U.S. Army Deserter Wants to Stay in Canada

[genieroze]

December 4th, 2004 11:50 pm
U.S. Army Deserter Wants to Stay in Canada

CBC News

TORONTO - Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board will hear Monday why Jeremy Hinzman, a former paratrooper with the U.S. army, should be granted refugee status in Canada.

Rather than serve in Iraq, Hinzman deserted the army and came to Canada in January seeking sanctuary in a Quaker hall outside Toronto.


Jimmy Hinzman

He considers the Iraq conflict immoral and illegal and while he refuses to speak his mind until his hearing is over, back in July, Hinzman, 25, put his position into perspective: "My life isn't that significant, but also it's not so worthless as to be killed or to go kill innocent people."

Canada has not granted refugee status to American citizens in the past, but Hinzman's supporters are counting on a precedent in international law to help the American.

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/index.php?id=469

[signmike]

1. Oh! I thought it was Bush.

[genieroze]

2. Hehehe eom

[daleo]

3. A Russian soldier fleeing Afghanistan duty would have gotten asylum.

Same thing, in my opinion.

[NYC]

4. What was Russia's stated objective

when they invaded Afghanistan? (I don't remember.)

[steely]

6. I believe the russians said they were invited...

I'll always remember that - but I don't remember what was behind the pretense.

[RedSock]

8. so did *

idiot recently said the US was in iraq "at their invitation"

i'm not kidding.

[NYC]

9. No wonder I couldn't remember the excuse.

Invited? Thanks.

[Minstrel Boy]

10. Here's how it happened:

1. Afghanistan's socialists took power.

2. The US bankrolled Mujahadeen to destabilize the government.

3. The government asked the Soviet Union for assisstance.

4. The Soviet Army entered Afghanistan at the government's invitation.

And this was precisely what Zbignew Brz-etc wanted. He admitted several years ago in an interview, the US was covertly destabilizing Afghanistan to precipitate a Soviet incursion which, he expected, would bleed and bankrupt the USSR.

[NYC]

17. In other words,

the U.S. started it?

I remember that Zbigniew Brzenzinski (sp?) had quite a "plan" going that I thought wasn't appropriate for someone who seemed as humanitarian as Carter.

Thanks.

[Copperred]

11. We invited them.....

The pretense....was that America invited them ;)

See Brzineski (sic)

[Peace Patriot]

5. PLEASE SUPPORT THIS COURAGEOUS YOUNG MAN!

Jeremy Hinzman was one of the very first resisters against the Iraq war. His prinicipled stance against Bush Inc. war crimes deserves our total support. Both he and his young family will be in great danger if they are forced to return to the U.S. This is an EXTREMELY IMPORTANT PRECEDENT for all on-going and future war resisters and draft resisters who refuse to fight Bush Inc. wars. AMERICAN STUDENTS and YOUNG PEOPLE, TAKE NOTE! CANADIANS, please pressure your government to grant asylum! ALL, please visit the recommended web sites mentioned below, and TAKE ACTION!

SIGN THE PETITION TO THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT AT:
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/resister/petition.html


From: http://www.jeremyhinzman.net/

Dear Friends of War Resisters,

Jeremy Hinzman's hearing before Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) will take place on Dec. 6-8. The IRB hearing officer, Brian Goodman, has accepted the Canadian government's argument that the illegality of the U.S. war on Iraq is "irrelevant." Jeffry House, Hinzman's lawyer, says that decision is "dead wrong" and presents a strong basis for appeal if Jeremy is denied refugee status.

Even so, evidence of a systematic pattern of U.S. war crimes in Iraq, including attacks on civilian population centers, and the torture and murder of prisoners, will be presented at the Dec. 6-8 hearing. This will include eyewitness testimony of the killing of Iraqi civilians from former Marine Sgt. Jimmy Massey.

Jeremy Hinzman and Jimmy Massey will be featured in a public meeting on the evening of December 4, the Saturday just prior to the IRB hearing. This meeting is being sponsored by the Toronto Coalition to Stop the War and the War Resister Support Campaign.

A vigil outside the IRB offices in downtown Toronto will begin at 7:30 am Monday morning, Dec. 6, along with vigils in cities across Canada. A planning meeting of the War Resister Support Campaign will take place this coming Wednesday evening, Nov. 24, and a volunteer meeting will take place on the following Wednesday, Dec. 1.

For more information, visit http://www.resisters.ca, email [e-mail], or telephone the War Resister Support Campaign at 416-598-1222. Now is the time to demonstrate our strong support for war resisters!

for peace and justice,
Gerry Condon
Right To Resist / Project Safe Haven
[e-mail]
[phone]

[aikido15]

12. Petition

:) Petition signed! I saw him this young man interviewed with his lawyer on Democracy Now, FSTV...Thanks for the link Gerry.

[villagechild]

16. approve

I signed it too.

[Dem2theMax]

15. Signed. And thank you for posting it.

Come on Canada! Tell * to go Cheney himself.

[Delphinus]

18. Amen!

[colonel odis]

7. if canada were to grow some balls and not hand him over,

it would be priceless. and a great first step in the world community standing up to bush's bullying.

however, even if canada did grant him that status, the u.s. would probably just snatch him. that's how arrogant this administration is.

[Lisa]

13. demonstrations of support organized for Monday morning

http://www.resisters.ca/events.html


There's one in downtown Victoria too (outside the federal building on Government Street). Think I'll head over.

[ilovenicepeople]

14. I wish I could make it to Victoria (I'm in Nanaimo)

I hope we still have enough country left to oppose sending this man and anyone against illegal wars,back to the states.OH Canada,I stand on guard for THOSE.

[Lisa]

19. visit this online poll ...

The "let them in" side is closing in (mid-40% approval).


http://www.mytelus.com/news/display.do