Vol. 72/No. 10      March 10, 2008

“Two different times hundreds of East Indians and others mobilized to prevent his deportation to India,” she said. Kennedy pointed to a December 10 mobilization at the airport that surrounded the cab delivering Singh to the plane that would have deported him, and a January 27 rally in front of a Sikh temple where he is taking sanctuary.

Kennedy was invited to Vancouver by supporters of the Militant newspaper in response to rightist threats against them and defenders of Singh.

The previous weekend a rightist from a group called “Deport Laibar Singh Immediately” harassed people staffing a Communist League literature table in a working-class district here. The racist took photos of the table and posted them on a Facebook website aimed at inciting violence against East Indians. Postings on the blog’s open forum say that another Hitler is needed to get rid of East Indians, adding vile comments such as “Send the rag head back home or shoot him in the head.”

The blog has photos of the Communist League literature table with signs that read, “Stop The Deportation of Laibar Singh! Defend Immigrant Rights!” and “Read about the Socialist Candidate in the U.S. Elections.” Below the photos is the suggestion that people visit the literature table and “give them a piece of your mind.” A photo of a white woman kicking over a bus full of brown-skinned people fleeing for their lives.

Singh, a construction worker, entered Canada in 2003 and applied for refugee status. In 2005 he suffered a stroke that left him a paraplegic. The Canadian government issued a deportation order against him last July despite his health, his pending legal appeals, and widespread support for his right to stay in Canada.

The Canadian Labour Congress, British Columbia Hospital Employees Union, Vancouver and District Labour Council, BC Coalition of People With Disabilities, and others have supported Singh’s fight. A petition of more than 40,000 signatures was presented in parliament in his defense.

Since then, the big business media and federal government have intensified a racist campaign against the East Indian Punjabi community, Singh, and his supporters.

The meeting to hear Kennedy was part of a series of activities with the U.S. socialist over the weekend.

“I would like to congratulate you for what you are doing,” said an older man of Punjabi descent as he shook Kennedy’s hand. “It’s so important to have a party to represent the workers and the poor. The work you are doing is so important.” The man bought a subscription to the Militant and a copy of Our History Is Still Being Written: The Story of Three Chinese-Cuban Generals in the Cuban Revolution.

“Tell me what I can do to help you” and “What can I do to help Laibar Singh?” were among the comments from people who passed by the campaign table.

Other comments reflected a polarization “He lied to get into the country,” said one passerby. “He should be kicked out.”

The same ultrarightist from the week before tried to disrupt the public meeting for Kennedy but was refused entry. After taking a few photos outside the meeting hall he left.
 
 
Related articles:
Vietnamese in Seattle discuss pact that could lead to deportation of thousands
Workers in Connecticut organize against attacks on immigrants, union
‘We want citizenship so we can vote for you!’
Workers at Houston meat plant welcome Róger Calero, Socialist Workers presidential candidate
Socialist presidential candidate meets with workers, students in Philadelphia  
 
 
Front page (for this issue) | Home | Text-version home