[IPSM] {Montreal} WEDNESDAY JUNE 16th: Demonstration in Solidarity with the Palestinian Refugees & the Ayoub Family

[Stefan Christoff]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 9 Jun 2004 09:56:22 -0700 (PDT)
From: No One is Illegal Montreal <noii-montreal at resist.ca>


[Please post & forward widely]

DEMONSTRATION IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE AYOUB FAMILY
& PALESTINIAN REFUGEES FACING DEPORTATION FROM CANADA

"We Ask the World: After being expelled from our country more than half a
century ago, do we not have the right to live in peace, security, dignity
and respect like others?" - Khalil Ayoub, Thérèse Boulos Haddad and Nabih
Ayoub, N-D-G Church.

======================================>
WEDNESDAY JUNE 16th, 5:00-7:00 PM
Riding Office of Jean Lapierre
Quebec Lieutenant of Liberal Party of Canada
3333 Queen Mary Rd. (corner Decelles av.)
Metro Cote-des-Neiges
======================================>

The Canadian government's forced deportation of refugees to inhumane and
violent conditions, in breach of its international obligations, such as in
the Occupied Territories and the Palestinian refugee camps of Lebanon, has
sparked a growing social movement of refugees and their supporters, who
are demanding the respect of their basic right to justice and dignity.
This movement is defined by the self organizing of directly effected
refugees, such as the Ayoub family, who are struggling against the growing
attacks and criminalization of their communities. According to the
official statistics of Citizenship and Immigration Canada, there have been
more than 50,000 deportations of refugees during the past 5 years.

Despite this growing reality faced by refugee communities, the current
federal elections campaign has completely ignored the fundamental
questions posed by this growing movement. The countless human tragedies
created by Canada's policies in regard to refugees in the midst of our
society, have been completely swept aside. Therefore, within the context
of these elections, a demonstration will be held in front of the riding
office of Jean Lapierre, the Quebec Lieutenant of Paul Martin, to demand
from the Canadian government an immediate end to the deportation of the
Ayoub family and all other stateless Palestinian refugees.

For over 4 months, the Ayoub family - Khalil Ayoub, 67, Nabih Ayoub, 69
and Thérèse Boulos Haddad, 62 - has been in sanctuary in the basement of
the Notre-Dame de Grâce Church, without having even received an
acknowledgment of reception from Citizenship & Immigration Canada
following their application for permanent residence on humanitarian
grounds. The Ayoub family was expelled from Palestine in 1948 and has
since endured wars, massacres, a life of statelessness and systematic
discrimination in a 56-year-old refugee camp in Lebanon.  They came to
Canada to claim refugee status in hope of finding security and an end to
their suffering, only to be confined to the basement of Notre-Dame de
Grâce Church in Montreal, as they continue to face forced deportation to
the Palestinian refugee camp of Ein El-Helweh in Lebanon.

For more than one year, stateless Palestinian refugees have been
receiving, one after the other, deportation orders from Canada without any
serious consideration given to the violence, poverty and persecution which
defines life in the Palestinian refugee camps of Lebanon and to the
military occupation which plagues daily life throughout Occupied
Palestine.

We must stand united against the injustice faced by the Palestinian
refugees who are set to be deported from Canada in the coming weeks. Your
support, solidarity and participation are urgently needed!

The demands of the Coalition Against the Deportation of Palestinian
Refugees are: 1. To stop the deportations of the Palestinian refugees from
Canada, 2. To grant them permanent residency on Humanitarian and
Compassionate grounds.

This demonstration is organized by:
The Coalition Against the Deportation of Palestinian Refugees
The Palestinian Refugee Support Committee of the Notre-Dame de Grace
Church.

Info: 514.591.3171 / refugees at riseup.net

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