[IPSM] {MONTREAL} Deportation Delayed! UPDATE ON SHAMIM AKHTAR & HER FAMILY

[Stefan Christoff]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 5 Jul 2004 12:26:28 -0700 (PDT)
From: No One is Illegal Montreal <noii-montreal at resist.ca>


UPDATE ON SHAMIM AKHTAR & HER FAMILY
Deportation Delayed! Keep up the pressure!

Shamim Akhtar and her family's deportation has been delayed by Citizenship
& Immigration Canada (CIC). At this time the family is in Montreal and
continues to struggle against their pending deportation, with the support
of the Action Committee of Pakistani Refugees. Your continued support,
solidarity and action is essential in assuring that the deportation is
halted.

On Monday June 28, the eldest daughter Sadf was hospitalized at the
Sacre-Coeur Hospital in Montreal. Sadf had been in and out of the hospital
during the past couple of weeks with a health condition that has steadily
worsened due to the stress and anxiety of her family's pending
deportation. The attending emergency room doctor at Sacre-Coeur, decided
to hold Sadf pending further tests and hospital investigations, forcing
CIC to postpone the removal order.

Rather than simply staying the deportation order in the face of clear
evidence that the family faces serious danger, possible torture and death
in Pakistan, CIC has left the family hanging. It is possible that when
they receive their second removal order, they only will have 24-48 hours
notice.

The delay in the deportation has importantly given the time for the
family's lawyer Stewart Istvanffy to take the case of the Federal Court of
Canada to argue for a stay on the family's deportation until their refugee
claim is reviewed. Also Citizenship & Immigration Canada is currently
reviewing a second Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA), which if accepted
will most likely mean the family is able to remain in Canada.

Community pressure from Montreal and throughout North America must
continue to overturn this decision. CIC's attempts to drag this fight on
and force the family to concede will not succeed. We will continue to
fight publicly against unjust deportations!

The Akhtar family continues to be one of the most active families within
the Action Committee of Pakistani Refugees and Shamim is one of the
spokesperson of the Women's Committee. Their situation carries huge
implications for the Action Committee, which has been fighting the pending
deportation of hundreds of Pakistani refugees from Montreal for more than
one year.

Show your support and solidarity, send a letter or make a quick call to
local CIC bureaucrats who have the discretion to stop the deportation. We
are also asking people to specifically pressure Louise Martin, the officer
who is reviewing the family's second PRRA.

Call and politely demand that the family's second PRRA is immediately
reviewed and accepted given the current situation in Pakistan, and in
Karachi in particular, which has worsened in the past weeks. Anti-Shia
groups have attacked mosques with suicide bombers, killing dozens of
worshippers in Karachi as recently as May 7 and May 30, 2004. The city of
Karachi is under a state of siege.

In Solidarity,
The Action Committee of Pakistani Refugees
No One is Illegal - Montreal
514 812 0858 / noii-montreal at resist.ca


In This Message:

1) Continue to Call / Fax
2) Funding Appeal
3) Background Information

============================>
CALL / FAX / EMAIL CAMPAIGN
============================>

==> Call Louise Martin, the family's Pre-Removal Risk Assessment Officer
and politely demand that the family's second PRRA is immediately reviewed
and accepted given the current situation in Pakistan, and in Karachi in
particular, which has worsened in the past weeks.

Louise Martin {PRRA Officer}:
Tel: 514 283 8171
Fax: 514 496 1882
Email: louise.martin at cic.gc.ca

==> LOCALLY it is crucial we pressure those officials who have the
discretion to stop the deportation. Please be polite but firm in your
demands to BOTH Directors at CIC Montreal:

Cathy Chan {Assistant Manager, Investigations & Removals}:
Tel: 514 496 1386
Fax: 514 496 1882

Anne-Marie Signori {Immigration Canada - Montreal}:
Tel: 514 283 0226
Fax: 514 496 1882

Rene D'Aoust {Director of Removals}:
Tel: 514 496 1238
Fax: 514 496 1882
Courriel: rene.daoust at cic.gc.ca

==> CC MESSAGES TO THE MINISTERS BELOW:

Judy Sgro, P.C., M.P.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1L1
Fax: 613 947 8319, Tel: 613 992 7774
E-mail: Minister at cic.gc.ca

Anne McLellan, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
c/o Solicitor General of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6
Fax: 613 990-9077, Tel: 613 991 2924
E-mail: McLellan.A at parl.gc.ca

DEMAND A STAY OF DEPORTATION ON HUMANITARIAN AND COMPASSIONATE GROUNDS!!!


==> POINTS TO STRESS:

- The danger the family faces in Pakistan given the rise in sectarian
violence in the past month in particular
- That IRB themselves have reports that affirm that the banning of the SSP
as a terrorist organization has not led to a decrease in sectarian
violence
- The children's incredible participation and achievements in school and
the community
- Sameer is Canadian-born and it is the governments duty to ensure that he
remains with his family in a safe environment

=======================>
URGENT FUNDING APPEAL!
=======================>

Over and above the extensive COST of lawyers' fees, we are trying to raise
funds to cover the cost of materials, transportation and money for the
family to survive in the US in the case they are deported. Your financial
solidarity for the political fight against the Akhtar familyÕs deportation
is extremely important.

If you are able to donate money to help cover these costs, please make
checks out to No One is Illegal Montreal with Shamim in the memo field.

Mail Checks to:

No One is Illegal Montreal
C/o QPIRG Concordia
1420 Sherbrooke Street West, Suite 404
Montreal, Quebec
H3G 1K5

=======================>
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
=======================>

Shamim Akhtar, her husband Naeem Khan, her daughter Sadaf Ali Khan (16
years old), daughter Sadia Ali Khan (14 years old), son Shan Ali Khan (12
years old) and son Sameer Ali Khan (2 years old) are facing deportation
from Montreal, Canada on June 29, 2004.

The family was refused as refugee claimants in Montreal in August 2002
despite the grave risk they face if deported to Pakistan, either directly
or indirectly through the United States. In Karachi, Pakistan the family
were the direct targets of the militant and sectarian organization
Sipeh-e-Sahaba (SSP). Naeem was beaten and brutalized several times,
including once with bicycle chains, while Shamim and her daughters were
held at gun point in thier homes.

The family came to Canada in the hopes of finding a more humane refugee
determination system affording them the protection they sought and
deserved. Their refugee hearing took place in August 2002. They were
subsequently denied on patently unfair grounds.

The judge ruled that there was no significant threat to their life,
especially considering that President Musharraf had outlawed the SSP and
that order had been restored. This is clearly contrary to the IRB's own
reports (including US State Department reports that the judge misquoted)
and given the reality in Pakistan this past month alone: at least two
suicide bombings, numerous assualts, targeted killings and shoot-outs,
with Karachi being held under curfew last week. The rise in violence is
pervasive throughout Karachi, Lahore, Queta and other Pakistani areas.

An Amnesty report confirms that “President Musharraf banned five more
organizations including the SSP, but most of these announcements were only
inadequately implemented; the ban on sectarian organizations was not fully
enforced. In the last three years have seen an upsurge of systematic
targeted killings of people particularly in Karachi.” This can certainly
be supported in light of recent serious violence in Karachi and Lahore
over the past month.

While in Canada, the family has been extremely involved in trying to raise
awareness about refugees and about hundreds of others facing similar
desperate situations. Their youngest son Sameer is Canadian born and it is
the duty of the Canadian government to provide a stable and safe home for
him in Montreal. Sadaf, their eldest daughter, is an extraordinary athlete
and student, having won several gold medals at her school. Sadia was the
best Science student in her class, while Shan has recieved gold medals on
his track and field team. The children are fluent in English and French
and their parents are hard working.

DEMAND A STAY OF DEPORTATION ON HUMANITARIAN AND COMPASSIONATE GROUNDS!
JUSTICE FOR ALL IMMIGRANTS & REFUGEES!