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100 Palestinians face deportation
The Gazette
Wednesday, November 05, 2003
KINDA JAYOUSH
A coalition seeking to stop the deportation of
about 100 Palestinian refugee claimants in Montreal criticized the arrest yesterday of one of its members,
a Palestinian who is under a deportation order.
"There are ongoing negotiations with the
immigration minister's office to sort out the issue of Palestinian refugees in Montreal, but in
the middle of the talks someone gets grabbed and arrested by Immigration,"
said Rabie Masri, member of the Coalition Against the Deportation of
Palestinian Refugees.
"It is unfair to throw these people back
to refugee camps in the Middle East, where they have no rights," he added.
Abdel Majeed Ahmed was arrested on a
deportation order that was issued last winter. He will have a hearing tomorrow
to review his detention.
"He could be deported at any time during
his detention," Masri said.
More than 130 human rights organizations have
sent letters to Citizenship and Immigration Minister Denis Coderre urging him
to stop the deportation.
"Ahmed and many others come from
Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. Massacres were committed in these camps and they are
run by feuding militias now," Masri added.
A spokesperson for Citizenship and Immigration
Canada said it is policy to detain those with deportation orders against them.
kjayoush@thegazette.canwest.com
© Copyright 2003 Montreal Gazette
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