Tragedy Smeared Sikh-canadians

[Diljot Kaur]

Tragedy smeared all Sikh-Canadians

For 20 years my immediate community unfairly bore the cross of innuendo

by T. Sher Singh

Toronto Star -- March 18th, 2005

During the two decades between the horrendous crime and tragedy of the downing of Air-India Flight 182 in 1985 and this week's verdict on the trial of the two accused of the outrage, my beard has gone from jet black to snow white.

Part of it, of course, is due to age, in my case, 55.

Some of the silver undoubtedly stems from the vagaries of the practice of law which, coincidentally, began for me in 1985.

A good portion of it also relates to the tragedy, from watching helplessly from the sidelines as several close friends have struggled with the loss of dear ones — a son and daughter, a spouse, a sister.

And some of the salt, inevitably replacing the pepper, is from watching my immediate community — almost 500,000 Sikh-Canadians — unfairly bear the cross of innuendo and broad brush-strokes.

All because the background and context of the tragedy lies in India, in accusations of dire human rights violations by the Indian government against its Sikh minority and the Khalistani separatist movement spawned as a result.

Yesterday's front-page headlines in one Toronto newspaper unabashedly refer to two "Sikh" militants who were found "Not guilty."

Sikh? True, their religion is Sikh. But this moniker is shared by me and my daughter, 500,000 Sikh-Canadians, and 25 million others around the world, only a handful of whom condone or support either the crime or the criminals, whoever they may be.

But, why not "Khalistani," instead of Sikh, which would make it relevant and accurate?

I have never seen — and thank God for it — Nazis referred to as "Christian" terrorists. We have Palestinian suicide-bombers and we have Israeli raids. IRA militants. But, why Sikh militants?

My daughter was 6 years old in June, 1985.

I was and am a single parent and my primary challenge ever since has been to prevent, or at least lessen, the collateral damage caused by the carelessness of the media.

I remember a Sikh-Canadian friend bringing over a newspaper one day to show me how his 12-year-old had come home one evening, spotted the headlines on an Air-India story, pored over the article and, taking a black marker, slashed a huge X across the page, and inscribed "Lies! Lies! Lies!" across the page. My friend found the page crumpled and thrown in the wastebasket.

I remember meeting with a number of CSIS and RCMP operatives in 1987 to assist them in understanding the basics about Indian and Punjabi politics and their spillover into Canada.

My advice was being sought, free, because neither institution had any Sikh or Indian or Punjabi or South Asian personnel on their staff who were equipped to assist them in the Air-India matter. Imagine, this with respect to a Canadian community a million strong and a century old.

Their question was: "Why does every Sikh household in this country sport the Khalistani flag? See: Here's the separatist symbol! "

I looked at the sample one of them had pulled from a briefcase. It was the saffron triangle flown outside every gurdwara (Sikh church) in the world, and the icon (the Khanda) displayed in homes, on necklaces, and T-shirts, on bumper-stickers ... just like the Christian Cross and the Jewish Star of David.

I explained. Their jaws dropped collectively, as if I had just clarified quantum physics.

They cited huge numbers of separatists in this country and provided the evidence: Tens of thousands of them, maybe even hundreds of thousands, refrained from clipping their beards or doffing their turbans. Are they potential terrorists, they asked?

They were genuinely puzzled when I told them that these were the basic requirements for those who have taken on the full discipline of the Sikh spiritual path, and had nothing to do with any political stance. And I added that I was one of them, pointing to my turban and untrimmed beard. I never heard from them again.

But I have heard of erased tapes, of bunglings, of missed opportunities, and ah yes, of broad public references to "Sikh terrorists."

It helped me decide on the route I would take with my daughter. I chose to encourage her to watch and hear and read the news with me, and to discuss its contents.

As a result, I believe, she has learned to discern right from wrong in a way clearer than most people I know.

As she grew up, I noted she had begun to nurture a deep sense of justice and fairness, and sport the ability to quickly cut through onion layers of obfuscation. We often talked about what we saw going on around the Air-India situation.

We quickly learned that there was a pattern emerging in the way the RCMP and CSIS were handling the case and anything else even vaguely related to it.

It has been long forgotten, but there were two trials, one in Hamilton, the other in Montreal, several years ago. Both purportedly related to the Khalistani movement.

Terrorists were being tried, we were forewarned. Swat teams visibly stood coiled around the "specially barricaded" facilities.

"Terrorists! Terrorists!" echoed every preparatory press conference. It was high drama, neatly orchestrated to meet every news deadline.

Well, both matters were finally heard, one by one, in separate cities.

The judge found that the bases of the charges were fraudulent: false affidavits, sworn by "investigative" personnel, were the mainstay.

There was no other real evidence. The charges were dismissed. In each case.

A similar case took place in New York State. Same scenario, swat teams and all. On the eve of the trial, it was discovered that the prosecutor had been penning threatening letters to the judge and signing them with the names of the accused.

The charges were dropped and the prosecutor taken away, reportedly for psychiatric treatment.

My daughter and I learned the following: If the prosecution protests loudly and repeatedly that $100 million has been spent on the case, that there are 10 truckloads of evidence, there are 100 witnesses, that there were 300 victims — and never, ever claims that there are X number of solid witnesses, and X number of damaging documents, and oodles, no some, no, even one piece of impeccable evidence connecting the accused with the crimes, then you know there isn't a case.

Not just a weak case. Simply, no case. And then, when you hear the word "terrorists" bandied about freely and with full-throated ease, you know it is a smokescreen to hide the absence of substance.

Were we surprised by the verdict?

Yes, we were. We are always surprised — pleasantly — at how our judicial system ultimately rises to the occasion, and does what it is supposed to do, albeit belatedly.

Now, just wait and see how loudly and how often the authorities use the word "terrorists" henceforth.

Here's my grey-haired conclusion:

There is good news and there is bad news. The good news: Ours is the best justice system in the world. The bad news: Ours is the best justice system in the world!

We do need an inquiry. It is a must. The truth behind why it took 20 years to get to this unsatisfactory juncture has to be outed.

And, we simply can't let the real criminals go free.

One more thing. My daughter grew up to choose journalism as a career: The pursuit of truth ...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

T. Sher Singh is a Guelph lawyer who is a Member of the Order of Canada

[naam_jap]

It was a disgrace to see sikh terrorists on the first page of globe and mail. I agree they should refer them as khalistani separatists rather then sikh , which marks an x on the whole sikh community.

[Bhujangan]

WHy should they be called Khalistanis? THey were SIkhs and we should be proud of that fact. Just because the media is portraying this whole thing improperly does not mean we should be ashamed of the fact that these SInghs are SIkhs. T SHer Singh is dumb for comparing them to Nazis, how can you compare two innocent victims of media with the Nazis? I think it should be the other way around.

[Shaheed]

T sher is the same guy who wrote in the globe and mail that no1 should listen to akal thakt and its ruling on gay marridges

[Sher Khalsa]

He wrote as if KHALISTANI is a bad word...

A KHALISTANI IS A SIKH...

[Guest Akaal108]

He wrote as if KHALISTANI is a bad word...

A KHALISTANI IS A SIKH...

89598[/snapback]

I know it's really bad time to argue on this but please note that i personally don't want to be in country so called khalistan which is made by killing of innocent lives...khalistan movement turn out to be (after sant bhindranvaley especially) full of infiltranation of indian gov't agents which included babar khalsa international- Talvinder Singh Parmar (read soft target) and reyat.

I am convinced that mr bagri and mr malik are NOT GUILTY by the verdict but i am not convinced parmar and reyat are innocent in this case.

Therefore, if you want to be khalistani then you must specify which type khalistani ? there are two types ..one peaceful ones who just want to see sikhi people in india to be sovergein and there are 2nd type who could get so caught up in the past genocide against sikhs by indian gov't that they use that to justify their bloody acts by hiding behind their sikh garb.

As one of the gursikhs said it beautifully on sikhportal.com

Many Sikhs have rejoiced at the fact that the two Sikhs were found innocent, it is great, but it is not a time to celebrate. This means that justice still has not been served, the murders for this killing are still at large, and that is a very sad thing, nothing to be happy about.

When looking at such matters, it is easy to pin it on Us vs. Them. It makes more sense to us that way, we feel a bit of happiness when the victory is on our side. That is not the Sikh attitude, regardless of who does us harm, we must stand for justice.

Many ppl were killed in 80’s and 90’s, Many SIKHS, suffered in humane tortures but we cannot justify those, and think the victims of this tragedy were any different. The Truth remains the truth, everywhere in the world there is suffering, everywhere there is inhuman tortures, there are people being slaughtered, if we are to be a TRUE AKAL PURAKH KE FAUJ, it means to step up for EVERY human, anywhere and every where not just ourselves

People say protect your own house then you can help others, the Guru’s said helping others was helping yourself. When I think about Guru Gobind Singh, losing his father, mother, four son’s and STILL willing to meet the enemy, man it just makes me so ashamed that I have so much vengeance in me, so much hatred and such a small mind. Such are the ideals of Sikhism, such high thought, one can not even comprehend the great gursikhs of the paanth who gave there lives for others, who stood in danger for Hindu Women that were kidnapped, Who stood up for the weak and oppressed without fear of what would happen to them. Dhan are those GurSikhs, when we think about them our hearts just pain with the amount of love they had, and from our mouth the word ‘waheguru’ comes out automatically. They looked and saw the Guru in all, even enemies and that is the greatness of Sikhism, that is the standard they set for us to follow.

[buddasingh]

He wrote as if KHALISTANI is a bad word...

A KHALISTANI IS A SIKH...

89598[/snapback]

I know it's really bad time to argue on this but please note that i personally don't want to be in country so called khalistan which is made by killing of innocent lives...khalistan movement turn out to be (after sant bhindranvaley especially) full of infiltranation of indian gov't agents which included babar khalsa international- Talvinder Singh Parmar (read soft target) and reyat.

....

.....nd that is the greatness of Sikhism, that is the standard they set for us to follow.

89619[/snapback]

So you believe that the Indian government hates Sikhs so much that they send agents to murder 329 people and attempt to tar the reputation of Sikhs worldwide.... and you also believe that Sikhs should live under the flag of such a country.

With all due respect, I call this the thinking of a slave.