Concerns about a renewed backlash against Sikh Americans, who had come under attack following the September 11 terror strike on the United States, has escalated after President George W Bush declared war on Iraq.

A Washington-based organisation that has been monitoring individual cases of alleged bias attacks against Sikhs since 9/11 said members of the community should take extra measures to safeguard their lives and properties from a possible backlash during the course of the war.

News reports have indicated even before the declaration of war, hate crimes against those perceived to be Muslims, Arabs, or Middle-Easterners have been on the rise in the US. In the past, Sikhs have often borne the brunt of the bias attacks due to the erroneous perception that they are Muslims or Middle Easterners or supporters of Osama bin Laden, because of the turbans that male Sikhs wear.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, in its weekly bulletins, has cautioned that the war against Iraq could spark hate crimes at home.

The Sikh Mediawatch and Resource Task Force issued a precautionary measure advisory to inform the Sikh community about the 'dos' and 'don'ts' in case of hate attacks on individuals or on gurdwaras. It has urged community leaders and gurdwara management committees to renew their relationship with the local law enforcement agencies and to address the community's concerns with them regarding the war and the possible backlash against the local Sikh community.

To ensure their children's safety, SMART issued a three-point suggestion that advises parents to make sure that their children feel comfortable speaking with an adult if they face harassment by others at school.

"I have no doubt in my mind that backlashes against the community members are most likely to occur. If it happened after 9/11, how can I rule out that it would not recur this time?" asked Harpreet Singh Toor, president of the Sikh Cultural Society in Richmond Hill, New York City.

Toor told rediff.com that the community was trying to get the world out that Sikhs have nothing to do either with Muslims or people from the Middle East and are perfectly law-abiding people.

"We want to avoid a repeat of the situation that followed the terror attack on September 11 and that is why we are trying to educate people as much as we can about Sikhs through the media," he said.

His organization is getting about 5,000 lapel buttons and bumper stickers with the words 'Sikhs Support Our Troops' inscribed on them. But he said he was not sure how far such measures would help stop attack on Sikhs. "My guess is as good as yours."

The Sikh Coalition, another community organization, said in a release that it wanted to let it be known to the Sikh community to remain careful during the war and to report a hate or bias crime immediately to the Sikh Coalition. The coalition urged members of the community to log onto its web site, www.sikhcoalition.org

A similar advisory was issued by the Washington-based Council on Islamic American Relations. March 17 it announced that it has put together a 'Muslim Community Safety Kit' for Muslims, Arab-Americans, and those perceived to be Middle Easterners and who may be targets of racial or ethnic profiling by law enforcement agencies or become victims
of hate or bias related crimes.