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Politics : Canadian Political Free-for-All -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Ichy Smith who wrote (11765)	4/17/2007 11:15:29 AM
From: DeplorableIrredeemableRedneck	Respond to of 37571

Sikh group wants terror listings lifted Coalition here wants Ottawa to allow two organizations linked to violence Kim Bolan, Vancouver Sun Published: Tuesday, April 17, 2007 canada.com A coalition of Canadian Sikhs is putting forward a new "Sikh agenda for the Canadian government" to make a series of demands, including reversing a ban on terrorist organizations and support for the creation of a separate Sikh country called Khalistan, The Vancouver Sun has learned. A draft of the eight-point program was posted on a popular Sikh chatroom April 12 to elicit support and comments from members of the Canadian Sikh community. The comprehensive document says it is important for Sikhs in Canada to have a common position in lobbying the federal government and opposition members of Parliament. "An eight-point Sikh agenda is being launched on the eve of the next national elections in Canada to make public a distinct range of aims and objectives for the Canadian Sikh community," says the document pre-amble. "The Sikh agenda has been arrived at after widespread consultation and represents the aspirations of the disparate parts of the Canadian Sikh community. It is hoped the agenda will be progressed over the next four years with the Canadian government, the Opposition and individual members of Parliament." The most contentious points in the document call for removal of the terrorist ban on Sikh separatist groups and support for the Khalistan movement. In June 2003, the Canadian government outlawed the Babbar Khalsa, blamed in the 1985 Air India bombing, as well as the International Sikh Youth Federation, some members of which were convicted of political violence in Canada. Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day said Monday the Conservative government has no intention of delisting any terrorist organizations, including the Babbar Khalsa or the ISYF. "It is certainly not the position of the government of Canada to delist, nor to get in any way involved in this question of separatism in India," Day said. "Our position clearly is when it comes to listing terrorist groups, safety and security of Canadians is number one." The online document says Sikhs need to work to "make known and explain the reasons why Sikhs want to establish an independent sovereign state of Khalistan to the Canadian public, political organizations and the Canadian government." It calls for an "increase of political pressure on the Canadian government to have the ban removed in Canada and to clear the name of the many thousands that previously belonged to and associated with the banned organizations since 1984." The Sikh agenda also calls for greater Sikh political representation, government funding for Sikh schools and Punjabi language training. A British group called the Sikh Federation (UK) posted the Canadian Sikh agenda and stresses that community members don't have to support every item in the document. Federation member Javinder Singh said in an e-mail exchange that the agenda is being pursued in several countries after a conference in Switzerland last month of a new body called the World Sikh Network. The Canada component of that is the Sikh Lobby Network (Canada) which has about 100 members, Singh said, although he would not provide any local contacts. "The Sikh Lobby Network (Canada) is made up of Sikh political activists from across the country," Singh said. "They come from gurdwaras and Sikh organizations. The emphasis is on younger Sikhs and professionals, both men and women." He said the Canadian agenda may change after input from community members. The agenda comes just weeks after the last remaining separatists elected in the Indian state of Punjab were defeated in local elections. But despite the demise of the movement in India, pro-Khalistan groups have been showing up in increasing numbers in recent weeks in Canada. Former leaders of both the ISYF and Babbar Khalsa marched in the April 7 Vaisakhi parade in Surrey. In fact, the former Canadian leader of the ISYF was one of the parade organizers, all of whom wore new vests emblazoned with a Khalistan crest. Indian diplomats in Canada have formerly complained to the Canadian government about the increased separatist presence at public events. Day said the Canadian government can't do much about people peacefully lobbying for Khalistan. "As you know Khalistan is an imagined homeland. As long as people are not actively supporting a terrorist group, people have the right to freedom of expression. Supporting a group that is listed as a terrorist group can land a person in trouble," Day said. "We are not getting into this issue at all as far as the issue of Khalistan. That is for people in India to pursue." © The Vancouver Sun 2007