R. Baker Abby News

Paralyzed refugee claimant Laibar Singh, who has been seeking refuge from deportation in an Abbotsford Sikh temple, has given up his fight and is returning to India.

Swarn Singh Gill, president of the Sahib Kalgidhar Darbar Gurdwara, said the 49-year-old widower misses his four children and has tired of his struggles with Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

"He's not happy to go back but he thinks he has no choice," said Gill speaking for Singh Thursday.

"He's thinking about his health, and doesn't know how long he's going to live, he wants to see his children – things like that."

BCSA told Singh that if he leaves the temple for any reason, even to go to the hospital, they would deport him, said Gill.

This is Singh's second stay at the temple, or gurdwara. He spent five months in Abbotsford before seeking sanctuary at Surrey's Guru Nanak Sikh Temple after more than 1,000 supporters at the airport prevented his deportation in December 2007.

Singh returned to the Abbotsford temple in March after the stay in Surrey.

He originally came to Canada in 2003 on a forged passport and made a refugee claim, saying he faced persecution at the hands of Punjab state police.

His refugee claim was denied and Singh fled Ontario and came to B.C. where, working in Surrey as a painter in August 2006, he suffered a brain aneurysm that left him paralyzed from the neck down and unable to feed or clothe himself.

Former lawyer Zool Suleman had made a number of applications for his client to stay in Canada on compassionate grounds.

The previous application was denied by Citizenship and Immigration Canada, which said Singh did not have strong enough ties to Canada and could receive adequate treatment in India.

Singh's health has improved somewhat since arriving back at the Abbotsford gurdwara where he has been receiving medical care and acupuncture treatments, Gill said.

Singh now has some mobility in his upper body and has limited use of his arms.

Gill said he hopes Singh, who needs a catheter changed every five to six weeks, can get adequate medical attention in India.

"I hope he will be okay. If he has a problem he can go to hospital," he said. "He can now eat and feed himself. When he came to us he couldn't move his arms."

The Sikh community has raised about $32,000 to help Singh cover costs once he returns to India, said Gill.

He hopes the community will provide more funds to the refugee claimant.

"He's very poor," said Gill, who added lots of people promised to support Singh financially during a previous fundraising drive.

"Perhaps (the people who pledged) should come forward and help him like they said."

Gill, who is headed to the Punjab in November, said he would meet with members of Singh's family and try help facilitate his return to his village.

Gill said he regrets that Singh must go.

"I can't say too much. It's his decision. He had a problem and we supported him and made arrangements for his health.

"We did as much as we could, but I still feel a little, sad because he's just like family now. I see him every day."