We Are Jose Update -Jose Figueroa Case

  Update re the We Are Jose Campaign. 

The We Are Jose campaign is growing bigger every day. The campaign started up by a UBC student has gone international in less than 2 weeks! It is very inspiring the growing movement across Canada and now internationally calling for the Canadian government to reverse the deportation of Jose Figueroa and his family.

But we still have not had any response from the government and we need your help to write letters to your MP's  [see below for more info about what to write]. Find your MP contact info here http://www2.parl.gc.ca/parlinfo/compilations/houseofcommons/memberbypostalcode.aspx?menu=hoc ]

Must see video from El Salvador  Somos Terroristas -We are terrorists

Watch this amazing short mini documentary explaining the case

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyOZKYRGq8o

Watch the 1minute 40 second We Are Jose You Tube video that CBC's George Strombo put on his website http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqAQ1BDyBCM

Please take five minutes now to help and write a letter asap. Jose's lawyers say letters are essential.

But first here is a poem that is very relevant and that I hope you will take to heart to motivate you to do any small thing to help Jose. This issue is not only about Jose but is to help  other refugees impacted by Canada's immigraton law who are currently being wrongly accused of as terrorists in Canada.

Currently under Canada's existing broad and vaque definition of terrorism any individual who ever participated in any opposition group [eg., Nelson Mandella] would be considered terrorists.

First They came... - Pastor Martin Niemoller

First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists ,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.

"First they came…" is a famous statement attributed to Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984) about the inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to power and the purging of their chosen targets, group after group.


Jose, a Langley BC resident, father of three, ordered deported in May after living in Canada for 13 years was told he must leave canada to his native El Salvador, because of his participation in a political group in college over  20 years ago associated with the opposition group the FMLN that worked to oppose a brutal violent miliary dictatorship that used death squads against any opposition.

It is an obvious mistake to deport Jose and to claim every member of the FMLN as a terrorist. He was standing up for human rights against a murderous regime. Evidence given by the UN truth commission reported that the military dictatorship that the FMLN opposed was responsible for over 85 percent of the human right violations,  and the FMLN only 5 precent. Death squads associated with the government are believed to have contributed to the remaining deaths and violations. The FMLN was a legitimate political group opposing a violent regime. [A similar situation as the jewish resisters fighting the nazi's]

Jose told of his affiliation to the opposition group when he came to canada and he was welcomed as were all the refugees who fled the war in El Salvador. So it makes no sense to deport him now 13 years later. It seems that a lack of knowledge of the regional politics of El Salvador and also terrorism legislation that is so broad it wrongly targets innocent persons like Jose and other refugees has caused this problem. 

Jose's case is significant because it highlights a huge problem with the immigration system whereby any immigrant who was part of an opposition group against a violent dictatorship could be wrongly accused of being a terrorist.

It seems that mistorted fears of terrorism originating in the 1990's and growing after Sept 11 have lead to this problem.

Many other innocent persons have been impacted and more will be if we don't speak out to our MP's and ask them to fix this glaring problem.

In October, Jose's last chance was to ask the Minister of Public Safety to exempt him from deportation. His lawyers say it could take 5-6 years to receive word on an exemption. That is too long to leave the family waiting especially given that it is a mistake that he has been referred for a deportation.

And as CBC -the National coverage  [ see links to media coverage regarding the case at www.wearejose.com] stated the chances that the current hard nosed get tough on terrorism Minister will provide an exemption given other cases is slim.

His lawyers tell us Jose and his families main chance for success is from the community speaking out to their MP's to ask that Jose be exempt.

The evidence presented in Jose immigration board hearing, clearly states that Jose did not do any wrong doing or commit any acts of violence. He was simply participating in legal democratic opposition.

Jose was speaking up for democracy and human rights.

Jose stood up for democracy and human rights and as fellow Canadians I hope you will stand up for Jose and his rights.

Some quick  actions you can do to help.

1. Write or call your MP's [ see link to find your MP http://www2.parl.gc.ca/parlinfo/compilations/houseofcommons/memberbypostalcode.aspx?menu=hoc ]. When writing please copy to Cc: wearejose@gmail.com

Tell your MP to push the Minister of Public Safety for a quick reversal of the deportation order, five years is too long to wait. Canada'  immigration law regarding terrorism is so broad that innocent refugees like Jose are being wrongfully targetted.  For all these years in Canada Jose and his wife have no health care coverage; the stress of a pending deportation is horrendous -- any day the Minister could rule that Jose must leave right away and officials would come and pick him and his wife up and seperate them from the children and deport them with no money no home back to El Salvador. This is a terrible stress to live with everyday.

2. Click on http://www.wearejose.com and  PLEASE take 1 min 30 secs watch the wearejose you tube video and send it to your contacts.

Not only Jose is being wrongful targetted as well the whole organization FMLN are being wrongly categorized as a terrorist group. Over 1000 people have signed the petition in support of Jose and the FMLN and many are speaking out for Jose and the FMLN  including MP's academics, Holly wood actor and activist Martin Sheen, members of the El Salvadoran government, CLC[seewww.wearejose.com  for a list of all the endorsers including the current president of the El Salvadoran legislature.

3.  Request a copy of the petition and gather signatures and ask your MP to present the petition in parliment or mail us copies to Walnut Grove Luthern Church 20530 88 Avenue
Langley, BC V1M 2Y6

http://peterjulian.ndp.ca/node/1004

4. Send donations to help the figueroa's pay the huge legal bill they have. Send  care of Jose Figueroa to the Walnut Grove Luthern Church 20530 88 Avenue
Langley, BC V1M 2Y6
6. And most importantly...As Jose's son. always says, 'Don't just sit there do something.' :)


Watch this !!! Somos terroristas http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lt0IK18FrDs&feature=related
Please email us to let us know you have written the letter or any other action you can do to help. This helps us to have a copy of the letter for our records and also helps keep up our morale to know that we have support. Thanks!!!!

For press release see http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=crqthmdab&v=001O3CKqe2sPwwm90v6Kco-yncAkeFXQC8n-HQxoewgRijiHu2L76_V1HvaAu0Y0beJmkfhvv6ll4iHHVkVuJxFaGzu5pk55zoLG9GBGhOJf1o%3D

We Are Jose | supporters of Jose Figueroa

www.wearejose.com

We Are Jose is a Canadian campaign to reverse the deportation order on Jose Figueroa.

We are Jose Campaign goes International!

PRESS RELEASE

WE ARE JOSE

STATEMENT

READ ON JAN.16 2011

A Canadian campaign to reverse the deportation

order against José Figueroa

                            www.wearejose.com

Canada and El Salvador, Jan.16, 2011 - Today, We Are Jose. José Figueroa could be any one of us. He has lived happily in his Langley, BC, community, just outside Vancouver, for over 13 years with his wife, Ivannia, and three Canadian children.  As they built new lives after fleeing danger in El Salvador, they worked hard and became leading members of their local Lutheran church.  Again, their story is ours.

Then, out of the blue, José and his wife were told they were no longer welcome in Canada and were going to be deported.

Vigil in San Salvador at the Peace monument with support of Sigfrido Reyes,

Elected Member and President of the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador, FMLN

The reason?  As a university student more than 20 years ago, José was associated with the Farabundo Martí Front for National Liberation, or FMLN, the broad coalition of opposition forces fighting the ruthless Salvadorean government of the time.

Vigil in Toronto at the San Lorenzo Church with Father Hernán Astudillo,

 Toronto, ON

Indeed, supporting the FMLN was the conscious and courageous choice of countless Salvadoreans trying to free themselves from the tyranny of a Salvadorean state that targeted with impunity priests, nuns, farmers, teachers, workers, professors, students, indeed, anyone opposed to its systematic human rights violations.

And the international community recognized Salvadoreans’ right to defend themselves against oppression.  The FMLN was widely acknowledged as a legitimate and representative opposition organization and as a vital element to bringing democracy to El Salvador.

Vigil in Ottawa at the Human Rights monument

After signing UN-sponsored peace accords with the Salvadorean government exactly 19 years ago today (peace accords that Canada explicitly supported), the FMLN went on to become a leading political party and won the presidency in 2009.  The Canadian government recognized that election as free and fair and even sent a representative, then Minister of State of Foreign Affairs for the Americas and now Minister of the Environment, Peter Kent, to President Mauricio Funes’ inauguration.

Vigil in Ottawa with support of renowned Guatemalan artist, Tito Medina

Still, Canadian border and immigration authorities consider José a threat to Canadian security because of his links to the current democratically elected and internationally recognized governing party of El Salvador, the FMLN.  It simply doesn’t make sense.  And we simply want our government to realize as much.

José, Ivannia, and their three Canadian children are no threats to Canada.  On the contrary, they are exactly the kind of people who have built this great country. 

Vigil in San Salvador at the monument dedicated to Monseñor Romero

Their fate lies in the hands of Minister of Public Safety, Vic Toews.  Supporters of the WE ARE JOSE campaign demand that Minister Toews immediately grant José Figueroa an exemption that declares him no threat to national security and that allows the Figueroa family to continue leading productive lives in Canada.  We further demand that he ensure that the FMLN and its many supporters are no longer mischaracterized as threats by Canadian authorities. 

Vigil in Langley, BC, at Walnut Grove Lutheran Church. WE ARE JOSE mural done by Jose himself

in honour of all his supporters and for fundraising.

By this, he will honour the Salvadorean Peace Agreement we celebrate today and do what’s right.

Supporters of José:

Martin Sheen, actor and activist, CA, USA

Jamie Moffet, Director, Return to El Salvador, Philadelphia, USA

Mark Warawa, Conservative Member of Parliament for Langley, BC

Don Davies, NDP Member of Parliament for Vancouver Kingsway, BC

Peter Julian, NDP Member of Parliament for Burnaby-New Westminster, BC

Sigfrido Reyes, Elected Member and President of the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador, FMLN

Jorge Schafik Handal Vega Silva, Elected Member of Legislative Assembly of El Salvador, President of the External Relations, Central American Integration, and Salvadoreans Abroad Commission, FMLN

Fredy Tejada, Elected Member, Central American Parliament, FMLN

Walnut Grove Lutheran Church, Langley BC

Pastor Sebastian Meadows-Helmer, Thornhill, ON

The Thornhill Ecumenical Ministerial, Thornhill, ON

San Lorenzo Anglican Parrish and Community Centre, Toronto, ON

Canadian Labour Congress (CLC)

Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Ontario Division

Salvadorian Canadian Association of Ottawa and National Capital Region (ASCORCAN), Ottawa, ON

Barrio Nuevo, Toronto, ON

Maxwell Cameron, Professor of Political Science, University of British Colombia, BC

Jerry Spiegel, Professor and Director of the Liu Institute for Global Studies, University of British Colombia,

Katherine Reilly, Professor, School of Communication, Simon Fraser University, BC

Kerry Preibisch, Associate Professor, Sociology and Anthropology, University of Guelph, ON

Gus Van Harten, Associate Professor, Osgoode Law School, York University, ON

Oswaldo Ventura, Coordinator, FMLN-Toronto, Toronto, ON

Réseau de la commission populaire / People’s Commission Network, Montréal, QC

Latin American and Caribbean Solidarity Network, Toronto, ON

El Salvador Sister Cities Network, Milwaukee, USA

Justicia for Migrant Workers, Toronto, ON

International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group, Ottawa, ON

Radio Cadena Mi Gente, El Salvador

La Re-Vista Radio, Vancouver, BC

Comisión Internacional del FNRP

El Comité Muralla 700 de Ottawa-Gatineau

RAICES Latin American Cultural Society, Vancouver, BC

The Louis Riel Bolivarian Circle/HOV, Toronto, ON

Pastor Karl Keller, Langley, BC

Students at Simon Fraser University, BC

Students at University of British Colombia, BC

Pastor William Osmar Chamagua, Virginia, USA

And many others…

==30 ==

For all Enquiries media and other:

Ottawa: Laura Avalos, Salvadorian Canadian Association of Ottawa, 819.319.0904

Toronto: René Guerra Salazar, Barrio Nuevo, 416.939.2892

Vancouver: Sasha Wood, 604.540.2126, sashabwood@yahoo.com

Langley, B.C., Walnut Grove Lutheran Church, 20530-88 Avenue, Langley, BC, 604-888-1004

We are Jose Campaign events took place across Canada today -Jan 16th

Ottawa event

CBC's George Strombo re WE ARE JOSE CAMPAIGN

We Are Jose -See this posting from CBC'S George Strombo below [link to his page]

January 11, 2011

Whether you're new to this country, or your family has been here for generations, it's a safe bet you appreciate how good it is to be Canadian. Well that was the case for Jose Figueroa, who came to British Columbia to escape political violence in his native El Salvador over 13 years ago. He worked for years to be a good Canadian. He's married with 3 kids, he always paid his own medical bills.

But he's been deemed a "national security threat" for his (non-combat) involvement with a group in El Salvador called the FMLN (Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front) back when he was a university student, 20 years ago.

The Canadian government considers the FMLN an organization that "engaged in terrorist activities."

Even though, during El Salvador's civil war, the FMLN was internationally recognized as a legitimate opposition group. The UN has declared as much.

And guess what?

In 2009 the FMLN won the presidential elections! They now form the internationally recognized legitimate government.

So. Why is Canada still trying to deport him? It's a good question that a lot of people are asking, including high profile individuals like politicians, both federal and provincial, activists, common citizens - even American actor/activist Martin Sheen.

On January 16th, you can get involved. The "We Are Jose" campaign is organizing events across the country so that Jose and his family can continue contributing to this country.

Join and Support WE ARE JOSE Jan. 16. 2011

JOIN & SUPPORT

WE ARE JOSE

JAN.16 2011

A Canadian campaign to reverse the deportation order against José Figueroa

                            www.wearejose.com

Vancouver, January 2^nd, 2011. People from all walks of life and community-based organizations are joining forces to reverse the deportation order against José Figueroa and his family and are making a call to all to join the WE ARE JOSE campaign. Several initiatives are being organized for the WE ARE JOSE Campaign held across several Canadians cities on January 16^th, 2011. Visit www.wearejose.com for more information.

WE ARE JOSE supporters believe that the Canadian government’s decision to deport José is a mistake and that this error impacts not only Jose and his family but also puts many Canadians of Salvadorean origin at risk of deportation. The campaign requests that the Canadian government, in particular the Minister of Public Safety, Vic Toews, respond to the demand to grant José an exemption by January 16^th declaring him no threat to national security, in honour of the Salvadorean Peace Agreement and as a reminder to Canadians that our country played a key role in putting an end to El Salvador’s bloody 12-year civil war.

WATCH documentary made by Simon Fraser University students on José Figueroa's case:

http://harpalarp.blogspot.com/2010/12/sfu-students-explain-jose-figueroas.html

Join WE ARE JOSE National Day of support, January 16^th

In Ottawa, ON:

Vigil at the Human Rights Monument on Elgin St. (at Lisgar), 4:30pm

Bring candles, lanterns and banners. Guest speakers & artist!

In Langley, BC:

Vigil at Walnut Grove Luthern Church, 5:30pm

20530 88th Avenue, Langley, BC V1M 2Y6

In Toronto, ON: TBA

In Montreal, QC: TBA

TAKE ACTION

1. Offer your endorsement to the WE ARE JOSE campaign, either as a person or organization or both. Send us an email at wearejose@gmail.com. Don’t forget to FWD this email to all potential supporters.

2. Print and display the WE ARE JOSE logo in a visible place such as your Facebook profile, door step, back of your car, desk top at work, etc... Visit www.wearejose.com to download it.

3. Watch and Fwd to all your friends the WE ARE JOSE video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fxMAYgQjN8

4. Record your video response to the WE ARE JOSE youtube video. You can say who you are and where you are from and why you support WE ARE JOSE. See http://wearejose.wordpress.com/tellyourstory/ for instructions.

5. Send an email to the Minister of Public Safety, the Honourable Vic Toews, at Toews.V@parl.gc.ca, requesting the reverse of the deportation order. Get a sample letter at http://wearejose.wordpress.com/tellyourstory/.

6. Organize an event of solidarity for Jose and let us know when and where it will be. Recommended events are vigils of support and commemorating the peace agreement. Can include showings of the recently released documentary about José’s case http://harpalarp.blogspot.com/2010/12/sfu-students-explain-jose-figueroas.html and host a discussion.

MORE ACTIONS of Support visit:

http://wearejose.wordpress.com/tellyourstory/

READ more about José’s case at the following blogs and below:

http://josefigueroaimmigrationordeal.blogspot.com/

http://www.helpjose.blogspot.com/

José’s supporters:

Martin Sheen, American actor and activist, CA                                      

Jamie Moffet, Director, Return to El Salvador, Philadelphia

Mark Warawa, Conservative Member of Parliament for Langley, BC

Don Davies, NDP Member of Parliament for Vancouver Kingsway, BC

Peter Julian, NDP Member of Parliament for Burnaby-New Westminster, BC

Walnut Grove Lutheran Church, Langley BC

Barrio Nuevo, Toronto, ON

Students at Simon Fraser University, BC

Students at University of British Colombia, Vancouver, BC

Salvadorian Canadian Association of Ottawa and National Capital Region, Ottawa, ON

Latin American Law Student Association, University of Ottawa, ON

Maxwell Cameron, Professor of Political Science, University of British Colombia, BC

Jerry Spiegel, Professor and Director of the Liu Institute for Global Studies, University of British Colombia, BC

Katherine Reilly, Professor, School of Communication, Simon Fraser University, BC

Dr. Kerry Preibisch, Associate Professor, Sociology and Anthropology, University of Guelph, ON

Pastor Karl Keller, Langley, BC

Pastor, William Osmar Chamagua, Virginia

El Comité Muralla 700 de Ottawa-Gatineau

RAICES Latin American Cultural Society

René Guerra Salazar, Ottawa, ON

Laura Avalos, Gatineau, QC

Selvin Mejia, Ottawa, ON

Sasha Wood, New Westminster, BC

Pablo Vivanco, Toronto, ON

Caroline Chingcuanco, Vancouver, BC

Miriam Mendez, Gatineau, QC

Gloria Mendez, Gatineau, QC

Gina Lodge, Langley, BC

Devin Gillan, Langley, BC

Dr. Robin Wood, St. John’s, Newfoundland

Margo Donovan, Langley, BC

Deborah Woods, Shanty Bay, ON

Eric Mills, Toronto, ON

Simon Schachner, Nanaimo, BC

Steven Cameron, Hamilton, ON

Robin Woods, St John’s, NL

and many others…

Information about the JOSE FIGUEROA CASE:

Who is Jose Figueroa? He is a Salvadorean married father of three Canadian children who has lived in British Columbia for over 13 years. In May 2010, the Immigration and Refugee Board issued a deportation order against him and his wife based on his links as a university student more than 20 years ago to the Farabundo Martí Front for National Liberation (FMLN), a broad coalition of groups opposed to El Salvador’s ruthless government at the time, renowned for its rampant human rights violations.  During El Salvador’s civil war, the FMLN was internationally recognized as a legitimate and representative opposition group.  After peace was signed, the FMLN became a leading political party, and its candidate won the 2009 presidential election.  Despite this, Canadian border and immigration authorities consider that the FMLN was an organization that “engaged in terrorist activities.”  What’s more, José disclosed his student links (José was not a combatant) to the FMLN to Canadian immigration authorities when he arrived in Canada more than 13 years ago.  It was only in late 2009 that Canadian border and immigration authorities declared José unwelcome in Canada because of his past links to the FMLN. We believe that it is a mistake for our government to deport José for his past association with the FMLN.  The decision to deport José is based on a lack of accurate information about El Salvador’s political history, and we call on our government to address this error and reverse José’s deportation order.

Why are events taking place on January 16^th?  On January 16^th, 1992, the Government of El Salvador and the FMLN signed a peace agreement, ending 12 years of civil war in the country.  The negotiations leading to the agreement were facilitated by the United Nations, with Canada’s explicit support.  By deporting José based on his past association with the FMLN, the Canadian government is in effect tarnishing the significance the Peace Accords it supported.  Furthermore, such a decision ignores what the UN Truth Commission determined after peace was signed – that the Salvadorean state and its paramilitary allies systematically abused human rights and that the FMLN had a legal right to oppose the government.

Why is this campaign needed? José’s only chance to beat the deportation order is to request an exemption from the Minister of Public Safety. On October 12^th 2010, Jose’s application was submitted to the Minister. However, it can take 5-6 years for the Minister of Public Safety to respond.  We are asking Minister Toews to take favourable action much sooner than that – 13 years is long enough. During that time, José and his family have been ineligible for health care and other rights of residents and citizens of Canada.  José and his wife fled from danger to Canada, were honest with Canadian authorities when they arrived, have been law-abiding members of their Langley, BC community, have three Canadian children, have had to pay out-of-pocket for all their medical bills, and now have a deportation order hanging over their heads.  This is no way to live, especially given that this deportation order is a mistake made by the Canadian government. 

--30--

For all Enquiries media and other:

Ottawa: Laura Avalos, Salvadorian Canadian Association of Ottawa, 819.319.0904

Toronto: René Guerra Salazar, Barrio Nuevo, 416.939.2892

Vancouver: Sasha Wood, 604.540.2126, sashabwood@yahoo.com

Langley, B.C., Walnut Grove Lutheran Church, 20530-88 Avenue, Langley, BC, 604-888-1004