After over six years full of agony and anguish, my refugee status was granted on the 27th of this month (November) 2007, and I won the right to stay in Canada.
Although I am grateful for the right to remain in Canada, it is noteworthy to mention that I came to Canada over six years ago (on September 5, 2001) seeking asylum from political persecution—but I ended up spending years in United States prisons.
It is now clear that when Canadian officials falsely identified me to the U.S. officials as someone who has something to do with the events of the September 11, 2001 and then illegally transported me across the border on that same day and handed me over to U.S officials, they transported a refugee—not just a refugee claimant—in other words, someone who it had been determined was at risk and feared for his life and safety in his home country. Had I been granted due process and a hearing on the merits of my case on that month (of September 12) as required by Canadian and international Law, I would have been granted refugee status in Canada at that time, as it has been determined recently. Instead, Canadian Officials chose to overlook the law, put me in the back of a car and hand me over to U.S. officials where I have been tortured, abused and detained for nearly 5 years.
An adequate review process must follow. Such illegal actions in complete disregard to Canadian and international law must not be tolerated in a country were the rules of law apply. I deserve an answer as to how I came to be illegally handed over to U.S. officials in violation of Canadian and international law. In addition, Canadians need to know what went wrong in my case, whether there are any other similar cases and how future such injustices can be prevented.
Only by doing so and by correcting past mistakes, will Canada be able to restore a defamed reputation that was once cherished: a leader in the protection of human rights provisions around the globe.
Thank you,
Benamar
