Sikh Helpline

Statement By Girl's father:

7 June 2007
Statement By the Girl's Father

My family and I are devastated and grief stricken. Our eldest daughter (A Kaur, not her real name) has been snatched away from us and we have no means of contacting her. The Police have told us that she has converted to Islam
and does not wish to meet us. They said she is under their protection. We wish to be satisfied of her welfare ourselves. Only parents know their child. We accept that in law she is an adult, but as an 18 year who lived with us all her life, we fear that in the present circumstances, she may not be able to make an independent decision for her own welfare.

When I used to hear terrible stories about how young girls leave home for no apparent reason, I thought the parents had to share the blame. I am a loss as to why my 18 year old daughter left home without leaving a note. Today my daughter has not only been taken from me but from the entire Sikh community.

We do not accept she has converted to Islam of her own free will, we do not believe she does not want to communicate with us - this is not characteristic of her.

My daughter, was an A student in her GCSE and a devout Sikh who has been initiated into the Sikh faith. She performed Keertan (devotional singing) at the Sikh Gurdwara, the last time being 3 days before she suddenly left home.

She has two younger sisters who share her conviction in the Sikh faith and were members of her Keertan Jatha (choir).

It has come to our attention that my daughter met a Muslim convert at college 2 years ago, when my daughter was a minor. We want the police to investigate the possibility that she was actively targeted and "groomed" over a period of 2 yrs by this Muslim convert.

At 16 years, my daughter was impressionable and could have been manipulated through the use of recognized psychologically techniques such as, 'brainwashing', 'mind control', 'undue influence', 'coercive persuasion',
and 'thought reform'.

I have grave concerns about the safety and psychological welfare of our daughter and that such grooming may have sinister undercurrents, both to create tensions between communities and more importantly, use this young
impressionable girl for other activities.

Police and Media

I feel deeply let down by the local Police authorities who during the 2 weeks since she went missing, didn't communicate with me. Knowing where she was they could have helped me to meet my daughter and to help reassure us that she is well. It is not enough that the Police have asked her and she says she is well. An 18 year old, albeit an adult, under undue influence, needs her family, who know her best. The police are not the best to judge the situation. I want to know what the Police are going to do to help me bring my daughter back and investigate our fear that we are dealing with a
forced conversion.

The media report broadcasted yesterday by the BBC Midlands today on 5 June 2007 shows the gross insensitivity, cultural ignorance and downright irresponsibility in their reporting.

My family had appealed to the BBC not to report on this incident as yet because police investigations were ongoing. We did not want any adverse publicity such that her return to her family becomes even more remote.

By bringing this into the public domain, the BBC has created an unimaginable pressure on our daughter, potentially stigmatizing her within her own community and making it difficult for her to make any other decision.

In addition, the report appeared to be sensationalizing and demonizing the Sikh community by associating an incident at the "caretakers" home with Sikhs, when there is no confirmation by the police of such an incident nor that any Sikhs were involved.

We are the victims and the BBC reports have diverted the attention from our grief to the fears of the caretaker, whose antecedents we do not know.