(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."
