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Thursday, August 12, 1999Ship crew to be charged
The charges are aiding and abetting a party of 10 or more to illegally enter the country and causing a person to disembark at sea. "The eight crew members will be going to the Port Hardy (RCMP) detachment when they arrive to appear before a justice of the peace," Rook said. "They will be held in the cells at Port Hardy for the time being." The charges carry fines of $500,000 or 10 years in jail. About 40 women and 20 children were among those who were unceremoniously dumped and forced to swim to a barren shore in the pristine Queen Charlotte Islands on Wednesday. One man had to be air-lifted to Queen Charlotte City for treatment of hypothermia, Rook said. Their gut-wrenching ordeal has quickly rekindled the highly charged debate about Canada's immigration laws. Less than a month after a boat load of 123 Chinese migrants landed on Vancouver Island shores, authorities Wednesday once again coped with the brutal reality of the depths that alleged human smugglers will descend to. The latest group had life jackets but little warm clothing and some had started a small fire. Many smiled and waved while they shivered in the windy cold. "Obviously they've been through a rough voyage and they showed some signs of fatigue and tiredness," said George Varnai, an Immigration spokesman. "But our medical people on site on the beach are satisfied everybody's in good shape. "They were not trying to flee. . . The expression was that they were waving their coats at us as we were coming towards the beach." Authorities couldn't say how far they had to swim. None died. On the beach they were given water, food and warm blankets and tarps were set up to protect them from the wind while they awaited for the three ships that would take them to Vancouver Island. During the 10-hour journey to Port Hardy some of the migrants huddled together at the back of a coast guard ship under a bright orange tarp that was protecting them from Pacific winds and ocean spray. From there, they were to travel another eight hours by bus to a gym on the naval base at Esquimalt, near Victoria, which was converted last month to house the first group of migrants. Authorities from the Canadian Coast Guard, Citizenship and Immigration, the RCMP and military had spotted the ship Monday and kept a close eye on it as it zig-zagged its way into Canadian waters. Still, the ship managed to arrive in Gilbert Bay and the captain ordered everyone overboard into the choppy salt water. The vessel then sped away, returning 80 nautical miles back into international waters before Canadian authorities caught up with it. "At that time, a Department of National Defence (aircraft) came in and hailed the vessel, advised it to cease and desist and to turn around," Rook said. "It did that." An RCMP ship then intercepted and seized the ship, arresting eight Koreans on board. The ship is believed to have originated in Korea, said Varnai. Meanwhile, Canadians discussed how to handle human cargo so desperate to reach the shores of a perceived promised land. The two boat loads that have arrived in the last three weeks total more than 250 migrants. New Immigration Minister Elinor Caplan was asked at a news conference Wednesday if Canada was going to crack down on those who come to Canada under such secrecy. "There are those that are suggesting that we use force and I say to them: 'Are you proposing that we sink the boat?' " she asked while promising tougher measures. "Certainly we have to consider what kind of an approach is acceptable to all Canadians." But B.C. Premier Glen Clark said while he believes the migrants should be treated with respect, he's not convinced they should be granted refugee status. "I think it's very difficult for the average person to see how someone could pay large amounts of money to come in secret, to really break Canadian laws, and still be afforded some of the opportunity." The migrants from both ships are believed to have come from Fujian province in China with the aid of human smugglers. But Varnai said the conditions on the most recent ship were significantly better. The first group, mostly men, was crammed into the stinking hold of a rusted, decrepit ship. The latest ship was larger and appeared in much better condition. As well, the most recent group included many women and as many as 20 young children, Varnai said. Most in the first group were men. All among the first group have claimed refugee status. Thirty-seven remain in detention and authorities believe some of the smugglers may be among them.
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