Emergency Protest of War Resister Deportation, Peace Arch Park, Tuesday, July 15, 9 am until ???

Well, folks, we lost one today.

U.S. war resister Robin Long will be deported back to the U.S. tomorrow, Tuesday, July 15.

The same Federal judge who ruled against war resisters Jeremy Hinzman and Brandon Hughey would not grant Robin Long a stay of his deportation order, even though he was denied his legal right to appeal it.

Supporters in Washington state and British Columbia will gather at Peace Arch Park beginning at 9 am Tuesday morning.

The wire services will no doubt say this is the end of the road for U.S. war resisters in Canada. Already this week we have seen headlines such as “Canada no longer safe haven for deserters.” But that is not at all the case.

Two out of three Canadians want Canada to be a safe haven for war resisters. So does the Canadian parliament, which passed a motion on June 3 calling on the government to allow war resisters to immigrate to Canada. And on July 4, a Federal judge in Canada, citing the Geneva Conventions against the wartime abuse of civilians, ruled that the Refugee Board was wrong to deny refugee status to Iraq veteran Joshua Key.

Most importantly, U.S. war resisters will continue to come to Canada, where they will continue to be able to apply for refugee status and where they will continue to find support from the War Resisters Support Campaign (See their press release below in this email or go to www.resisters.ca).

The deportation of Robin Long, far from being the end of our struggle, will further isolate the minority Conservative government and force a change, in its policy toward war resisters or in the government itself, in the not too distant future.

Now is the time to UP THE STRUGGLE and express our outrage.

Project Safe Haven is joining with the War Resisters Support Campaign in Vancouver in calling on war resister supporters to gather at Peace Arch Park on the US-Canada border between Vancouver, British Columbia and Seattle, Washington tomorrow, Tuesday, July 14, beginning at 9 am.

This may well be the crossing where Robin Long will be handed over to U.S. authorities. Even if not, it is a perfect place for people from both sides of the border to gather in peace and express their solidarity with all who obey international law and refuse to be party to illegal wars and war crimes.

You do not need travel documents, or to go through the border crossing hassle. Just go to the parking lots on either side of the border and walk into this international park. If you cannot make it to Peace Arch Park tomorrow, please find another way to express your outrage to the Canadian government and your solidarity with war resisters. One way to do so would be to send donations to the War Resisters Support Campaign in Canada (www.resisters.ca) or to Project Safe Haven in the U.S. (www.soldiersayno.blogspot.com).

This struggle will continue and we will win! Resisting an unjust war is the right thing to do.

for peace and justice,
Gerry Condon

(206) 499-1220
_______________________________________________
Soldier Say No / Project Safe Haven
projectsafehaven@hotmail.com, SoldierSayNo@yahoo.com
www.SoldierSayNo.blogspot.com
_______________________________________________

WAR RESISTERS SUPPORT CAMPAIGN
Mon., July 14, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Canadian government’s single-minded determination
to deny legitimacy of conscientious objection denounced

Robin Long must leave Canada

Toronto/CNW – Today’s Federal Court decision refusing to prevent the removal ofconscientious objector Robin Long is a major disappointment for the majority of
Canadians, 64% of whom support sanctuary for U.S. soldiers seeking refuge here.
It is also at odds with the passage of June 3rd Parliamentary motion calling for the opportunity for conscientious objectors to apply for permanent resident status, and an end to all deportations.

“The federal government’s single-minded determination to deny the legitimacy of
conscientious objection to what is plainly an illegal war rife with human rights abuses is abhorrent. Robin himself has been harassed by authorities by being arrested for violating a deportation order of which neither he nor his counsel were ever advised,” says Lee Zaslofsky. spokesperson for the War Resisters Support Campaign.

“He’s been held in jail since July 4 and treated with disrespect by our government which seems intent on imposing American military law in Canada.”

Canadian Immigration authorities – who report to Minister of Citizenship and
Immigration Diane Finley – had kept secret a negative decision on Robin’s Pre-Removal Risk Assessment, making it impossible for his lawyer to file an appeal.

“We have received hundreds of messages of support for Robin,” says Bob Ages of the Vancouver War Resisters Support Campaign.

“We are calling on Canadians to take immediate action to tell the government that its attempts to overturn Canada’s longstanding tradition of sanctuary will be met with challenges everywhere.”

The War Resisters Support Campaign pledges to redouble its efforts on behalf of all conscientious objectors. It will follow Robin’s case, as will U.S. support organizations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Lee Zaslofsky, 416.598.1222/ 416.369-0864
Bob Ages, 604.760.6786.

-30-