[IPSM] {URGENT!} Stop the Deportation of Palestinian Refugee Osama Saleh Omar from Canada

[Stefan Christoff]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 23 Apr 2004 20:29:59 -0700 (PDT)
From: Palestinian Refugees in Mtl <refugees at riseup.net>


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STOP THE DEPORTATION OF PALESTINIAN
REFUGEE OSAMA SALEH OMAR FROM CANADA
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Call, Email & Fax Immigration Canada Officals
Attend Osama Saleh Omar's Hearing at the Federal Court

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---> A One Week Phone, Email & Fax Campaign
EVERY DAY from Friday April 23rd to Thursday April 29th, 2004

This is a call for a phone, fax & email campaign in support of Osama
Saleh Omar, who is set to be deported from Canada to Occupied Palestine
on April 29th, 2004. Please take a few minutes to Call, Fax & Email the
office of the Minister of Citizenship & Immigration Judy Sgro, the
Deputy Minister Michel Dorais and the Minister of Public Safety and
Emergency Preparedness, Anne McLellan. When faxing or emailing the
Ministers you can simply CC the Deputy Minister.

The contact information of the Ministers and the Deputy Minister and a
template letter are included below.
Please CC refugees at riseup.net when you email the Ministers.

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---> Attend the Federal Court Hearing of Osama Saleh Omar

Osama Saleh Omar has appealed for a stay of deportation at the Federal
Court. It is crucial for us to show up in great numbers to the hearing in
support of Osama Saleh Omar. The hearing will be held early next week, the
date and time have not yet been set by the Court. We will send another
message to inform you of the set time and date.

In Solidarity,
Coalition Against the Deportation of Palestinian Refugees
For more information: refugees at riseup.net - 514 591 3171
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Contact Information:

The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Judy Sgro:
Phone: (613) 957-0312
Fax: (613) 957-2688
Email: Minister at cic.gc.ca

The Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Anne McLellan:
Phone: (613) 991-2924
Fax: (613) 952-2240
Email: McLellan.A at parl.gc.ca

The Deputy Minister, Citizenship & Immigration, Michel Dorais:
Phone: (613) 954-3531
Fax: (613) 954-5448
Email: murielle.galipeau at cic.gc.ca (this is the email of his assistant).

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Template Letter in Support of Osama Saleh Omar:

Honourable Judy Sgro
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
Jean-Edmonds Tower South, 21st Floor
365 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 1L1

Honourable Anne McLellan
Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
340 Laurier Avenue W.
Sir Wilfred Laurier Building, 13th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0P8, Canada

RE: DEPORTATION OF PALESTINIAN REFUGEE OSAMA SALEH OMAR FROM CANADA

Honourable Judy Sgro & Honourable Anne McLellan:

Osama Saleh Omar (Client ID: 4191-0383) is set to be deported from Canada
to the West Bank on April 29th 2004. If deported, his life will be in
direct threat. Osama is from the town of Tulkarem, which has been one of
the most severely affected towns in the West Bank throughout the second
Intifada. In fact, between September 2000 and November 2003, over 2,755
Palestinians in the Occupied Territories were killed, 28,000 were injured,
as many were imprisoned; and almost 10,000 were left homeless due to the
demolition of their houses. Moreover, Palestinians are constantly
subjected to humiliations and beatings at one of the over 300 Israeli
checkpoints, and are routinely placed under 24-hour curfews for prolonged
periods. These are only some of the violations being committed against a
population equal in size to that of the Greater Montreal area.

Osama has experienced the harsh realities of the Israeli occupation
throughout his life. As a child, he witnessed the arrest of his father and
endured heavy beatings at the hands of Israeli soldiers. During the first
Intifada, Osama as a young man was incarcerated for 10 months in an
Israeli jail simply for participating in demonstrations. In 2002, Osama's
refugee claim was rejected, despite the well-documented history of
torture, arrest and systematic persecution he faced as a stateless
Palestinian living under military occupation.

Osama's case further illustrates the inconsistent decision-making of
Immigration Canada officials. In fact, a Palestinian refugee claimant from
the Occupied Territories has recently received a positive PRRA decision
acknowledging the dangers faced by Palestinians under military occupation
as reported extensively by countless well-recognized human rights
organizations such as Amnesty International and the United Nations
Commission on Human Rights.

Furthermore, there is clear Canadian acknowledgement of the danger and
persecution faced by Osama and other Palestinians in the Occupied
Territories. This acknowledgment is outlined by the travel advisory issued
by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade which states:
"Canadians should not travel to the West Bank or Gaza Strip, which
continue to be affected by serious violence. Canadians in the West Bank
and Gaza Strip should leave as they are at high risk. They may, however,
encounter difficulties departing these territories during times of Israeli
closures or curfew, which are frequent." To have one arm of the Canadian
Government acknowledge and warn against the ever-present dangers in these
areas, and have another arm of the Government forcefully deport refugees
back to these same areas is, to say the least, disturbing.

Osama is one of dozens of Palestinian refugees residing in Montreal who
are facing deportation to the Occupied Territories and the refugee camps
in Lebanon.

I hope that you will find in you the courage and willingness to exercise
your discretionary powers to immediately stay the deportation of Osama
Saleh Omar and that of the other failed Palestinian refugee claimants and
to grant them permanent residency on Humanitarian and Compassionate
grounds. I am certain that a spirit of humanitarianism will be upheld and
furthered by you at this most crucial time.

Sincerely,
(Your name)

Cc. Michel Dorais, Deputy Minister, Citizenship & Immigration Canada.
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