On the eve of the first anniversary of the Oak Creek gurdwara tragedy in Wisconsin, the US Government has announced that it will begin tracking hate crimes committed against Sikhs, Hindus, Buddhists and four other religious minority groups.
The decision by the Obama administration follows a protracted campaign by the Sikhs, who have borne the brunt of the backlash following the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001 and sporadic hate crimes that continue to take place, such as last week’s graffiti attack on a California gurdwara.
As Sikhs from across America began gathering at Oak Creek for the memorial events, Attorney General Eric Holder also announced a grant of over $512,000 to reimburse and continue to pay for mental health and trauma services for the victims and survivors of the horrific shooting in which six Sikh worshippers were killed and six were wounded.
“These funds are intended to assist all those affected - including family members, witnesses, first responders and the wider Oak Creek community — as they continue to rebuild their lives and keep displaying the extraordinary resiliency so many of us have come to admire,” Holder said, adding: “More broadly, we also must engage in an inclusive dialogue about how we can prevent these tragedies in the future — including through the improved tracking of hate crimes reporting.” Apart from Sikhs, Hindus and Buddhists, the FBI will start tracking hate crimes against Arabs, Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Orthodox Christians.
“I’m confident that this change will help us better understand the law enforcement challenges we face. It will empower us to better enforce relevant laws to protect everyone in this country. And it is emblematic of our unwavering resolve to prevent and seek justice for acts of hate and terror,” Holder wrote in a blog post.
Conceding that there have been as many as 800 incidents involving violence, threats, assaults, vandalism and arson targeting Sikhs, Arabs, Muslims and South Asians since 9/11, Holder said the Justice Department, through FBI, the Civil Rights Division and US Attorney’s Offices, continues to vigorously investigate and prosecute threats and violence directed at people because of their religion or ethnicity. Action is also being taken to prevent discrimination against members of these groups at the workplace, schools and many other areas.
The Attorney General, who visited Oak Creek shortly after the tragedy on August 5 last year, said this heinous act of hatred by a lone gunman (white supremacist Wade Michael Page) had badly shaken individuals and communities of faith across America. Police lieutenant Brian Murphy was among those injured, having been shot 12 times at close range while attempting to save others.
“The attack in Oak Creek was particularly jarring not only because of its scale, and the number of victims involved, but also because it occurred in a place of worship, of fellowship, and — above all — of peace,” Holder noted.