Newspaper publisher killed

(CCPJ/IFEX) – Canadian Press reports that newspaper publisher Tara Singh Hayer was shot to death in the garage of his suburban Vancouver home on the evening of 18 November 1998. Hayer, who published the “Indo-Canadian Times”, Canada’s largest and oldest Punjabi weekly, was an outspoken critic of violent Sikh fundamentalists and had already been the […]

(CCPJ/IFEX) – Canadian Press reports that newspaper publisher Tara Singh
Hayer was shot to death in the garage of his suburban Vancouver home on the
evening of 18 November 1998.

Hayer, who published the “Indo-Canadian Times”, Canada’s largest and oldest
Punjabi weekly, was an outspoken critic of violent Sikh fundamentalists and
had already been the target of an assassination attempt at his newspaper
office in 1988. At the time, he was left partially paralysed. Just a week
ago, the publisher said in an interview that he was not concerned by ongoing
threats on his life. “If they get me, they get me. There’s nothing I can do
and I’m not going to stop my work,” he said.

Hayer’s son, Sukhdev Hayer, said his father had arrived moments earlier at
his Surrey, British Columbia home from his newspaper office, and had just
transferred from his vehicle to his wheelchair when he was shot. Hayer’s son
added that he went back to the newspaper office after the shooting to add a
special insert that would let readers know of the killing. Hayer said it was
important to continue work on the paper despite the murder because his
father had fought for press freedom in Canada. “He has fought for the
freedom of human beings here. He always said if they were going to kill him
for what he published so be it,” said Hayer.

Sukhdev Hayer believes the killer was trying to frighten people prior to
upcoming Sikh temple elections in Vancouver and Abbotsford because they
feared moderates would win. Sikh moderates and friends of Hayer said police
have done little to head off the threats and violence of fundamentalists in
the region. “The police should have acted on the threats against Mr. Hayer
and others before the assassination,” said Bikar Singh Dhillon, a former
Temple president and victim of a 1991 assassination attempt. “There have
been rumours of hitmen in town for weeks and police have done nothing,” he
added.

Hayer, 64, was married with three daughters, one son and eighteen
grandchildren. The “Vancouver Sun” daily reported that he had some two
hundred relatives across British Columbia.

Recommended Action

Hon. Anne McLellan

Minister of Justice

House of Commons

Ottawa, Ontario

K1A 0A6

Canada

Fax: +1 613 990 7255

cc. Ujjal Dosanjh

Attorney-General of British Columbia

Tel.: (250) 387-1866

Fax: (250) 387-6411