Friday, 18 January 2008, 11 am
MARCH: Two Years too Many!
Gather at Phillip's square (corner of Ste-Catherine and Place Phillips)

READ PRESS RELEASE HERE

On 1 January 2006, almost two years ago, Abelkader Belaouni, or Kader, a non-status Algerian man, took refuge in St. Gabriel's church in Montreal to avoid deportation from Canada. Despite an outpouring of support, he has remained a prisoner in the church ever since, unable to leave for fear of being arrested and deported. That's two years too many!

Join us on 18 January 2008 to send a loud, clear message to the Canadian Immigration Minister to Act NOW to regularize the status of Abdelkader Belaouni.

AFTER THE ACTION

On January 18th, 2008 hundreds of supporters of Abdelkader Belaouni (Kader) in Montreal, across Canada and internationally joined together in sending a loud and clear message to Citizenship and Immigration Minister Diane Finley grant him permanent residence status in Canada immediately. The 40-year old blind Algerian refugee has been living in church sanctuary in the neighborhood of Point St-Charles, Montreal since January 1st, 2006 after his applications to remain in Canada were rejected in a series of unjust decisions and he was threatened with deportation from Canada.

On Friday, as Kader entered his 748th day within the confines of the presbytery of St-Gabriel's Church, over 100 supporters in Montreal marched from Phillips Square through the underground to the offices of Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Friends, representatives of numerous organizations, as well as two members of Parliament Mr. Thierry St-Cyr (Immigration critic for the Bloc Quebecois) and Mr. Thomas Mulcair (NDP, Outremont) demanded that the Immigration Minister act immediately to resolve Mr. Belaouni's case and allow him to live freely amongst his friends in Montreal.

Kader's case has become a rallying point for migrant justice in Canada, and is now becoming known internationally. In Ottawa, Vancouver, Halifax, Simcoe (Ontario, Finley's home riding), Red Deer (Alberta), New York, Tokyo, Beirut, The Hague, Paris, Berlin, Durban (South Africa), Athens (Greece), Wellington (New Zealand) and London (England), people formed delegations and delivered letters to the offices of Canadian representatives, as well as held pickets and demonstrations. An action will also take place next weekend in Toronto.

Vancouver supporters delivered a letter to Citizenship and Immigration offices. In Red Deer, Alberta, a letter was delivered to the office of Conservative member of Parliament Bob Mills, who promised to forward the concerns to Immigration Minister Diane Finley. Supporters in Ottawa organized a picket in front of Citizenship and Immigration offices. And on the east coast, members of the Halifax Coalition Against Poverty (HCAP) visited the offices of Citizenship and Immigration Canada to deliver a letter signed by dozens of groups and individuals in Halifax. Outside, a speech was made explaining Mr. Belaouni's struggle and drawing the connections between anti-poverty work and migrant rights.

Internationally, the actions began in Wellington, New Zealand, where National Distribution Union President, Robert Reid, delivered a letter of concern, signed by several organizations and over 25 individuals, including a member of Parliament, to the Canadian High Commissioner. The letter particularly highlighted the blatant and repeated discrimination in Mr. Belaouni's case, the overwhelming support he has from over 250 civil society organizations, and the strong roots he has made in Montreal. The Canadian High Commissioner agreed to meet shortly with delegation members to discuss Mr. Belaouni's case.

In Beirut, a meeting was held with the First Secretary of Political and Public Affairs at the Canadian Embassy. The official promised to transmit the delegation's letter and concerns to the Minister of Immigration in Ottawa, to the Immigration section in the Canadian Embassy in Lebanon, and to the Canadian Embassy in Algiers. Throughout the day, more than 20 people, most Canadian-Lebanese, sent letters to the embassy urging the Canadian Ambassador to ask the Immigration Minister to resolve Mr. Belaouni's case, in light of the fact that he has the right to a secure and dignified life and has put down roots in Canada, and noting that people in Lebanon well understand what it means to be displaced by war like Mr Belaouni.

In South Africa, a delegation under the name of the South African Committee to Support Kader visited the Canadian Consulate in Durban. Members of the refugee community (including a representative of the KwaZulu-Natal Refugee Council, a self-organized refugee group in South Africa), academics, and community activists held a demonstration and discussion outside the Consulate, before delivering a letter to the representative of the Consul Honoraire, who promised to transmit the letter to the Canadian High Commission Office in Pretoria.

In The Hague, Netherlands, a public presence was held outside the Canadian Embassy and a petition delivered while in Athens, Greece, three groups delivered letters of support outlining Mr. Belaouni's demands to Canadian officials. Members of the Réseau Education Sans Frontières, the most active French organization on immigrant issues in Paris, issued a letter of protest about Canada's treatment of Kader to the ambassador of Canada in France. A delegation delivered the letter to the Canadian Embassy in Paris. In London, England, a demonstration was held by members of the No Borders Network outside Canada House, the Canadian High Commission. Two of Mr. Belaouni's supporters in London entered the offices to deliver a letter to Canadian High Commissioner James Wright, requesting that their concerns regarding Mr. Belaouni be transmitted to Immigration Minster Diane Finley. A picket was organized in Berlin by members of the German ecumenical group for church sanctuary. They distibuted a flyer to people passing the picket, one of whom exclaimed, "ah, it's Kader!", having already heard about his struggle. A signed petition and a letter of support were given to embassy officials who promised to communicate them to the people responsible in Canada.

See a photo essay of the action here.

See a collection of media coverage of the event here.

Listen to audio from and about action here.

MESSAGES OF SUPPORT FOR KADER

Voices of Pain and Hope Within Sanctuary: Messages of Support for Kader Leading up to the National Day of Action in support of blind Algerian refugee Abdelkader Belaouni who has been living in church sanctuary in Montreal since 1 January 2006, Amir Kazemian and Laibar Singh offer their words of strength and solidarity to Kader. As migrant justice activists, we draw inspiration and courage from the powerful voices and alliances of migrants themselves.

Laibar Singh - in sanctuary at the Surrey Guru Nanak Gurudwara: Laibar Singh along with thousands of supporters have been engaged in an incredibly public struggle- including the unprecedented physical prevention of his deportation on International Human Rights Day- to remain in Canada on humanitarian and compassionate grounds. Most recently, Stockwell Day has made comments suggesting that a removal order will continue to be enforced against Laibar Singh, regardless of his protection in sanctuary, which has alarmed and outarged supporters and refugee rights advocates across the country who call on Stockwell Day and CBSA for equal respect of sanctuary.

"I feel very sorry that we are both struggling with status in this country with our physical disabilities. I cannot imagine how hard it is not to see. I can see, but unfortunately can't feed myself or do any basic task by myself. You are struggling like I am. I can't understand how upset you must be having to spend that much time in one place (in sanctuary). I hope the Canadian government hears both of our voices. The Canadian government says it raises its voice for the less fortunate around the world but if it can't see us who can it see? It is great that the people are supporting you there like people are supporting me here, because it is what keeps me strong. I thank that you for the kind words you wrote in support of me, and would like you to know that I fully support your efforts to stay here with permanent status."

Amir Kazemian - Iranian refugee who was in sanctuary June 2004 - Feb 2007 at the Anglican St. Michael's, Vancouver: In a manner that reveals the arbitrariness of the current refugee determination system, Amir's mother was accepted as a refugee on the basis of the persecution Amir faced, while Amir was forced into sanctuary. Amir remained in sanctuary for 2 years and 8 months, until he was arrested and detained by the Vancouver City Police on February 17, 2007 (who came to the church investigating a break-in and ended up arresting Amir). Amir's release from custody and the acceptance of his H and C application the very next day is a direct result of all the work and support that hundreds of people have demonstrated for him.

"I have been thinking about all of the people in sanctuary. I hope that people will get the same result that I had and people should not have to go through this what they are going through. Kader, my friend, I am very proud and I will always pray for you, that you will be free as soon as possible."

- Statements provided to No One Is Illegal Vancouver, January 16th 2008.