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Friday, November 26, 1999

THE FIRST MIGRANT TO GET REFUGEE STATUS
(BCTV) - She's a 29-year old woman and she's from Fujian province in China, where she has a child. That's about all we know about the one and only Chinese migrant who the Immigration Refugee Board has granted refugee status. We can't tell you who the woman is though, because her lawyer says there are concerns for her safety. Randene Neill has more.

Randene Neill, reporting: "She was on the first boatload of migrants from China's Fujian province to land on B.C.'s shores last July and now out of 590 migrants, she is the first one to be awarded conventional Refugee status. We can't tell you her name or show you her face, because part of the reason she was awarded status is because she may be in danger here in Canada - not from Snakeheads (gang), but from the Chinese government."

Shane Molyneaux, refugee lawyer: "The decision is partly based on events that happened to her in China, with respect to China's one child policy. And importantly, it is also based on events that happened to her subsequent to her arrival in Canada which created a risk for her to return to China as well."

Randene Neill, reporting: "For more than four months, the woman was held in detention at the Burnaby Correctional Centre for Women. She has now been released into a transition house in the Lower Mainland. Her next step is to apply for sponsorship status for her young son still living in China. But despite the one successful application, a spokesperson for the Vancouver Association of Chinese Canadians, says not all refugee claimants are getting a fair hearing."

Victor Wong, Vancouver Assoc. of Chinese Canadians: "There have been 36 negative decisions. And some of them were lightening decisions rendered 30 minutes after closing arguments. Now, we understand that the IRB still hasn't completed its policy research into persecution in Fujian province. So I have to ask this question, "Why are you putting the cart in front of the horse?"

Randene Neill, reporting: "Four hundred migrants remain in detention around BC, hoping they will be the next awarded conventional refugee status."

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