From: Biniam Haile \(SWE\) (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Wed Sep 10 2008 - 13:32:31 EDT
Press Statement: Eritrea condemns Canada's desecration of the Liberation
Struggle
By Staff
Sep 10, 2008, 16:14
The immigration authorities of Canada refused to grant an entry visa to
Eritrea's Foreign Minister a few weeks ago. The Foreign Minister was
scheduled to address the sizeable Eritrean community in that country.
Such unheard-of act from a country that enjoys full diplomatic ties with
Eritrea would, in itself, construe an embarrassing aberration in
diplomatic conduct. What is more horrendous is however the reasons that
the country's immigration authorities have given to explain their
provocative act.
In a letter delivered to Eritrea's Ambassador in Nairobi, the Canadian
Counsellor states: "Specifically, you were a member of the Eritrean
People's Liberation Front between 1979 and 1991. The EPLF was a group
that engaged in the subversion(?) of a government by force. Canadian
Federal Court jurisprudence confirms that membership in a group that
attempts to subvert even a despotic government is sufficient to render
inadmissibility. As such, you are inadmissible to Canada pursuant to
section A34(1)(f) of the Act. I am therefore refusing, your
application".
How can one explain this gross and provocative folly? Is it sheer
ignorance by a junior Government official or a deliberate desire by the
Government of Canada to desecrate Eritrea's legitimate struggle against
colonial occupation that exacted the lives of more than 60,000 of our
best sons and daughters? If Canada's " Federal Court jurisprudence" is
rooted on tho dofonco and apology of colonialism, which would violate
the UN Covenant on Political and Social Rights, why did Canada
establish, in the first place, diplomatic ties with Eritrea after its
independence in 1993 and why has it maintained it until today? Why did
it receive the accreditation of Eritrea's resident Ambassadors in the
past years? (Eritrea's current Ambassador to Canada and the former
Counsellor are invariably members of the EPLF).
This muddled decision is difficult to decipher and understand by any
standards. The Government of Eritrea strongly condemns this hostile act
and expressly requests the Canadian authorities to rectify this
outrageous conduct.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Asmara
10 September 2008
The letter of the Canadian Counsellor
Government of Canada
High Commission of Canada
Immigration Section
P. O. Box 1013
Limuru Road, Gigiri
00621 Nairobi, Kenya
Telephone: (254 20) 366 3000
Facsimile: (254 20) 366 3914
Internet: www.nairobi.gc.ca
The Honourable Osman Saleh Mohammed
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Eritrea
Asmara
Eritrea
Dear Minister,
After careful and thorough consideration of all aspects of your
application and the supporting information provided, I have determined
that you do not meet the requirements for a temporary resident visa for
Canada.
Specifically, there are reasonable grounds to believe that you are a
member of the inadmissible class of persons described in subsection
34(1)(f) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) which
states that "a permanent resident or foreign national is inadmissible on
security grounds for
(a) engaging in an act of espionage or an act of subversion against a
democratic government, institution or process as they are understood in
Canada
(b) engaging in or instigating the subversion by force of any government
(c) engaging in terrorism
(d) being a danger to the security of Canada
(e) engaging in acts of violence that would or might endanger the lives
or safety of persons in Canada
(f) being a member of an organization that there are reasonable grounds
to believe engages, has engaged or will engage in acts referred to in
paragraph (a), (b) or (c)."
Specifically, you were a member of the Eritrean People's Liberation
Front between 1979 and 1991. The EPLF was a group that engaged in the
subversion of a government by force. Canadian Federal Court
jurisprudence confirms that membership in a group that attempts to
subvert even a despotic government is sufficient to render
inadmissibility. As such, you are inadmissible to Canada pursuant to
section A34(1)(f) of the Act. I am therefore refusing your application.
I sincerely regret that this decision will be a disappointment to you.
Yours sincerely,
Tracey Vansickle
Counsellor (Immigration)
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