Friday, September 17, 2010
Jama was convicted in 2005 of a home invasion and of stabbing a fleeing resident in the face. He has a previous record for robbery. Having landed in Canada as a refugee in 1991, Jama, 40, did not take citizenship. The government decided to deport him because the risk he poses to Canadians outweighs those he faces in Somalia -- as a son of a former top military official, he believes he is a target. Jama insisted he faces death, saying that was the fate of Hussein Jilaow, another Winnipegger deported in 2007.
The Canada Border Services Agency says the alleged death is unsubstantiated, but refuses to reveal if it investigated the matter. Canada does not deport foreign nationals to countries where they will face torture or execution; it does not take lightly the fate of refugees. Good decisions, however, require hard facts: Somalia is a dangerous place and Canada has a duty to inquire if its actions led to death. In the absence of that, the government -- and Canadians -- cannot know whether further deportations to Somalia are appropriate.
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition September 17, 2010 A14
Source: Winnipeg Free Press