This video is in remembrance of our victories and commitment to continued resistance on the anniversary of the stopped deportation of Laibar Singh December 10, 2007.

Laibar Singh "Returned" to India in 2008. In a statement released by his legal counsel Peter Edelmann to media via No One Is Illegal "Mr. Laibar Singh intends to present himself to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) for removal to India. On a number of recent occasions agents from CBSA have attended at the Abbortsford Gurudwara- despite the clear indication that it was a sanctuary zone- to tell Mr. Singh that there was no chance for him to remain in Canada. Mr. Singh continues to hope that the Canadian government will allow him to remain on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, but is no longer able to endure this state of limbo. He is thankful to all his supporters for their kindness."

As supporters who have been close to this struggle for over a year and a half, we are deeply saddened by his choice to leave, but we are affirming how important that choice is in a context of such immense legal, social, cultural and political barriers including extreme fear, isolation, harassment, marginalization, smear tactics, intense scrutiny, psychological torture, constant threat of incarceration and deportation, self-doubt about 'being a burden' and 'tarnishing the community's/supporters image', and overwhelming precarity. Laibar has faced those barriers with unwavering courage and we are honoured to have been a part of his struggle. Even under circumstances of extreme physical duress and what seemed like a legal impossibility, Mr. Singh dared to demand that his dignity and that his right to exist as a human being be recognized. For this, we should commend him.

And for their refusal, we should condemn a government that insists on treating racialized migrants as expendable commodities. We should condemn a government that is particularly insistent on deporting a paralyzed man who has immense community support in order to make 'an example' out of him for any other individual or community of supporters that dares to defy the deportation machine.

While feeling extremely angry and saddened, we cannot let ourselves feel defeated and demobilized, which would merely serve the interests of the government. If anything, this highlights to us the importance of continuing to organize -- with greater dedication and commitment -- alongside migrants in their struggle for self-determination which is consistently denied through the violence of the detention/ deportation state apparatus and the accompanying regulation of their lives, labour, and security.

All Power to the People!
No One Is Illegal!

Excerpt from http://noii-van.resist.ca/?p=917