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.