| Something's Happening Here |
A trickle of humanity is showing up at Canadian border crossings: U.S. military deserters who don't want to fight in Iraq. And they are asking Canada for refuge, as it once was during the Vietnam War. Over the decades, many things have changed; there was a draft then, none now---at least not yet. But today's war resisters are not that different from the ones who came before. Their stories are wrapped up in the politics of Canada-US relations - in soul-wrenching deliberations and life-changing decisions - in the intense interplay of the forces of love, and family and country. This program comes to us from Bob Carty of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and airs as part of our ongoing international documentary exchange series, Crossing Boundaries.
Something's Happening Here was produced by Bob Carty of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It airs as part of the international documentary exchange series, Crossing Boundaries. We have this update: Jeremy Hinzman had his hearing in December, 2004. His refugee claim was denied in March, 2005, and he is appealing to the Federal Court of Canada. Amnesty International has said that, if Jeremy is returned to the US and imprisoned, they will consider him a prisoner of conscience.
Links:
Brandon Hughey homepage
Brandon Hughey is an 18 year old American seeking asylum in Canada.
Jeremy Hinzman homepage
Visit this website for information on Jeremy Hinzman and his efforts to achieve refugee status in Canada.
War Resister's Support Campaign
The War Resisters Support Campaign is a broad-based coalition of community, faith, labour and other organizations and individuals that have come together to support U.S. soldiers seeking asylum in Canada.
Books:
GI Resister: The Story of how One American Soldier and His Family Fought the War in Vietnam by: Dick Perrin, Tim McCarthy 2001 The story of Dick Perrin, GI War Resister.
Northern Passage: American Vietnam War Resisters in Canada by: John Hagan 2001 John Hagan searched declassified government files, consulted previously unopened resistance organization archives and contemporary oral histories, and interviewed American war resisters settled in Toronto to learn how they made the momentous decision to leave the United States for Canada.
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