MURDER RATE FUELLED BY DRUG TRADE, SIKHS SAY

The murder rate among Indo-Canadians is fuelled by Vancouver's booming drug
trade, Sikh leaders told a forum on crime yesterday.

"Vancouver is the Colombia of North America," said Randip Sarai of Sikh
Alliance Against Youth Violence. "People don't even care about getting
arrested. They just laugh."

He said the violence is not a cultural problem because it is not seen in
other major Indo-Canadian communities in Canada.

Sarai was among about 30 people who met with police, MLAs,
Solicitor-General Geoff Plant and Attorney-General Rich Coleman. They were
in Surrey yesterday to discuss ways to stem Indo-Canadian violence.

"We are past denial," said Sarai. "The community is moving forward in its
solution."

Seventy-six Indo-Canadians have been murdered in the past 10 years as
youths collide head-on with the burgeoning drug industry, and the murders
will continue, Vancouver police Insp. Kash Heed said outside the meeting,
which was closed to the media.

"It's only a matter of time," he said. "There is no sign that this violence
will stop."

Jarnail Bhandal, president of Vancouver's Ross Street Temple, said: "We're
hoping to cure the disease of violence in our community."

Coleman said he hoped Indo-Canadian parents would abandon their distrust of
the police and help solve murders in the community.

"Maybe we can give out penalties and send the message that this is an
unacceptable activity," he said. "But there is no magic wand."

Coleman said more money will be going into prevention both through law
enforcement and community programs. But he offered no specifics.

The Sikh leaders have invited six Lower Mainland mayors to meet with them
on Sunday and are planning a later meeting with judges and Crown prosecutors.

The Vancouver Police Department formed a task force in May to deal with the
rising Indo-Canadian murder rate. Almost one-third of Vancouver's homicides
involve young Indo-Canadian men.