Legislation Would Broaden Federal Assistance in Hate Crime Investigations and Prosecutions Washington, DC – The Sikh Mediawatch and Resource Task Force (SMART), the leading Sikh American civil rights and advocacy organization, joined civil rights and law enforcement agencies in support of the re-introduction of the Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act (LLEEA), S.966, in the Senate. “Hate violence is rooted in prejudice and is meant to intimidate entire communities,” said Manjit Singh, Chair, SMART Board of Directors. “Sikh Americans have long suffered from violence based on discrimination, and although legislation cannot expunge hate from our society, this bill sends a clear message that these insidious acts of violence run counter to America’s promise of freedom and tolerance.” The LLEEA would expand federal jurisdiction to reach violent hate crimes committed “because of the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, or disability” of the victim. The anti-hate crimes legislation brought today enjoys strong bipartisan support in the Senate with 49 original co-sponsors, and is endorsed by more than 175 law enforcement, civil rights, civic and religious organizations, including: the National Sheriffs’ Association, International Association of Chiefs of Police, U.S. Conference of Mayors, Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association and many others. Sikhs have been victim to over 300 hate crimes and bias incidents since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The latest Federal Bureau of Investigation hate crime statistics from the 2001 calendar year included 2,098 incidents directed at individuals on the basis of ethnicity or national origin. This represents a 130 percent increase from the 911 incidents reported in 2000. Although the FBI statistics do not specify anti-Sikh incidents, SMART is aware that hate crimes are generally underreported by communities based on fear of further discrimination or victimization. SMART, founded in 1996, is the oldest national Sikh American advocacy group. Our mission is to protect the rights of Sikh Americans through legislative advocacy, public education, and legal assistance and ensure accurate portrayal of the Sikh religion.
