Zile Singh

Ambassador (retd.)

Adversity does not come alone.  It brings with it other pains and sufferings in different forms.  Racism is one of the hidden pandemics which we all are embattling with for a long time.  Unlike Covid-19, Racism embraces religion, race, nationality, ethnicity, colour, caste and gender.  There is every hope that Covid-19 would be defeated by inventing its medicine over a period of time but it seems difficult to overcome Racism by injecting a medicine.  

 Racism, despite multiple national and international legislation and conventions, finds its prey day in and day out sans borders.  Not only in private life, but there are  a hue and cry that even democratic  institutions like judiciary, legislature and the executive  are not bereft of  systemic  racism.  The matured leadership of the world are in agreement with this fact. But what is its remedy?  Social distancing and quarantine are helpful to prevent Covid-19.  Contrary to it, social distancing and segregation are the breeding grounds for racism.    Humanity has suffered a lot on account of social distancing and segregation of communities and races on account of their different identities.  Covid-19 does not discriminate people on the basis of their identities, whereas racism is propagated on the fertile ground of identities.  The identities are of various types.  One is the natural and the other are   man-made.    Covid-19 is a natural single edged pandemic.  Racism is a double-edged pandemic. Here, the ‘double-edged’ means that Racism has the capacity to change its path.  It can take the form of   ‘reverse racism’ also.  It is like an oar in one’s hand to change the direction of the boat as per one’s convenience.  There are ample examples when the perpetrators of racism and discrimination  have become the object of racial hate and vice versa.   

In case of racism, the following can be an advisory. “Be careful.  You are being watched in your private as well as public life.  Your watcher is able to extract the truth from your lies.   According to him, your rights and freedoms granted by a democratic system   are making you uncontrollable in many respects.”   When rights and freedoms are not enjoyed in a balanced manner with reasonable restrictions, these become unbridled weapons to bleed other  individuals and the system. My way is the right way leads to hegemony.  

Liberal democracies can help to combat racism to a large extent.   In democracy it is said, “As one falls, two more will take that place.  Democracy does die in darkness, but it is being strangled secretly in broad day light through backdoor arrangements.”

The world stands witness to the beastly behaviour of the police by taking the vibrant life of a Black person who breathed his last screaming and pleading for a breath.   He was denied his last wish.  Anti-racism protests, peaceful as well as violent were staged in many countries.   At some places leading to looting, arson and damaging public property. 

 Canada, a peaceful and multicultural democratic country also could not hold herself back to demonstrate its support against racism.  It was acknowledged across party lines that systemic racism prevails in its institutions.  All the three tiers of governance, i.e.  the municipal, provincial and the federal leaders condemned racism and committed to ameliorate the physical and psychological pain of the racialized population. 

A few days ago, the Prime Minister has acknowledged publicly that there exists racism in the RCMP. However, in the run of things, an uncalled for  incident happened on June 17, when to win the horse-race,  the Leader of the New Democratic Party moved a Motion in the House of Commons to highlight the generalised systemic  racism in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police – a law enforcement agency, also one of the important pillars of the Executive.   A  Member of Parliament of the Bloc Quebecois party opposed the Motion. But, by  exercising  his prerogative, he showed his colours.  In an exchange of angry and emotional arguments the Leader of the NDP abused the concerned MP as a ‘racist’. The atmosphere in the House got tensed.   The Speaker and  the Deputy Speaker of the House asked the NDP Leader to ‘apologize’ for his indiscriminate   behaviour insulting another MP on  the floor of the House.   The NDP Leader, sticking strongly to his guns, refused to oblige the Chair.  Unfortunately, he was shown the door  for that day.

 It is hoped that the democratic system will initiate an  enquiry into the matter to fix responsibility of the individuals who exhibited  undue emotions, anger and uncommon gestures.  In a layman’s language, it was an attempt to block opposition on a matter of discussion. Also, when the established institutions are demoralized in general terms without any specific case in hand, the roots of democracy weaken.  Some time back, the transition from the RCMP to the Police was opposed by the public in the Municipality of Surrey, where the majority of population is of those who had suffered and fought head-on racism, hate and discrimination. The public has also not forgotten that a Parliamentary candidate had to lose her candidature on account of a nationality comment while canvassing in February last year. 

In addition to appropriate legislation, a humanitarian spirit of education, love, compassion, consideration and diversity can work better to handle racial pandemic.  Individual introspection to understand racism will pay good dividends. 

Zile Singh is a well respected Columnist, Writer, a Vipassana Meditator and has a Post-Graduate Diploma in Human Rights.  He can be reached at zsnirwal@yahoo.ca