[antiwar-van] Public Forum for Migrants

[aliy]

BlankAugust 30, 2003

VACC Deplores Detention; Organizes Public Forum for Migrants

Vancouver. The Vancouver Association of Chinese Canadians (VACC) today deplored the actions of the Immigration Department and RCMP in detaining 19 national security suspects in criminal facilities. “Some of these suspects were reportedly physically assaulted by others at the detention centre,” Victor Wong, Executive Director of VACC said today. “This deplorable treatment is a human rights abuse. Immigration detainees should not be mixed with the general criminal population.”

It appears that this so-called national security case is starting to unravel. Two of the suspects were ordered released and many adjudicators indicated that there was a lack of direct evidence. Even the RCMP has admitted that they have no direct evidence of terrorism plans. VACC remains critical of the detention regulations in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. 

“The tactics of arresting first and investigating later are troubling and run counter to civil liberties principles,” Mr. Wong said. “Further, the casual media consumption of sexed-up information leaks, racial profiling and one sided enforcement commentary is unsettling. A reportedly unstable individual drives a car up to the Peace Tower – we don’t round up and profile people with mental disorders, but arrest a few Pakistanis/Muslims with no direct evidence and suddenly we have a national security crisis.”

VACC urges media commentators and editors to be more responsible in their reporting of this case. Foreign students were allowed entry into this country because the Immigration department/overseas embassies approved their visa applications and provincial governments are responsible for regulating educational institutions. Further, foreign nationals including students may make a refugee claim after arrival in Canada. At any one time, 600-700 people are held in detention on various immigration charges and a handful are held for national security reasons. 

“The public would benefit from factual reporting and better context in the media coverage,” Mr. Wong said. “We urge the federal government to recognize the thousands of non-status residents living, working and studying here and to review the current immigration policies through the lens of migrants’ rights and to develop and implement humanitarian regularization options.” 

The number of non-status residents is conservatively estimated to be in the order of tens of thousands of people in Canada. VACC will host an information meeting for non-status residents next week:

Date:   September 4, 2003 (Thursday)

Time:   6:30 p.m.

Place:  Strathcona Community Centre

Address:  601 Keefer Street, Vancouver

VACC is an anti-racism and human rights organization and member chapter of the Chinese Canadian National Council and National Anti-Racism Council of Canada.


For more information, please contact Victor Wong at (604) 421-2983.





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