ГУЛаг Палестины
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ex-soviet Jews who have applied for a refugee status in Canada. The official statistics hides this fact by showing numbers of Palestinians as refugee claiments
from Israel. We enclose the statistics for 1993-1994, which shows the policy differs in Ontario and Quebec and changes according to the influence of the
pro-Israeli lobby. Now I do not know any former Soviet-Israeli claiments who had received a refugee status anywhere in Canada. Moreover, I know about
cases when refugee claimants had been turned back to Israel straight from the airport without a chance to prove their claim. The famous Jewish writer, a
Canadian, member of Russian and Canadian Writers Assiciation Grigori Svirski had written the next in his affidavit and in his open letter to Mr. Chretien: "
Mr. Prime-Minister, have you ever seen these refugees from Israel Jews, Russions, half-Jews, who are appealing to the Canadian justice and who now
after the so widely publicized ruling of the Federal Court - have been practically deprived of last hope? When these people, who are being slowly murdered
by the state, come together , it seems that they are all receiving radioactive or chemical treatment for cancer. Grey exhausted faces with dull eyes. They know
very well everything about Israeli "freedom" to go where you are being led ("Traitors!" - shouted Shamir to those passing Israel by) as well as about Israeli
"democracy" (to elect only those who have been selected by the party elite)... For these people, almost finished off by PAKIDstan ("pakid" is a Hebrew
word for bureaucrats) and now also by Canadian bureaucracy as well, our Orwellian judge now publicly announces with a profound feeling of self-respect:
"One does not flee from freedom and democracy!" What wilfuness! What cynicism! Mr. Prime-Minister, my dream is that these exhausted battered people
should not be returned to where they in desperation fled from. ..... ...cheating and brutal violation of the rights of the newcomers, more and more of whom
are being escorted "only to Israel", have come deeply rooted every day practice, while the free countries, advocating "human rights", are accepting this as
something normal. .... I am really worried by all this. As well as by something else. Will our Canada stay free and democratic after such outraged violation of
the rights and human dignity of Russian Jewry, who were unfortunate enough to get entrapped?"
As an example to support our statements let's consider my immigration case: Accoding to the section 2(1) of the Immigration Act ( as enacted by R.S.C.
1985 (4th Supp.), c.28, s.1): "Convention refugee" means any person who (a) By reason of a well - founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion,
nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion, (i) is outside the country of the person's nationality and is unable or, by reason of the
fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country...
– Although the panel had not find any lies or contradictions in the testimonies of the three
of us; - Although I had been persecuted and threatened for my political opinion; - Although our statements had been supported by much material from Israeli
Press; - Although few eyewitnesses had testified on my behalf before the panel; - Although we have physical evidences of attacks on my son and me;
Although there had been a sexual assault of my wife; - Although the police had never protected us (me and my son) and my spouse from physical attacks and
sexual assault, but opposite, the police had beaten me several times; Although my son became an invalid (uncontrolable urine flow at night time) after he has
been physical assaulted by his peers because he is not a Jew and obviously not circumcised; - Although we did our best to get rooted in Israel for two years,
we had to leave this country after the final threat to pay with my wife's and son's lives if I don't stop my intentions to defend human and civil rights of the new
repatriants, the panel had determind us not to be convention refugees! If we are not suitable to this status, so who are? My case is not an exception between
the decisions of the Refugee Boards. The refusal to make positive decisions in definition of the status for refugees from Israel became a rule in Toronto even
when a person is found credible and persecuted (case of Mrs. Tamara Minakina I.D. No. 2316-6978, T94-07405). Our refugee process had been
extremely long and stressful. The hearing had continued over two years ( five full days), then we had to wait for the decision for 19 months ( total almost four
years), and for an another year I had waited for the Judicial Review. As a result, we must leave Canada, although we, especially my teenage son, have
become much more Canadian then even Russian or Israeli. During these years the situation in Israel had worsened for people like us: hardliners and the
ultraorthodox had come to power and had passed laws against christians. They constantly declare that Israel is a state created by Jews for Jews only. Many
prominent politicians and human rights activists like me (parliament and government members Shulamit Alony, Yosi Sarid and others) have received death
threats. Certainly my family and me would face a great risk to our lives there. We are ready to present numerous documents that prove that our situation in
Israel was unbearable and that we indeed qualify to receive refugee status according to the Refugee Convention. Such an attitude towards our cases by