Rejected petition HMG should clarify which defined racial groups & cultural practices are covered by the Race Relations Act. Are RELGIOUS PRACTICES so covered?

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HMG should clarify whether racial groups practising their customs (like turbans) have priority (or same priority) over believers’ religious observances (like Halal slaughter). Sikhs/Jews ethnic race, cult or religion? In Mandla v Dowell Lee (1983) House of Lords found that Sikhs constituted a RACIAL group when a Sikh boy was refused a place at a school because he wore a turban. The appeal was therefore allowed under Race Relations Act. This judgement was based on Sikhs long shared history & collective consciousness distinguishing them from other groups in customs, geographical origin, language, being recognised as a separate group in the surrounding community. Jews regard a person a Jew if born of Jewish mother. A person can be a Jew even if not practising Judaism. Surely belief in reincarnation would not require a believer to wear the insignias of Sikhism, Hinduism or Buddhism. So are they religion, race or both?

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Date submitted 8 March 2012
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