World Sikh Organization
Encyclopedia
The World Sikh Organisation (WSO) is a non-profit organization
whose 1984 founding goal was "to provide an effective, credible voice to represent Sikh
interests on the world stage", after Operation Bluestar. Its stated goal is "to promote and protect the interests of the Sikh Diaspora
", and "promote and advocate for" human rights. As of November 2011, the WSO was headed by Prem Singh Vinning, a prominent British Columbia businessman and political organizer.
, NY which included several thousand people from the United States, Canada, Great Britian, and several countries in the far east. The organisation was formed with two branches, WSO-Canada and WSO-America, and headquarters in Ottawa and New York. In January 1985, a bilingual newspaper, the World Sikh News, was launched from Stockton
, California
in order to "project the voice of Sikhs across the world" and highlight "Sikh participation in America’s 'social and cultural life'". The World Sikh News was a supporter of the WSO but was not officially linked with the organization in any way and operated independently.
The WSO has drawn widespread support and is involved in various community issues including the right to wear turbans, right to wear kirpan
s, and Gurdwara
management. WSO officials are chosen through a mix of elections and nominations and meetings are generally held in gurdwaras.
to fight discrimination and wear a turban in his role as a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
. It has also helped Sikhs in Canada in court cases involving the wearing of kirpan
s. In addition it has supported other groups in asserting their rights, including Orthodox Jewish men wearing the Yamulke, Muslim women wearing the Niqab
, and a Scottish high school student wearing a kilt
to his graduation ceremony.
WSO has been involved as an intervener in several prominent human rights cases at both the provincial level and at the Supreme Court of Canada, including Syndicat Northcrest v. Amselem [2004] 2 S.C.R. 551 regarding the right of Jewish residents to build succah huts on their condominium balconies and Multani v. Commission scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys, [2006] 1 S.C.R. 256, 2006 SCC 6 in which the Supreme Court of Canada affirmed the right of Sikh students to wear kirpans to school.
During legal proceedings about the Air India bombing
, the WSO applied for and was granted intervener status, and attempted to call witnesses who would testify that the Government of India
might have been involved in the bombing. The WSO condemned the proceedings on several points, arguing that there was "inadequate protection of witnesses" from intimidation.
Terry Milewski
reported in a 2006 documentary for the CBC
that a minority within Canada's Sikh community was gaining political influence even while publicly supporting terrorist acts in the struggle for an independent Sikh state.
In response, the WSO sued the CBC for "defamation, slander and libel", alleging that Milewski linked it to terrorism and damaged the reputation of the WSO within the Sikh community. Canadian MP Ujjal Dosanjh
and reporter Terry Milewski were also named in the suit for their alleged remarks in the 2007 documentary "Samosa Politics".
There are WSO chapters in every major Canadian city. WSO works with other interfaith and human rights organizations to promote awareness and education about human rights issues, in addition to providing education about the Sikh faith.
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
whose 1984 founding goal was "to provide an effective, credible voice to represent Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
interests on the world stage", after Operation Bluestar. Its stated goal is "to promote and protect the interests of the Sikh Diaspora
Diaspora
A diaspora is "the movement, migration, or scattering of people away from an established or ancestral homeland" or "people dispersed by whatever cause to more than one location", or "people settled far from their ancestral homelands".The word has come to refer to historical mass-dispersions of...
", and "promote and advocate for" human rights. As of November 2011, the WSO was headed by Prem Singh Vinning, a prominent British Columbia businessman and political organizer.
History
The World Sikh Organisation (WSO) was formed after an international gathering of Sikhs on July 28, 1984 at Madison Square Gardens in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, NY which included several thousand people from the United States, Canada, Great Britian, and several countries in the far east. The organisation was formed with two branches, WSO-Canada and WSO-America, and headquarters in Ottawa and New York. In January 1985, a bilingual newspaper, the World Sikh News, was launched from Stockton
Stockton
-Places:Australia:*Stockton, New South WalesNew Zealand:*Stockton, New ZealandUnited Kingdom:*Stockton, Cheshire*Stockton, Norfolk*Stockton, Warwickshire*Stockton, Wiltshire*Stockton-on-Tees*Stockton-on-Teme*Stockton-on-the-ForestUnited States:...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in order to "project the voice of Sikhs across the world" and highlight "Sikh participation in America’s 'social and cultural life'". The World Sikh News was a supporter of the WSO but was not officially linked with the organization in any way and operated independently.
The WSO has drawn widespread support and is involved in various community issues including the right to wear turbans, right to wear kirpan
Kirpan
The kirpan is a ceremonial sword or dagger carried by orthodox Sikhs. It is a religious commandment given by Guru Gobind Singh at the Baisakhi Amrit Sanchar in CE 1699, all baptised Sikhs must wear a kirpan at all times....
s, and Gurdwara
Gurdwara
A Gurdwara , meaning the Gateway to the Guru, is the place of worship for Sikhs, the followers of Sikhism. A Gurdwara can be identified from a distance by tall flagpoles bearing the Nishan Sahib ....
management. WSO officials are chosen through a mix of elections and nominations and meetings are generally held in gurdwaras.
Activities
The World Sikh Organisation has advocated for increased religious freedoms. It helped Baltej Singh DhillonBaltej Singh Dhillon
Baltej Singh Dhillon was the first Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer to be allowed to wear a turban.- Early life :He was born in 1966 in Malaysia and immigrated to Canada with his family in 1982. After graduating from high school, he went on to Kwantlen College to study criminology with hopes...
to fight discrimination and wear a turban in his role as a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
. It has also helped Sikhs in Canada in court cases involving the wearing of kirpan
Kirpan
The kirpan is a ceremonial sword or dagger carried by orthodox Sikhs. It is a religious commandment given by Guru Gobind Singh at the Baisakhi Amrit Sanchar in CE 1699, all baptised Sikhs must wear a kirpan at all times....
s. In addition it has supported other groups in asserting their rights, including Orthodox Jewish men wearing the Yamulke, Muslim women wearing the Niqab
Niqab
A niqab is a cloth which covers the face, worn by some Muslim women as a part of sartorial hijāb...
, and a Scottish high school student wearing a kilt
Kilt
The kilt is a knee-length garment with pleats at the rear, originating in the traditional dress of men and boys in the Scottish Highlands of the 16th century. Since the 19th century it has become associated with the wider culture of Scotland in general, or with Celtic heritage even more broadly...
to his graduation ceremony.
WSO has been involved as an intervener in several prominent human rights cases at both the provincial level and at the Supreme Court of Canada, including Syndicat Northcrest v. Amselem [2004] 2 S.C.R. 551 regarding the right of Jewish residents to build succah huts on their condominium balconies and Multani v. Commission scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys, [2006] 1 S.C.R. 256, 2006 SCC 6 in which the Supreme Court of Canada affirmed the right of Sikh students to wear kirpans to school.
During legal proceedings about the Air India bombing
Air India Flight 182
Air India Flight 182 was an Air India flight operating on the Montreal–London–Delhi route. On 23 June 1985, the airplane operating on the route a Boeing 747-237B named after Emperor Kanishka was blown up by a bomb at an altitude of , and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean while in Irish airspace.A...
, the WSO applied for and was granted intervener status, and attempted to call witnesses who would testify that the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
might have been involved in the bombing. The WSO condemned the proceedings on several points, arguing that there was "inadequate protection of witnesses" from intimidation.
Terry Milewski
Terry Milewski
Terry Milewski is a Canadian journalist, who is currently the senior political correspondent for CBC News. Prior to his current post, he was based in Vancouver. Milewski has come under fire from major political actors at times during his career for his reporting.Milewski has reported in...
reported in a 2006 documentary for the CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
that a minority within Canada's Sikh community was gaining political influence even while publicly supporting terrorist acts in the struggle for an independent Sikh state.
In response, the WSO sued the CBC for "defamation, slander and libel", alleging that Milewski linked it to terrorism and damaged the reputation of the WSO within the Sikh community. Canadian MP Ujjal Dosanjh
Ujjal Dosanjh
Ujjal Dev Singh Dosanjh, PC, QC, is a Sikh Canadian lawyer and politician. He served as 33rd Premier of British Columbia from 2000 to 2001 and as a Liberal Party of Canada Member of Parliament from 2004 to 2011 including a stint as Minister of Health from 2004 until 2006 when the party lost...
and reporter Terry Milewski were also named in the suit for their alleged remarks in the 2007 documentary "Samosa Politics".
There are WSO chapters in every major Canadian city. WSO works with other interfaith and human rights organizations to promote awareness and education about human rights issues, in addition to providing education about the Sikh faith.