Support refuseniks seeking asylum in Canada |
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Let Them Stay! |
International Days of Action |
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In Philadelphia
Leafleting & delegation to Canadian consulate Action organized by Payday men’s network & Global Women’s Strike |
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In 2004, Jeremy Hinzman, fled to Canada with his wife and infant son rather than serve in the US-led war in Iraq after having been rejected as a conscientious objector and having been compelled to serve in Afghanistan. He was the first US soldier to seek refugee status in Canada, and now hundreds of soldiers and their families have taken similar action. If forced to return they would face certain persecution from the US military – including possible deployment to Iraq, long-term imprisonment, and punitive discharges, including the forfeit of medical benefits and income, and prejudicing future employment. If forced to serve, they would likely be involved in war crimes.
“I
saw fundamental violations of basic human rights every day or
two… and since I never saw one soldier or officer criticized or
disciplined for carrying out such violations... I fear, and
believe, that what I saw was only the tip of the iceberg in
Iraq." |
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On Dec 6, the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration of Canadian Parliament adopted a motion recommending that the government immediately implement a program to allow war resisters & their families to stay in Canada, & called for immediate halt to deportation proceedings in these cases. Building on this victory, War Resisters Support Campaign and Courage to Resist are coordinating actions on Jan 25 and Jan 26 across Canada and the United States to demand that Canada "Let the War Resisters Stay!" In Canada, events are planned in Toronto, Grand Forks, London, Nelson, Ottawa, Saskatoon, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Vancouver, and Victoria. In the US, vigils, rallies, delegations to Canadian embassies and consulates are happening today in Washington DC, New York City, Dallas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Seattle, and San Francisco, as well as Philadelphia. |
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There are other refusers living in Canada whose asylum claims would be strengthened by a victory for the US war resisters: for example, conscientious objectors from Turkey, where CO status is not recognized. Write to Canadian officials today (or use our model letter), urging them to Ø immediately cease deportation proceedings against US war resisters currently in Canada; and Ø ensure that US war resisters refusing to fight in Iraq have a means to gain status in Canada.
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For more information:
Payday www.refusingtokill.net
215-848-1120 payday@paydaynet.org Courage to Resist www.couragetoresist.org courage@riseup.net Refusing to Kill is Not a Crime |
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