Insta Live discussion with United Sikhs Legal Director Mejindarpal Kaur

By Bavleen Kaur

As part of a continuing effort to showcase representatives of organisations the Sikh Press Association work with, Sikh PA Senior Press Officer Jasveer Singh conducted an Instagram live interview with Mejindarpal Kaur, International legal director of United Sikhs.

You can watch a video of the discussion in full by clicking here.

The two discussed in detail the basis of United Sikhs and when and how it was formed. In the hour of the Instagram Live chat, Kaur, who has been with the organisation for nearly 18 years said, “I was lucky to have had this opportunity to help my community.”

Mejindarpal Kaur provided in-depth information about the work that has been done by the United Sikhs in the past and is being continually done today. Kaur further explained the structure of United Sikhs, with chapters based around the world and highlighted they were formed to react “as and when there was a human rights disaster.”

United Sikhs entities are based in 11 countries including the UK and they are registered with charity commissions around the world and are answerable to those authorities and commission in each country. She goes on to discuss the initial limitations faced due to lack of facilities, “we began with one Facebook page and one website.”

The mission of the United Sikhs was simple, “How to help the under-privileged minority communities.”

Some of their areas of work includes, international civil and human rights, humanitarian relief, community empowerment and development, which is the educational projects such as Sikhi camps and scholarships. The aim of the organisation is provide and support religious freedom, so that Sikhi can be practiced freely around the world.

However, Kaur highlights how it should not be left to a one person’s availability, suggesting any individual with a drive to help the community should support in these issues in any way possible, “I encourage anyone who is watching and listening to help, you can do it too” she says. She explained that these efforts would be “like the Muslims and Jewish communities who have well established advocative support, we as a community need to build on that too.”

Jasveer and Mejindarpal also discussed in detail about the current situation of the Afghan Sikhs and Hindus, with recent fatal attacks on the Sikh community. Kaur highlighted United Sikhs are working closely with the UN in supporting the community to ensure their safety. She said “United Sikhs are raising profile for Sikhs and Hindus of Afghanistan” to help efforts to give them asylum.

Another issue discussed was the lack of information countries like the UK had about Afghan Sikhs and their current situation. UK home office deals with a lot of refuge/asylum cases and the decisions they made were based on outdated information. After a 2019 meeting with Mejindarpal Kaur, the home office gained more understanding on the Afghan Sikh situation better.

Kaur urged United Sikhs to take the first step in investing in advocacy funds for the community and not just work with lawyers outside of the community that are hired. Mejindarpal suggested Gurdwaras can create these funds to further allow the community to hire professionals who understand the need for religious freedom.

She also encouraged Sikh politicians in Canada to do what they can to support the community in these unprecedented times. She said, “we all have skills gifted to us by the Guru, which will be taken away from us sooner or later, so make use of them while you can before you lose it.”

For further questions about United Sikhs and the support they provide, you can email them directly at law@unitedsikhs.org .

Check out a transcription summary of more of the interview below.

Jasveer Singh (JS): Tell us a bit about yourself and your background. How did you come into the work you do right now?
Mejindarpal Kaur (MK): I am a Malaysian born, living mostly in Punjab nowadays but am currently in Malaysia where my mother is.

In 2002 I had a taken career break from my post as a senior crown prosecutor with the crown prosecution service in the UK, when I was approached by United Sikhs of America. Today globally we are called United Sikhs.

JS: How long have you been working as part of United Sikhs? What kind of work were you originally doing with United Sikhs?
MK: I have been in United Sikhs since November 2002, then I was told I had to go around the world setting chapters for United Sikhs. I was sent to do a seva (selfless service) campaign at Darbar Sahib in Punjab. It occupied me for nine months. I was launched into the arena of head first. A Sikh who has to work at panthic level means losing your personal identity, it is very difficult. My forte is my availability. It’s been 18 years since I joined United Sikhs.

JS: Elaborate on what has previously been done and what is currently being done for
situation of Afghan Sikhs by United Sikhs?
MK: When it came to my attention that there had been a killing in Jalalabad in 2018 and the community lost their leader during the attack we decided to raise the profiles of Sikhs and Hindus and we took this matter to UN with the help of a council from Australia. It is all available on our UnitedSikhs.org website. Even though Sikhs had lived there and contributed to the economy, they had no separate distinct identity. What we achieved at the UN was to create awareness of these words of Sikh and Hindu. Home office said they now understand the situation better because previously decisions were made based on old dated reports. We thought we did our best until the recent attacks, after which we started to get involved again with UN and Human Rights commissioners. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the UN offices are shut in Afghanistan. The pandemic is about life and death but so is the security of these people. 

JS: How have you seen the Sikh community deal with the Covid-19 pandemic? What are your thoughts on the actions of the Sikh community around the world?
MK: Sikhs have proved they are always there whether it is war or anything else. Gurdwaras and Sikh organisations have been supporting vulnerable groups tirelessly. The Sikh Panth could not have sat there and not done anything. However, there is fear for the people in Punjab. Therefore, people who are in the western countries, I would like to ask them to please stay alive for the needs of people in Punjab and anywhere in India. It’s time to return to Sikh spirit and be there for people.