SALDEF expresses need for recruitment of Sikh Americans and accommodation of Sikh articles of faith Washington, DC – June 19, 2007: Last week, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), the nation’s oldest Sikh American civil rights and advocacy organization, took part in the first ever Intelligence Community Heritage Summit, hosted by Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell. The purpose of the Summit was to provide the Intelligence Community with an honest assessment of how they are viewed by communities including Arabs, Muslims and Sikh Americans. SALDEF, the only organization representing Sikh Americans at this summit, was one of the select few organizations to meet with officials from a range of intelligence agencies including the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), National Security Agency (NSA) and others. The Summit sought to strategize and develop new ways to ensure better recruitment and retention methods within communities that are critical to the mission of the U.S. Intelligence Community. In a prepared statement read at the event, SALDEF stated, “As a result of military uniform policies which prevent practicing Sikh Americans from enlisting in the armed services, the community has developed perceptions that this policy may be implemented across the board in all federal security agencies. Sikh Americans may therefore disregard and not pursue openings in the intelligence community, be it from the Army or even the FBI and CIA, until this perception is removed and official uniform policies changed to allow religious exceptions for the community.” SALDEF also highlighted the long and proud military, security, and intelligence history of the Sikh community across the world, and advocated for the Intelligence Community to encourage more diversity training and understanding of other cultures and religions, including Sikhs. Attending on behalf of SALDEF was Associate Director Rajbir Singh Datta, who said of the event, “This was a great first step in dispelling myths about each other and to learn how to foster more positive interaction. We look forward to continued discussion and opportunities to meet face to face with representatives of many Intelligence Agencies and ensure access for Sikh Americans and all people of faith.” SALDEF thanks the Director of National Intelligence and his staff for organizing this meeting, and the staff of the Central Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, National Geo-Spatial Intelligence Agency, National Reconnaissance Office, Defense Intelligence Agency, and the Department of State for attending. SALDEF would also like to recognize and thank the FBI National Recruiting and Marketing Unit for serving as a “best-practices” model for outreach to the Sikh American community.
