RIYADH: Harassment of Punjab Sikhs by the Saudi Arabian administration has exceeded all limits of tolerance and many Sikhs have sent an S.O.S. plea to Sikh and human rights organizations back home for immediate help.
Avtar Singh Kang on behalf of Saudi Arabian Sikhs wrote to Jathedar of Akal Takhat Amritsar and to S.G.P.C. all groups of Akali Dals Damdami Taksal Sikh student organizations as well as human rights groups to draw their attention to the three main problems of the Sikhs working in Saudi Arabia. Most people in Saudi Arabia do not like Sikhs sporting hair and dastar. “Mataus” a group of religious bigots picks up Sikhs from marketplace shaves off their hair and forces them to say prayers in the Islamic way. Pugrees are taken off forcibly and the victims are dishonored. If any Sikh puts up resistance to these high-handed ways the bigots immediately get help from the police and beat him up. Many Sikhs approached the Indian embassy for help. The only help the Indian representatives gave was to issue them identity cards but often the bigots tear up the identity cards first before doing the other forms of violence.
Only last week Bhai Balkar Singh of Wazir Bhullar village Amritsar district was picked up. His pugree was taken off. The Mataus were about to shave off his hair when he gave them the slip and ran to his colleagues. The Sikhs complained to the management of their firm but no help came from that source. Mataus inspire so much fear that none dare talk to them.
Sikhs consider these practices as grave violations of their religious rights. They wonder why the Saudi Arabian authorities allow them visas to work in the country if they are unable to protect their elementary rights. The Indian authorities also have much to explain as they provide no help to the Indian citizens in grave distress. The U.S. administration which is not tired of raising the issue of human rights violations in the erstwhile Soviet Union paid no head to the cries for help of Sikhs against the pro U.S Saudi Arabian authorities.
The second problem the Sikhs face in Saudi Arabia is that the authorities compel the Sikhs to give blood from 500 ml to 800 ml as a donation in lieu of renewal of their driving licenses. Then if any Sikh is involved in an accident he is not given any blood by the Saudi hospitals.
The third issue the Sikhs face in Saudi Arabia is that the Saudi laws and their administration regarding the in volvement of Sikhs in accidents is heavily weighted in favor of Arabs and against Sikhs Sikh drivers are fined heavily. Unless their colleagues rescue them by pooling their resources the Sikhs have to stay in jails for years. Bhai Zora Singh Aksalipur Ludhiana district has been in jail for more than seven months because he was unable to pay a fine of Riyal 1.20 lakh.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 19, 1992
