by Ashley Matthew – BASICS Issue #20 July/Aug 2010
On June 2, 2010, Barrio Nuevo hosted a press conference at Romero House in Toronto to create awareness about the deportation decision of the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) concerning Salvadorean José Figueroa. This decision is based on Figueroa’s past affiliation to the Farabundo Marti Front for National Liberation (FMLN) of El Salvador. After 13 years of living in Canada, the Canadian Border Services Agency and Ministry of Public Safety has decided that the FMLN has “engaged in terrorism and subversion” and because Figueroa was a member of the group, they want to bar him from Canada.
Figueroa joined the event via Skype to talk about the latest news on his case and next steps. The event was just one of the initiatives Barrio Nuevo has launched to challenge the Canadian government’s characterization of the FMLN as a terrorist organization.
“It’s 13 years after the fact. Why now?”, Figueroa asked. At the time of Figueroa’s association with the FMLN, the group was internationally recognized as fighting for a legitimate cause. The Canadian government even recognized the recent election, which saw the FMLN elected as the leading party in El Salvador, as “free and fair”. In fact, Peter Kent, Canadian Minister of State of Foreign Affairs, represented the Canadian government during FMLN President Funes’ inauguration.
On what grounds can the Canadian government now conclude that José Figueroa is inadmissible in Canada for being affiliated with the FMLN, an internationally recognized political party? Barrio Nuevo, in their Declaration of Solidarity, states that the FMLN’s insurgency was internationally recognized as legitimate and representative and that it led to peace and democracy in 1993. The actions of the Canadian authorities are shameful and contradictory in this case (and many others that haven’t been publicly recognized).
Figueroa has not given up hope. He is now taking the case further. He now has 30 days to prepare evidence for his presentation at the Judicial Review. He has a supportive group of people who are helping him across the country, in Vancouver, Ottawa, Montreal and now Toronto. Barrio Neuvo, along with many other allies, are trying to raise funds to support his legal fees.
Philadelphia-based filmmaker Jamie Moffett is one of those supporters and he is coming to Toronto to screen his film “Return to El Salvador”, which will have its world premier in Toronto on June 17, 2010 at the Toronto Underground Cinema (186 Spadina Avenue, Queen and Spadina) at 7:30pm.
There will be other screenings at 9pm on June 18, 21, 22 and 24, as well as 4pm on June 20. Twenty percent of the proceeds will go to support the legal costs of Figueroa’s case. For more information and ways to help, please visit barrio-neuvo.org or basicsnews.ca.
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