[van-discuss] ACT NOW TO STOP A DEPORTATION

[ha rsha]

JUSTICE FOR PARVEEN KAZMI !!!
STOP HER DEPORTATION TODAY !!!

* This is an EXTREMELY URGENT callout for support. Unlike many others 
Pakistani refugees who face deportation to the US (where they face the 
threat of detention and certain deportation back to death and torture in 
Pakistan), Mrs. Kazmi’s upcoming deportation is directly back to Karachi.
In the past six weeks, we have witnessed the deportations of three Pakistani 
families, one on Eid, despite strong efforts from supporters all over the 
country. We must continue to fight to stop these deportations!

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PACK THE COURTROOM
An application for a stay order on Parveen’s deportation will be heard on 
Monday. All supporters please pack the courtroom in support.
	Federal Court @ 9:30 AM, Monday Dec 1
	30 McGill street (at the corner of De La Commune, Victoria Square metro)

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Mrs. Kazmi, a 53 year woman, has been living in Montreal for over five 
years. She was forced to be separated from her six children and husband when 
she fled to Canada in 1998.

Mrs. Kazmi is from Karachi, where for over twenty years in the years of mid 
1970’s- 1990’s she was an incredibly active member of the political party 
MQM. She was the coordinator of the Womens Caucus of the party for seven 
years, actively involved in bringing womens issues such as education, 
poverty, and gender persecution to the forefront of political issues in the 
city.

In 1998, her niece’s husband, who was Consular General of MQM for their 
local district, raped a younger member of their family. Mrs. Kazmi 
confronted him and when he refused to speak with her, she took the matter 
directly to higher leaders within the MQM party in Karachi. There too, she 
was faced with ridicule and threats to not bring false allegations against 
upstanding members of MQM.

One week later after this incident, the Consular General of their local 
district, arrived at her house where she was alone at the time. He 
threatened her and taunted her that she should not have gone to the party 
leaders and proceeded to physically assault her while repeating “you will 
learn your lesson too“. Her screams and her resistance saved her life as 
neighbours started to bang on the door.

After this incident, she proceeded to file a report with the police, but 
given the close ties between the police force and MQM party leader, they 
refused to file any report or conduct an investigation. Within a few weeks, 
Mrs. Kazmi submitted her resignation as a member of the MQM. This incident 
received much media attention at the local level.

Within a few months, her niece divorced the local Consular General due to 
continuing incidents of domestic assault and despite the social stigma, Mrs 
Kazmi and her niece were even more motivated to organize around womens 
issues and joined the Pakistan Peoples Party in June 1998.

However, during this period Mrs Kazmi and her family continued to receive 
threats from members of the MQM. They entered her house and physically 
assaulted with weapons her young sons, followed her children and husband to 
work, and attempted to assault her several times. With this growing fear, 
she fled to Canada as an asylum-seeker.

Since her arrival in November 1998, she has been working. She has been 
separated from her children and husband, who remain in Pakistan in hiding. 
Weeks after her departure from Karachi, her 10-year old son was brutally 
beaten and hospitalized. Since then, her family has remained in hiding, 
forcing her children to miss large periods of time from school. Given the 
mounting anxiety since the rejection of her refugee claim, her separation 
from her family, and all the trauma and struggle she faced in Karachi, she 
has been hospitalized three times in Montreal with severe depression after 
three suicide attempts in the past year. Her Medicare is now expired and she 
and her doctors are extremely concerned about the effects of the inability 
of her to receive treatment.

Mrs. Kazmi is due to be deported on December 6. If deported back, she will 
surely face unimaginable horrors of rape, torture and death.

There has been mounting support for her case, particularly from several 
womens organizations and we STRONGLY URGE all supporters to please write in 
to express your support for Mrs. Kazmi. This deportation must be stopped!

Solidarity and struggle
Action Committee for Pakistani Refugees, No One is Illegal, REBEL Desis.
Contact nooneisillegal at tao.ca. Call 514-244-2461/ 812-0858

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MASSIVE CALL CAMPAIGN
FLOOD THE OFFICE WITH CALLS
*** René D'Aoust director of Investigations and Removals: (514) 496-1238 ***

Points to emphasize in your call:
- Her deportation be stopped and she be allowed to remain in Canada
-The grave danger she has faced and will face if deported
- Her contribution to Canadian society over the past five years.

*** SAMPLE LETTER *** TAKE ACTION !!!
PRESSURE ON MINISTER CODERRE

Please be polite but firm in letters, and see below for sample letter with 
important points to stress in your phone call, fax or email.

* The contact information of the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, 
Denis Coderre:
Phone: (613) 957-0312
Fax: (613) 957-2688
Email: Minister at cic.gc.ca

His Montreal Constituency Office(s)
Phone: (514) 323-1212
Fax: (514) 323-2875
Email: Coderd1 at parl.gc.ca


November 27, 2003

Honourable Minister Coderre:

I would like to draw your particular attention to the case of Parveen Kazmi. 
Mrs. Kazmi, a 53 year woman, has been living in Montreal for over five years 
and is facing deportation to Pakistan on December 6. She was forced to be 
separated from her six children and husband when she fled to Canada in 1998.

Mrs. Kazmi is from Karachi, where for over twenty years in the years of mid 
1970’s- 1990’s she was an incredibly active member of the political party 
MQM. She was the coordinator of the Womens Caucus of the party for seven 
years, actively involved in bringing womens issues such as education, 
poverty, and gender persecution to the forefront of political issues in the 
city. In 1998, her niece’s husband, who was Consular General of MQM for 
their local district, raped a younger member of their family and when 
confronted, he brutally assaulted Mrs. Kazmi as well. After this incident, 
she proceeded to file a report with the police, but given the close ties 
between the police force and MQM party leader, they refused to file any 
report or conduct an investigation. Within a few weeks, Mrs. Kazmi submitted 
her resignation as a member of the MQM. This incident received much media 
attention at the local level.

During this period Mrs Kazmi and her family continued to receive threats 
from members of the MQM. They entered her house and physically assaulted 
with weapons her young sons, followed her children and husband to work, and 
attempted to assault her several times. With this growing fear, she fled to 
Canada as an asylum-seeker.

Since her arrival in November 1998, she has been working. She has been 
separated from her children and husband, who remain in Pakistan in hiding. 
Weeks after her departure from Karachi, her 10-year old son was brutally 
beaten and hospitalized. Since then, her family has remained in hiding, 
forcing her children to miss large periods of time from school. Given the 
mounting anxiety since the rejection of her refugee claim, her separation 
from her family, and all the trauma and struggle she faced in Karachi, she 
has been hospitalized three times in Montreal with severe depression after 
three suicide attempts in the past year.

I urge you to please consider the mounting support for the family from 
various student groups, womens groups, media outlets, members of political 
parties, and community organizations. You, Minister Coderre, carry immense 
discretionary powers to stop this deportation and I urge you to intervene in 
their case and demonstrate a commitment to values of compassion and dignity. 
On humanitarian and compassionate grounds you should intervene immediately 
to allow Parveen Kazmi the right to remain in Canada and be granted 
regularized status immediately.

Sincerely,

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