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Friday, August 27, 1999

Stewart Bell
National Post

Child migrants ferried to the British Columbia coast from China this summer aboard two smuggling ships have been mistreated by Canadian authorities, who have subjected them to physical abuse, yelling, family separation and strip searches, immigration lawyers alleged yesterday.

One youth suffered severe bruising when an enraged Mountie pushed a table against his leg. Teenagers have complained of having their blankets torn off them at 5:30 a.m. and being "roughhandled" out of bed by police, said Kevin Doyle, a lawyer for three of the refugee-claimants.

The allegations prompted the Canadian Council for Refugees to call for an independent investigation into the treatment of the minors, who make up a significant portion of the boat people smuggled to Canada aboard the derelict ships that set sail from from China's Fujian province.

Meanwhile, an adult refugee claimant has also complained of being abused. Marlene Tyshynski, a Victoria immigration lawyer, said she saw a large bruise on the upper arm of a "very petite" woman who explained the injury had occurred when an RCMP officer forced her out of bed.

"She was lying on her bed and she was asked to get up and she hadn't I guess attended to the instruction or appreciated that it was intended for her and so she was grabbed," Ms. Tyshynski said. "She was crying and she showed me the huge bruise, and it was a very large bruise."

RCMP officers have been guarding the migrants at a fortified gymnasium at CFB Esquimalt near Victoria, B.C. But the police force said it was not aware of any complaints about its members. "That's the first I've heard about it," said Constable Tracey Rook, an RCMP spokeswoman.

After being notified of the latest allegations, the Montreal-based refugee council said yesterday that, if substantiated, they "point to a series of violations of the minors' rights by a variety of government authorities" handling the 75 children who arrived July 28 and Aug. 11.

"We are calling for an independent investigation into how Canada is treating these children," said Francisco Rico-Martinez, the council president. "From the information we have received, it appears as if various government institutions are working together to deprive these children of their rights."

Aside from the alleged abuse, the council said it was concerned that girls as young as 12 had been subjected to strip-searches as well as "other allegations of harsh treatment of various kinds" including "being frequently shouted at" and pulled from their beds if they did not rise immediately.

Dogs were paraded between beds during the night while the migrants tried to sleep, the council said, and minors were separated from their parents, causing "significant stress" to families.

Mr. Doyle, a Victoria lawyer, said he saw a bruise on the leg of one young person on Thursday night. It was three weeks old yet still visible, he said. "The refugee told me an RCMP officer flew into a rage when the refugee relayed advice given to him by lawyers. The refugee stated that a table was pushed in to his leg.

Vaughan Dowie, assistant deputy minister at the Child Services Ministry, said he was not aware of any allegations of mistreatment. He said the youths under 18 are living at a facility in Victoria as well as in foster homes, while five are being detained under the authority of immigration officials. The 18-year-olds are all being detained.

He said the children are being housed separate from their parents because the immigration department does not have facilities suitable for families, he said. The youths range in age from 6 to 18. All the passengers on the smuggling ships have claimed refugee status.