Canada “paradise” for AWOL American soldiers
TORONTO (CUP) -- In the midst of Canada's contentious mission oversees in Afghanistan, anti-war activists at home continue to fight their own struggle.
Draft dodgers from the Vietnam War have set up an organization called the War Resister's Support Campaign to support American soldiers coming to Canada to resist the war in Iraq.
Both Lee Zaslofsky, director of the organization, and volunteer Ron Walther said they have never regretted coming to Canada.
“Once the resisters come to Canada, and they taste a little piece of paradise, they're never going back,” Walther said at a Ryerson film screening last month.
Zaslofsky said he is concerned about the American military's recent crack down on Vietnam draft dodgers. Some of them, retired people in their 60s, have actually been sent to prison. He is warning those who have sought refuge in Canada to be careful when crossing the border. The military is making an example of the Vietnam draft dodgers to try to discourage soldiers from deserting from the war in Iraq, he said.
Although 8,000 soldiers are AWOL from the war in Iraq, compared to 55,000 from the Vietnam War, only 20 have claimed refuge status in Canada so far. Two more are on their way.
When the claimants first arrive in the country they go to the Immigration and Refugee Board and hand in all of their American identification, except one piece so they can prove who they are. They are given temporary health insurance. They come back for an interview about a week later, are allowed to apply for a work permit, and then apply for a temporary SIN number.
Since April 2004, the War Resisters group supports them until they get on their feet—finding them housing, giving them free legal advice, and sending them out on speaking tours throughout Canada to raise awareness.
Joshua Key, one of the War Resisters featured in the film Let Them Stay, said “Canada is our only hope.” Key worked underground in Philadelphia for 14 months before finally making the decision to move his wife and four children to Canada.
Zaslofsky said that the hearings have been grueling and can last for more than a full day. The key issue has been whether the Board is willing to challenge the legality of the war in Iraq. So far, it has not.
A lawyer from the Canadian Federal Justice Department argued that the Board cannot hear a claim against the American government. Yet similar claims have been allowed against the governments of other countries who have committed crimes against civilians, Walther says.
American Iraqi war resisters Jeremy Hinzman and Brandon Hughey, whose original claims for refugee status were turned down by the Board, were turned down again in April for refugee statusº. Hinzman and Hughey are currently residing in Toronto.
According to Walther, the Federal Court could order the Board to give the two another hearing, or it could change the procedure of the Board so that it will be allowed to hear a claim about the legality of the war in Iraq. Walther is hoping for the later outcome.
According to a poll taken in 2003, 66 per cent of Canadians opposed Canadian military participation in the war in Iraq.
“The war in Iraq is not legal,” Zaslofsky said. “There are only two reasons that make a war legal - when it's in self defense, or when the majority of the members of the Security Council of the United Nations vote that it's necessary for world security. In this case only 4 out of 15 members voted for it.”
The commonality between the Vietnam and Iraq wars, according to Zaslofsky, is that the American people were lied to about the reasons for both wars, and that they were both acts of aggressions again countries that had done no harm to the United States.
Draft dodgers from the Vietnam War have set up an organization called the War Resister's Support Campaign to support American soldiers coming to Canada to resist the war in Iraq.
Both Lee Zaslofsky, director of the organization, and volunteer Ron Walther said they have never regretted coming to Canada.
“Once the resisters come to Canada, and they taste a little piece of paradise, they're never going back,” Walther said at a Ryerson film screening last month.
Zaslofsky said he is concerned about the American military's recent crack down on Vietnam draft dodgers. Some of them, retired people in their 60s, have actually been sent to prison. He is warning those who have sought refuge in Canada to be careful when crossing the border. The military is making an example of the Vietnam draft dodgers to try to discourage soldiers from deserting from the war in Iraq, he said.
Although 8,000 soldiers are AWOL from the war in Iraq, compared to 55,000 from the Vietnam War, only 20 have claimed refuge status in Canada so far. Two more are on their way.
When the claimants first arrive in the country they go to the Immigration and Refugee Board and hand in all of their American identification, except one piece so they can prove who they are. They are given temporary health insurance. They come back for an interview about a week later, are allowed to apply for a work permit, and then apply for a temporary SIN number.
Since April 2004, the War Resisters group supports them until they get on their feet—finding them housing, giving them free legal advice, and sending them out on speaking tours throughout Canada to raise awareness.
Joshua Key, one of the War Resisters featured in the film Let Them Stay, said “Canada is our only hope.” Key worked underground in Philadelphia for 14 months before finally making the decision to move his wife and four children to Canada.
Zaslofsky said that the hearings have been grueling and can last for more than a full day. The key issue has been whether the Board is willing to challenge the legality of the war in Iraq. So far, it has not.
A lawyer from the Canadian Federal Justice Department argued that the Board cannot hear a claim against the American government. Yet similar claims have been allowed against the governments of other countries who have committed crimes against civilians, Walther says.
American Iraqi war resisters Jeremy Hinzman and Brandon Hughey, whose original claims for refugee status were turned down by the Board, were turned down again in April for refugee statusº. Hinzman and Hughey are currently residing in Toronto.
According to Walther, the Federal Court could order the Board to give the two another hearing, or it could change the procedure of the Board so that it will be allowed to hear a claim about the legality of the war in Iraq. Walther is hoping for the later outcome.
According to a poll taken in 2003, 66 per cent of Canadians opposed Canadian military participation in the war in Iraq.
“The war in Iraq is not legal,” Zaslofsky said. “There are only two reasons that make a war legal - when it's in self defense, or when the majority of the members of the Security Council of the United Nations vote that it's necessary for world security. In this case only 4 out of 15 members voted for it.”
The commonality between the Vietnam and Iraq wars, according to Zaslofsky, is that the American people were lied to about the reasons for both wars, and that they were both acts of aggressions again countries that had done no harm to the United States.
