Canadians from South Asia have become an integral part of the Canadian society!

Using the lessons of Canada to heal the wounds of Mumbai

SHEEMA KHAN
SOURCE: MONDAY'S GLOBE AND MAIL
DECEMBER 1, 2008


I was born in Varanasi, India, and moved to Calcutta soon after. When I was 3, my parents decided to leave Hindu-Muslim strife for the peaceful climes of Canada. In
Montreal, I grew up with my best friend Tina, a Hindu, whose family was like, well, family. Our modest apartment served as a temporary home for many of my father's
friends who had come to look for work and a better life for their families. Hindu, Sikh, Parsi, Sunni, Shia - all were welcome. On weekends, we would visit other
immigrant families. We all shared a sense of cultural heritage and the challenges of adapting to a new environment.


The one thing that I remember most clearly was the absence of politics. Our parents had made a conscious choice to leave behind the strife and build life anew. There
were definitely times of tension: the Indo-Pakistani wars, the Air-India bombing, the assassination of Indira Ghandi. Yet the key lesson was to never allow the tensions
"over there" to spill over here.


Canadians from South Asia have become an integral part of the Canadian fabric. They have seen first-hand the benefits of living in a country where there is peace.


Challenges do exist. Discrimination is still out there. Yet there is a belief that hard work pays off, and that one can strive to change things for the better. The Canadian
approach to multiculturalism has been embraced as a means to be part of a nation whose Charter insists on inclusiveness.


The vision of inclusiveness has permeated the South Asian community. And it is key to addressing the violent events overseas.


The Mumbai horror is but the latest in a series of terrorist attacks perpetrated by both Hindus and Muslims on the country. India is a complex land, with the potential
for even more serious conflict.


This is why the South Asian diaspora must not only condemn the violence but also work together within itself, and with both NGOs and governments, to build a comprehensive peace. It starts here at home, with mosques, temples, synagogues and other houses of worship opening their doors for prayers for all those killed and injured.

Organizations need to bring together diverse members of the South Asian community, along with members of the Jewish community (whose members were targeted in Mumbai) in a show of solidarity and resolve against the violence.

This is also the time for a collective relief effort, without questions of religion or ethnicity.

Once the shock has diminished and more information about the attacks is forthcoming, there will need to be a calm, multi-pronged approach to understanding and addressing the many complexities of the region, at a very basic human level.

The South Asian diaspora has benefited greatly from the many opportunities afforded by Canada, and in turn has contributed towards Canada's enrichment as a nation.

It can now help to defuse the most dangerous place on Earth, through its intimate knowledge of the region, its strength of resources, diversity, and desire for peace.

When my father died a few years ago, many of his long-time friends came to his funeral. They had forged friendships in India that were strengthened here in Canada.

Hindu, Muslim, Sikh - they were weeping for the loss of a dear friend. We were all family.

After the events in Mumbai, let us renew the ties of humanity that bind, remembering that despair and hatred are the exact goals of the perpetrators of violence.

Hope, solidarity and the resolve to build a better future - both here and in South Asia - should be our legacy.