War resisters face potential deportation
This [url=http://www.rabble.ca/news_full_story.shtml?sh_itm=f3b22ef09e213df6752ad9... by Nikolai Lanine comparing treatment of U.S. war resisters versus Soviet war resisters is an enlightening read.
Two things I didn't know before I read it.
1.
quote:
After the Vietnam War, the Canadian government changed our immigration laws, which now prevent any American war resisters from claiming refugee status in Canada.
2.
quote:
How ironic, then, to reflect that on November 26, 1986, the Legislative Assembly of Ontario welcomed five Soviet war objectors from Afghanistan.
This country forever amazes me. Laws seems to only be valid when it suits powers that be.
A similar double standard applies in regard to immigrants from Cuba versus immigrants from any other Carribean country. I mean in reference to the U.S.A.. Cuban immigrants are basically [i]automatically[/i] treated as political refugees, and given all sorts of special treatment that does not apply to immigrants from countries like, e.g., Haiti or Jamaica. The latter, more often than not, are sent back where they came from. This double standard creates all sorts of distortions and disorganizes orderly immigration - something that has suited the U.S. just fine for many years now.
I found the article seemed to be completely ignoring one fact. The Soviets and the War Resistors from Vietnam were draftees, the current batch choose to sign on the dotted line for a paycheck and a degree and then balked when they were actually going to be sent somewhere they might get shot.
These current resistors bear no resemblance to the other groups mentioned. They should be sent back, they will get charged, tried, and probably sent to prison. They chose to join the army, draftees do not. There is a world of difference in these situations. Part of the decision to join the army is that you might be sent into action and that you will have no say in when or where you are deployed. That is part of the package.
It is disgusting that these resistors have managed to stay in Canada so long. They chose to join, they chose to desert, they chose to be persecuted, end of story.
Brilliant Con..... clap clap.....