Pubdate: Fri, 22 Oct 2004
Source: Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB)
Copyright: 2004 Winnipeg Free Press
Contact:  http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/502
Author: Carol Sanders
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

VIETNAMESE COMMUNITY UPSET WITH GANGSTERS

Winnipeggers from Vietnam say they're law-abiding citizens who are afraid 
of being painted with the same brush as a handful of criminals charged in a 
recent rash of marijuana grow operation busts.

"So many people come here with empty hands and they try really hard," said 
Ba Nguyen, who came to Winnipeg 35 years ago. "Vietnamese gangs make them 
feel hurt," he said, apologizing for his English skills.

He came to Canada in the first wave of refugees from the Vietnam War after 
1975, at a time when there weren't support services in place, like 
well-established English as a second language programs, he said.

Today, Nguyen is the president of the Free Vietnamese Association of 
Manitoba, and said people in his community want to make it clear in the 
minds of the public that they are not associated with the Asian gangs or 
criminal dope growers.

Earlier this month, Winnipeg police shut down two massive marijuana grow 
operations, setting a record for the largest pot seizure this year.

Police said both operations appear to be the work of Asian gangs. More than 
a dozen people, all claiming to have a Vietnamese background, have been 
arrested by RCMP and city police in connection with the spread of 
sophisticated marijuana-growing operations. Nguyen attended a wedding 
Saturday, where guests told him they were upset that the criminal 
activities were described as "Vietnamese", he said.

There's also a concern there will be cases of mistaken identity between the 
dope growers and law-abiding residents with common Vietnamese names, he said.

"People are good residents. A lot of businesses here make a lot of 
contributions to Manitoba's economy," said Nguyen, who's worked for Carte 
Electric for almost 28 years building transformers. His daughter owns a 
nail salon on Broadway.

There are 3,895 Vietnamese-speaking people in Winnipeg, according to the 
2001 census. Nguyen estimates there are roughly 11,000 Manitobans whose 
ethnicity is Vietnamese.

"Manitoba opened its arms to welcome us and we must return the favour," he 
said. The criminals who are the rare exception seem to be thumbing their 
nose at the opportunities offered here, he said.

Nguyen said the Vietnamese community supports police efforts to catch and 
prosecute the criminals. Winnipeg police have said they want the public to 
understand that the vast majority of the Vietnamese community is 
law-abiding and hard-working. Most of the individuals involved in Asian 
organized crime are not Manitoba residents, according to police.
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