GANGS, DRUGS REQUIRE A CO-OPERATIVE SOLUTION

Two ambitious, motivated young men are doing what many groups and
individuals spend a great deal of time talking about - proactively tackling
the thorny issue of drugs and gangs.

Kabir Shaukar Ali, 19, and Daljit DJ Parmar, 20, are putting their full
efforts into producing and airing a series of mainstream TV and radio ads
aimed at combating gangs and drugs. The pair is also working on a website
designed to give useful information for teens on how to avoid falling prey
to gangs, and will also have an educational component for adults. (See page
15.)

We commend their dedication.

Everyone recognizes gangs and drugs are inextricably linked, however, not
everyone recognizes just how pervasive and insidious these problems are. We
have to recognize gangs are not only an Indo-Canadian phenomenon - they
exist everywhere and are made of people from all backgrounds. Drugs are not
just a cash cow for organized crime, such as the Hells Angels, nor are grow
ops only manned by Vietnamese gangs, as might be surmised by the mainstream
media's coverage of who gets busted and why.

Drugs and gangs are a fact of life in B.C. right now, and also all across
North America, not to mention all around the globe.

To say this problem is an issue that must be addressed by the Indo-Canadian
community by itself is to commit the gravest transgression of all; we
cannot throw this problem onto any one community and expect it to go away.
Gangs and drugs adversely affect each and every person in society to some
degree, and it will take a sustained effort by all of society to end this
modern-day scourge.