City Sikhs Rally to Release Agenda & Report Demanding Civil Rights

Half of the city's Sikh children suffer bigoted taunts and are bullied in
school because of their Sikh identity.

Nearly 1 out 10 Sikh adults has been physically attacked because of their
faith.

After years as targets of discrimination, New York City's Sikhs are gathering
on the steps of City Hall on April 14, 2008 to demand an end to the abuse.
Sikhs will present their own civil rights agenda to New York's leadership -- a
to-do list for New York City's government to live up to its promise of equal
rights for all people.

(PHOTO: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080409/DC18990 )

The rally and agenda also mark the release of a groundbreaking report on Sikh
civil rights in New York City. "Making Our Voices Heard" reveals the startling
extent to which New York's Sikh residents suffer as targets of bias and
prejudice. This first-ever report on a host of civil rights issued faced by
the Sikh-American community is based on over 1000 surveys of New York City
Sikhs.

Members of the Sikh-American community will be joined by Council members,
representatives of City agencies, and a number of New York City-based ethnic,
religious, interfaith, and civil rights organizations at the rally.

-- What: Community Rally to demand civil rights for New York City's Sikh
residents
-- When: April 14, 2008, 1:30 P.M.
-- Where: Steps of City Hall, New York City
-- Who: Members of the City Council, the Sikh Coalition, community members and
various New York City-based ethnic, religious, interfaith, and civil rights
organizations

Members of the press may download an advance copy of the civil rights report,
embargoed until April 14th, at
http://www.sikhcoalition.org/advisories/EmbargoedCivilRightsReport.pdf.

Background:
Sikhism is the fifth largest world religion, with approximately 21 million
adherents worldwide. Under the principals of their faith, Sikhs are mandated
to leave all hair on their bodies uncut, wrapping the hair on their heads
underneath a turban.

In the years since 9/11, misperceptions about this appearance have led to hate
attacks against Sikhs across the country and in Seattle. The Sikh Coalition
has recorded over 500 incidents of bias against Sikhs on its website since
9/11.

The date of the rally -- April 14, 2008 -- is Vaisakhi, the 309th anniversary
of the formation of the Sikh religion.

For more information on Sikhs and Sikh practices, go to
http://www.sikhcoalition.org/InfoMedia.asp.

CONTACT: Neha Singh, +1-212-655-3095 ext. 84, neha@sikhcoalition.org, Amardeep
Singh, +1-212-655-3095, ext. 83, amar@sikhcoalition.org, both of the Sikh
Coalition

/PRNewswire-USNewswire -- April 9/

SOURCE Sikh Coalition