Saturday, December 13  from 4-7pm. An evening of discussion — hearty dinner provided. 706 Clarke Drive )between Venebles and Hastings)

Along with many other important struggles, December 10th, 2008 – International Human Rights Day – marks the one year anniversary of the historic airport action to prevent the deportation of Mr. Laibar Singh. Over 1500 supporters – primarily elderly, women, and working class South Asians – converged at the Vancouver International Airport and surrounded the vehicle holding Mr. Singh. This physical prevention of a deportation by a grassroots community mobilization has served as a powerful inspiration to movements across North America. 

 

Now, just shy of a year since that action, Laibar has returned to India. He left under conditions of extreme fear, isolation, continual harassment by CBSA officers (despite him being in sanctuary), intense media and public scrutiny, constant threat of incarceration and deportation, and an overwhelming sense of precarity. In addition, the strength within the community of supporters was broken by political maneuvering, government pressure, and the internalized impacts of a significant racist backlash.

Although we feel angry and saddened by the recent turn of events, we believe it is more important for us to engage in critical reflection. In honour of the anniversary of the December 10th action and its symbolism to grassroots movements for the self-determination of racialized migrants, we invite you to gather and discuss questions of solidarity, alliances and movement building.

As part of a facilitated discussion we’ll consider:

. What are long term implications of significant community mobilizations? How are actions sustained and continuity established?

. What are the roles of allies in struggles for justice and self-determination for migrants?

. How do anti-racist and anti-colonial migrant struggles fit into broader efforts toward anti-globalization and social justice?

Join us for an evening of discussion, the sharing of personal experience and reflection on these events. How do we imagine moving forward?

Organized by No One Is Illegal-Vancouver. For more information call: 604.339.3234 or email noii-van@resist.ca. Visit us at:www.nooneisillegal.org

* All Power to the Brown People: Desis Rage Against the Deportation Machine by Leah Lakshmi in Colorlines http://www.colorlines.com/article.php?ID=296

* On Laibar Singh’s Return to India by No One Is Illegal-Vancouver:

https://noii-van.resist.ca/?p=917