[mobglob-discuss] FW: [ocap] Intent to Sponsor Mohamed Cherfi: Prominent Community Members Needed Immediately

[Graeme Bacque]

-----Original Message-----
From: ocap-bounces at masses.tao.ca [mailto:ocap-bounces at masses.tao.ca]On
Behalf Of OCAP
Sent: Monday, March 08, 2004 4:21 PM
To: ocap at masses.tao.ca
Subject: [ocap] Intent to Sponsor Mohamed Cherfi: Prominent Community
Members Needed Immediately



INTENT TO SPONOR MOHAMED CHERFI:
PROMINENT COMMUNITY MEMBERS NEEDED IMMEDIATELY

A valid Quebec sponsor currently exists for Mohamed Cherfi, a non-status
Algerian community leader who was torn from church sanctuary and deported
to the US last Friday (see below for backgrounder).  However, Quebec
Immigration has thus far ignored this legitimate option for landing him.
Therefore, mobilizing a group sponsorship would provide still another
means of ensuring Mohamed's safe return to Canada.  In order to accomplish
this, we urgently need supportive community leaders to pledge their intent
to act as sponsors.

Mohamed's recent application for landing, considered under the special
procedure won by the non-status Algerian campaign, was denied on the basis
that he lacked "integration" into Quebec society. Regardless of the weight
and enormity of his contribution over the past 7 years of life in Canada,
Mohamed is also entitled to protection in consideration of the civil
conflict in Algeria and the risk of his deportation to Algeria via the
United States. These risks are linked to the fact that he was the
spokesperson of the Action Committee of Non-Status Algerians for almost
two years, and in Algeria, the defenders of human rights are prime
targets.  Mohamed had made an initial claim for refugee status, which was
refused, after he fled Algeria as a conscientious objector, having refused
to do compulsory military service that would have forced him into the
civil conflict in Algeria.

As part of the long-term struggle for the regularization of all non-status
persons, refugee claimants have often been obliged to find 'sponsors'
before they will even be considered for status in Canada.  If you are a
citizen or permanent resident of Canada, you can potentially be a sponsor
to a refugee claimant. Group members act as guarantors that the necessary
support will be provided for the full the duration of the sponsorship. 
Immigration Canada usually requires a one year commitment from sponsors.

Although Mohamed is currently in detention in the US, in the custody of
the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (formerly the INS), it
is their practice to deport to any country which allows entry of the
immigrant being deported to any country which allows entry to the
immigrant being deported.  Thus, if the Canadian government allows Mohamed
to come home to Canada, he can be brought back from US custody.

We are calling on prominent members of labour unions and locals, faith
groups, not-for-profit, and community organizations to pledge their intent
to sponsor Mohamed Cherfi, should the Minister continue to ignore the
sponsorship application currently under consideration.

This would be a tangible act of solidarity not only with Mohamed as an
individual, but also as a leader of a courageous and immensely successful
self-organized community of Algerian refugee claimants, and thus with the
fight for justice for refugees and immigrants as a whole.

The fight for Mohamed's return must take place on as many levels as
possible.  It is imperative that a precedent be set, that such political
retribution on the part of the Canadian government against non-status
people will not be tolerated.  We must bring Mohamed home.

If you can act as a sponsor, please call immediately:
Sarah Vance (416) 806-4983

--------------------------

BRING MOHAMED HOME!
UPDATE -- HOW YOU CAN HELP
March 8, 2004

To date, there are at least five cities confirmed for actions in
solidarity with Mohamed Cherfi (details below). Mohamed is currently
detained in the United States, and facing imminent deportation to Algeria,
where he will be imprisoned or worse. This past Friday, Mohamed was
arrested by at least 15 police officers inside the Saint-Pierre United
Church in Quebec City, where he had been given sanctuary by the Reverend
Gerald Dore.

The demonstrations on Tuesday are in response to a call to action by the
Action Committee of Non-Status Algerians in Montreal. Mohamed Cherfi was a
spokesperson for the Action Committee, and is being punished for his
outspoken political activism.

* Background information on Mohamed's case is available, in English and
French, at http://clac.taktic.org (click on "No One Is Illegal" on the
left).

* The Solidarity Committee for Mohamed Cherfi maintains an updated
website, mainly in French, at: http://www.mohamed.levillage.org

* A downloadable PDF flyer, in English and French, for the Montreal-action
is available at: http://clac.taktic.org/media/mohamed.flyer.pdf

* A downloadable PDF flyer, in English, for the Toronto-action is
available at: http://fr.freeshell.org/pdf/cherfi.pdf

Feel free to use and modify the flyers for your local actions.


--> WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE LOCAL DEMONSTRATIONS IN OTHER CITIES. If you
can't organize for this Tuesday, please consider a demonstration later in
the week. We need to maintain public and political pressure to bring
Mohamed home. Even a modest presence outside the offices of Immigration
Canada, or other Canadian government authorities, is important. Please
notify your local media about this case. If you are organizing a local
action, please pass on the details to both solimo2004 at yahoo.fr AND
nooneisillegal at tao.ca

--> WE ENCOURAGE YOUR CALLS, LETTER AND FAXES. More information about who
and where to write and call is available at the end of this e-mail, or at
http://clac.taktic.org (click on "No One Is Illegal" on the left).

--> WE ARE ACTIVELY SEEKING ENDORSEMENTS by organizations and individuals
(including well-known social, cultural, academic, political and religious
figures). We are asking organizations and individuals to support the
return of Mohamed Cherfi to Canada, and to denounce the violation of his
sanctuary inside the Saint-Pierre United Church. If you would like to
endorse, or if you can suggest endorsers, please contact both
solimo2004 at yahoo.fr AND nooneisillegal at tao.ca.

To date, organizations such as CSN (Quebec City), the Quebec League for
Rights and Freedoms, Amnesty International (Canadian francophone section),
the Centre for Justice and Faith and the Diocese of Quebec have endorsed,
as well as dozens of other groups. Individuals such as Francoise David
(former head of the Quebec Women's Federation), writers Neil Bisoondath
and Maka Kotto, activists Lorraine Guay and Amir Khadir, member of the
Quebec National Assembly Agnes Maltais, and Quebec-City-area Member of
Parliament Christiane Gagnon have also endorsed. PLEASE SEEK AND SEND
ENDORSEMENTS!

--> IF YOU ARE FROM THE UNITED STATES, we need your solidarity and
support! If you can help with a bond, especially if you live in the
Northeastern United States (New England or New York State), please contact
solimo2004 at yahoo.fr AND nooneisillegal at tao.ca for more information.

--> WE ENCOURAGE BOTH AMERICANS AND CANADIANS to write the Director of the
Buffalo District Detention Center in Batavia, New York, where we expect
Mohamed to be moved shortly. A form letter, and address, is available at:
http://www.mohamed.levillage.org/article.php3?id_article=15 (click on the
PDF link at the bottom of the page). At this point, please phone or fax,
using the sample letter to determine talking points. The numbers are:
(phone) 716-551-4741 X2500; (fax) 716-551-3131.


Our collective determination, hardwork and mobilization will bring Mohamed
home to Quebec, and help regularize the status of all non-status persons
in Canada. To stay in touch, please e-mail nooneisillegal at tao.ca or phone
514-859-9023.

In solidarity,
-- The members of No One Is Illegal (Montreal)
-----

NATIONAL DEMONSTRATIONS ON TUESDAY, MARCH 9
IN SOLIDARITY WITH MOHAMED CHERFI ...

WE WILL BE DEMANDING: the regularization of all non-status Algerians; an
end to deportations; a return of the moratorium on deportations to
Algeria; the return of Mohamed Cherfi to Canada from the United States

WE WILL ALSO BE DENOUNCING: the Quebec City police, Quebec Immigration
Minister Michele Courchesne, federal Immigration Minister Judy Sgro and
federal Public Safety Minister Anne McLellan (responsible for the Border
Services Agency), for their role in violating the sanctuary of the
Saint-Pierre United Church in Quebec City, and in summarily deporting
Mohamed Cherfi to the United States.

VANCOUVER:
Tuesday, March 9 -- 12:30-2PM
Immigration Canada
300 West Georgia
Contact: harsha at resist.ca or 604-221-0273

TORONTO:
Tuesday, March 9 -- 6PM
Outside the home of Canadian Immigration Minister Judy Sgro
Meet at Lawrence West subway station at 6:00pm or join us after 6:30 at
Judy's house: 25 Veerland Drive. From Keele and Lawrence West, drive north
on Keele, left (west) on Maple Leaf Drive, past Culford, turn right onto
Veerland. Or take the 52 Lawrence bus from Lawrence West or Lawrence
subway station and get off at Culford.
Contact: nooneisillegal at riseup.net or 416-925-6939.

OTTAWA:
Tuesday, March 9 -- NOON
In front of Immigration Canada
365 Laurier (corner of Kent)
Contact: psmith at web.ca or 613-761-1724

MONTREAL:
Tuesday, March 9 -- 4-6PM
Outside the offices of Immigration Canada,
1010 Saint-Antoine West (metro Bonaventure)
Bring your banners, placards and noisemakers.
Contact: nooneisillegal at tao.ca or 514-859-9023

QUEBEC CITY:
Tuesday, March 9 -- 4:30PM
In front of the National Assembly
Bring your banners, placards and noisemakers
Contact: solimo2004 at yahoo.fr or 418-262-0144
-----

IF YOU ARE OUTRAGED by the violation of sanctuary at the Saint-Pierre
United Church, we encourage you also to express your anger, politely but
firmly, to Ministers Michelle Courchesne (Immigration Quebec), Judy Sgro
(Immigration Canada) and Anne McLellan (Public Security Minister,
responsible for the Border Services Agency). Please re-iterate the basic
demands of the Action Committee of Non-Status Algerians, and demand also
the return of Mohamed Cherfi to Canada. You can write, fax or phone the
ministers at the following addresses :

Michelle Courchesne
Cabinet de la ministre
Ministere des Relations avec les citoyens et de l'Immigration
Edifice Gerald-Godin
360, rue McGill, 4e etage
Montreal (Quebec) H2Y 2E9
Fax: (514) 864-2899
Tel: (514) 873-9940
E-mail: cabinet at mrci.gouv.qc.ca

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: McClellan.A at parl.gc.ca

                **
  Ontario Coalition Against Poverty
 10 Britain St. Toronto, ON  M5A 1R6
416-925-6939  ocap at tao.ca www.ocap.ca
                **
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