华联会致列治文警察局的公开信 | Open Letter to Richmond RCMP

致列治文警察局:
近日,在列治文渔人码头附近的咖啡店内,一对白人男女对华裔女店员泼咖啡并爆粗口。作为华联会我们对上述行为表示极其不满和愤慨,强烈呼吁警察局对此次非常恶劣的种族歧视事件及时作出回应,并且公开处理细节。

北美的新冠疫情仍很严重,针对亚裔的种族歧视及仇恨犯罪事件频频发生,残忍程度不断升级,令人发指!可以看到,加拿大和美国多个城市的亚裔对歧视行为进行声讨。我们认为,集会、抗议游行充分展现出亚裔对于反歧视的态度及立场,但根本解决方案还需要政府对那些不法分子作出制裁,让他们对法律有所敬畏,这样也会对其他有歧视意图的人起到警示作用。

也许这一次持歧视观点的人向华裔店员泼了咖啡,那么下一次仇恨犯罪者可能会有更加恶劣、残忍的行为;也许今天是亚裔受到了霸凌,那明天也可能是其他少数族裔受到攻击……这些都是不可预测的,但任何一次歧视事件均是对加拿大多元文化和价值观的极大破坏。

 

在疫情期间,以及反亚裔仇恨的大背景下,我们迫切希望当地警察局足够重视,在根源上做到针对种族歧视有效的防范和处理,让各个族裔的居民有机会和谐共处,以爱代替仇恨,共同建设加拿大。

亚裔曾普遍持有“息事宁人”、“大事化小、小事化了”的传统观念,新老移民担心自己的安全、怕招惹麻烦而忍气吞声。但是,随着疫情下北美针对亚裔的仇恨犯罪急速增加,越来越多亚裔开始觉醒,意识到忍让只能让种族歧视更加恶劣。他们不再一忍再忍,从沉默文化中走了出来,以各种形式勇敢捍卫自己的人权,也积极捍卫加拿大的多元文化。

 

加拿大联邦政府在移民政策上向世界各国人民敞开大门,怀着友善的态度吸引各族裔移民,以促进加国经济发展、社会繁荣,但影响移民最基本的核心需求是生活是否安全、社会是否公允。

为了列治文的未来,为了每一位社区居民以及下一代能够拥有良好的社会治安,我们强烈希望警方提高重视,及时有效处理种族歧视事件,肩负起保障民众安全的使命,让大家拥有安稳、和谐的生活。

华联会 2021.4.2

 

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Open Letter to Richmond RCMP

Recent anti-Asian attacks in our community, including the reprehensible attack on an Asian female at a Steveston coffee shop, have forced us to write this urgent open letter to the Richmond RCMP.

Even as the pandemic rages, we are seeing a massive increase in violence and discrimination against one of Canada’s largest minority groups. These problems are highlighted by the recent anti-Asian violence, discrimination, hate crimes, and prejudice exploding across the country, and the resulting anti-racism demonstrations seen in multiple Canadian cities voicing outrage at the discrimination and prejudice enacted against Asians across Canada.

It is a positive sign that Asians are speaking up, and our voices will continue to be heard. But words, protests, and demonstrations can only do so much, and will not directly address the underlying systemic issues without the help of government and policing authorities.

The Canadian Community Service Association[CCSA]represents over 100 different associations and organizations across Richmond and the Lower Mainland, and is dedicated to upholding the Canadian values of multiculturalism, inclusion, and diversity. Today we call upon the RCMP to provide a clear response and action plan to address the massive increases in anti-Asian sentiment, violence, and hate crimes that are occurring within our community and across the country, and to address these acts of racism and discrimination with a specific and detailed action plan. We call upon the RCMP to provide an open and transparent response to this letter, and to provide a clear plan explaining how the RCMP will address these issues.

Canada is a country founded upon the principles of equality, inclusion, and diversity. Asian Canadians are part of the great history of Canada, and we deserve to be respected and treated fairly, without the fear of violence or discrimination. We look forward to the RCMP’s response to this letter and corresponding actions to be taken to address the underlying issues within our community.

Canadian Community Service Association [CCSA]

April 2, 2021