VOLUNTEER DONATE SUBSCRIBE Published: 3rd August 2017

Shaken But Empowered. US Sikhs Respond to California Murders

Left:Simranjit Singh and Right:Subag Singh

New York: Across the country UNITED SIKHS is joining the US Sikh Community to rally for justice after two Sikh American men were shot dead in separate incidents in California.

The bruised body of 68-year-old Subag Singh was found in a canal in Fresno last Monday. He'd been missing since June 23rd 2017. In another incident, 20-year-old Simranjit Singh was shot and killed outside of the Sacramento gas station where he worked the following day. Reports suggest he was shot by men that had previously reportedly assaulted his co-worker. One of the three suspects is in custody. Investigators are not likely to pursue hate crime charges, but that does not ease the fears of a community that often feels targeted.

"The community is shaken, but it's also empowered. We're no longer asking for answers, we're demanding them, Manvinder Singh, Fresno CA, Director of UNITED SIKHS said. "We will not stand idle while Sikh Americans are being taken and threatened.

UNITED SIKHS has requested intervention and follow-up from the Civil Rights division of the Department of Justice. UNITED SIKHS is also working with community leaders in Sacramento and Fresno to ensure the safety and security of the community is given importance and addressed by the law enforcement officials.

In July, UNITED SIKHS members discussed hate crimes and violence with officials from the Department of Justice, members of the FBI Crimes Unit, and various congressmen and women. One of those congresswomen was Zoe Lofgren, the U.S. Representative for California's 19th congressional district. Lofgren reassured those in attendance that she would work with other members of the Sikh Caucus to help push forth various measures that are important to the US Sikh community.

"We find that the communities that suffer the violence are not always encouraged to speak up. Or in some cases they feel unprotected by those authorities who have sworn to protect them. This makes them easier targets. That's where we come in, we are fighting on their behalf," Hardayal Singh of UNITED SIKHS added.

UNITED SIKHS is encouraging our supporters to contact our organization directly if you, or anyone you know has experienced violence of any kind because of your ethnicity or religion. You can do so by following the prompts here.

"We will continue to push for the US Census Bureau to allow Sikhs to self-identify in the 2020 Census. This will help ensure hate crimes and violence are fully and adequately reported and the perpetrators are prosecuted accordingly, Hardayal concluded.

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Issued by,
Manvinder Singh
Director, UNITED SIKHS
Tel: 1-646-688-3525
E: law-usa@unitedsikhs.org