THE WINDSOR REFUGEE OFFICE
WHO OPERATES IT?
The Windsor Refugee Office is funded by the Diocese of London. There are two sections, one, which assists, sponsored refugees, and the other, which assists refugee claimants.
Sister Helen Petrimoulx SNJM is the director of the section, which assists refugee claimants to Canada. She has three part time volunteers at the moment, two of whom are part of the SNJM community.
WHAT IS A REFUGEE CLAIMANT?
A refugee claimant is someone who has had to flee his/her home country for fear of unlawful imprisonment, torture or execution. They get to Canada however they can, often without documents, or assets, traumatized, exhausted and seeking asylum. They may be able to speak English or French, or not. They face a huge wall of paperwork, a new culture and a strange country. The Windsor Refugee Office assists a refugee claimant with the immigration process they must navigate to achieve refugee status in Canada, and settlement needs such as food, shelter, work permits, school etc.
HOW DOES A PERSON BECOME ACCEPTED AS A REFUGEE?
When a person arrives at our border, he or she applies to begin the process of being accepted as a refugee. He or she must apply to Immigration, and is granted a hearing, which will decide if the person will be allowed to stay in Canada as a Refugee. They may then begin the citizenship process. If their claim is denied they must return to their country of origin, to face the consequences. About one person in three is allowed to stay. This hearing, as you may imagine, is crucial, a matter of literally life and death. Sister Helen assists in preparations for this hearing, and afterwards.
WHERE DO REFUGEES COME FROM AND WHY DID THEY FLEE?
Sister Helen has assisted refugee claimants from over 36 countries in Central and South America, Africa, the Middle East and Europe and the former Soviet Republic.
These refugee claimants have had to leave a variety of jobs and careers in their home country. Some are physicians, physiotherapists, pilots, professional athletes, students, truck drivers, journalists and teachers. They may be victims of genocide, oppression or dictatorship. All are survivors, and very glad to be here and safe at last.
Here is an excerpt from Human Rights Watch World Report 2001: Yemen (available on the Internet at http://www.hrs.org/wr2k1
Yemen’s poor human rights record showed little improvement in 2000 ... There were credible reports of torture in state prisons as well as in private jails and illegal detention facilities … The authorities detained political opponents… some 1,500 persons were picked up for questioning… routine recourse to harassment, beatings, and arbitrary detention.
From Amnesty International Annual Report 2000: Yemen (www.web.amnesty.org/web/ar2000)
Torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment continued to be reported. Methods reported during 1999 included beatings while tied up, beatings on the soles of the feet, sleep deprivation, denial of food, threats of torture and the use of shackles. Torture appeared to take place in incommunicado detention.
Unfortunately, the above reports are similar to those from many countries. Hence, refugees.
WHAT DO VOLUNTEERS DO AT THE WINDSOR REFUGEE OFFICE?
A volunteer does many things. He/she may assist refugees in writing their stories to request legal aid and for the immigration process, type lists of used furniture and clothing stores, accompany them to community resources such as social services, clinics, schools, shelters, give orientation to our city and culture, assist with access to food banks, thrift stores, find and set up housing, bank accounts, assist with forms such as work permits, job applications and resumes, and provide a listening caring contact in their new country.
A REFUGEE IS A NEW CONTRIBUTING MEMBER OF OUR SOCIETY.
Please keep them in your prayers as they struggle to escape oppression and begin a new life.
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