Concerns raised
about treatment of Chinese migrants WebPosted Jul 29 1999 2:23 PM PDT
VANCOUVER - Some anti-racism and human
rights activists in Vancouver are raising concerns about the
treatment of the Chinese migrants detained at C.F.B.
Esquimalt.
They're also unhappy with some of the media coverage on the
123 migrants who were discovered off the West Coast of
Vancouver Island.
The Vancouver Association of Chinese Canadians says there's
no question there are diverse opinions on what to do with the
migrants. But the group's Executive Director Victor Wong says
the fact remains, the migrants are now refugee claimants;
entitled to a fair hearing.
"Canada is a country that is recognized internationally for
its humanitarian approach towards refugees, and to treat these
Chinese refugee claimants any differently would be extremely
unfair."
Wong says his group has asked to see the migrants, but
Immigration Canada has turned down their request. He's also
concerned about some of the current media coverage saying the
use of the words "criminal", and illegal" is inaccurate,
unfair and inflammatory.
Zool Suleman is an Immigration Lawyer in Vancouver. He says
Canadians need to reflect on the roots this country.
"Let us not forget our history. Ships have come on this
shore since the turn of the century if not before.
Criminalizing them and treating them as invaders and speaking
of a Fortress Canada is regressive."
Suleman says a "fortress mentality" has taken hold in the
U.S. and parts of Europe, where refugee claimants are
sometimes incarcerated. But he says Canadians should not use
the current group of Chinese migrants in Esquimalt as an
excuse to demonize all refugee claimants.
|