The New Zealand Catholic Bishops Committee (NZCBC) has labelled the Manurewa Cosmopolitan Club’s continued ban on Sikh turban-wearers “a violation of the human rights of the Sikh community”.

Several other interfaith and multicultural bodies, including the Counties-Manukau Multicultural Council and Waikato Interfaith Council, have also expressed support for the Sikh community.

In its letter to the Secretary of the Sikh Council of New Zealand the NZCBC stated:

“We write in solidarity with your efforts to change these policies to match the guidelines followed by our courts, RSAs and aviation authorities which allow turbans.

“The disappointment and sense of exclusion felt within the Sikh community is entirely understandable, as is your view that a ban against patrons wearing headwear is discriminatory if it does not make allowance for those clearly doing so in deference to a sacred requirement of their faith”.

The Counties Manukau Multicultural Council President Gul Zaman, a member of the NZ Council of Christians and Muslims, said the Sikh Turban was an article of faith and not a matter of choice.

“The Turban should not be equated with ordinary headgear. This is either due to ignorance or blatant discrimination against a hard working community that has contributed immensely to the development of New Zealand for more than 120 years,” he said.

Mr Zaman said his Council had appealed to the Cosmopolitan Club to reconsider its outdated discriminatory policy, while the Waikato Interfaith Council agreed at their last meeting that they would draft a brief letter to the Cosmopolitan Club asking them to reverse their decision.