Track hate crimes against Sikhs, US lawmaker tells FBI
Saturday, 01/06/2013
http://epaper.dailypostindia.com/Details.aspx?id=71277&boxid=57719&uid=&dat=2013-06-01
Washington: An influential US lawmaker on Friday asked the FBI to start tracking and quantifying hate crimes against Hindus, Sikhs and Arab-Americans residing in the country.
“The disturbing pattern of violence and hate against Sikh, Hindu, and Arab-Americans is unacceptable. But, we will only be able to comprehensively address the problem if and when we know the full scope and severity of crimes against these communities,” Congressman Joe Crowley said.
The FBI Advisory Policy Board (APB) is scheduled to meet on June 5, during which it will consider updating the FBI’s Hate Crime Incident Report Form (1-699), which serves as the primary mechanism for the federal government to document hate crimes committed in the US, to include crimes against these communities.
In his testimony submitted ahead of the crucial meeting, Crowley, who has spearheaded the effort for the past several years, said that Sikhs, Hindus and Arab-Americans have all too often been the victims of violent and deadly attacks, and many are targeted with violence for reasons that the attackers chillingly claim are related to hatred.
“That’s why I reiterated my call for the FBI to begin tracking hate crimes against these groups and I look forward to the Advisory Policy Board taking action on this matter,” Crowley said.
In April 2012, Crowley led a letter signed by 93 members of Congress urging the FBI to update the Hate Crime Incident Report Form (1-699) to include crimes committed against Sikh-Americans. Following the August 2012 attack on the Sikh Gurdwara in Oak Creek, which claimed six lives, Crowley spearheaded the introduction of a Congressional resolution recognising the contributions of the Sikh-American community and urging action on hate crimes.
