and perceived activism of Muslim Brotherhood in the West and the extreme right reaction in Western countries is also causing concern amongst minority communities, including the Sikhs.

The view is that a clear pattern of Muslim Brotherhood activism exploiting Western democracies is emerging. That the executive order by President Trump is an attempt to identify and sanction the organizations that fuel radicalization from the Middle East to Western capitals.

So far, the political approach in Western world has been that of multi-culturalism so that all cultures are treated as equal even if they have different views about, or even openly reject democracy, pluralism and individual rights. No hard questions have been asked. They are being asked now and that also demands a Sikh response.

The Sikh Manifesto (link below*) was drafted by a team bringing together diverse skills and experience. the introductory paragraphs clarify that: Sikhs are a role community and provide an exceptionally interesting example of successful integration whilst maintaining a very visible and distinctive religious identity. Evidently, Sikhs have historically made a huge contribution to British Society and remain loyal to Britain []]due to shared universal human rights and values].

In the current climate, Sikh jathebandis and next generation educated Sikhs should keep stressing the above points in public debates. It is for Muslims to defend own ideology and activism. It is for Sikhs to stress Sikh values and successful integration in Western societies as net contributors to the economies of the countries they live in. Sometimes, it is most refreshing to see young Sikhs talking to those who demonstrate against mass illegal migration by boats. There is much just concern about unchecked immigration amongst all communities. They share British values and way of life while keeping own cultural identities which enrich the plural British Society.

Sikh Religious ideology is: Work hard and Share in God Remembrance while treating all as equal. For some centuries, Sikhs have migrated across the Indian subcontinent and globally. Despite distinct Sikh identity, they have related well to the local way of life, integrated with local communities and gained respect. Yet, they have always challenged authoritarian regimes which create unjust societies.

In UK, from 2010, most Sikh jathebandis sat around one table as the Sikh Council for some years. That is the need today.

*Sikh Manifesto: http://www.thesikhnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/SIKH-MANIFESTO-FINAL.pdf

Gurmukh Singh OBE

E-mail: sewauk2005@yahoo.co.uk

https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Gurmukh_Singh_OBE