Immigration Canada to Tear Apart Halifax Family

Sri Lankan Man to be Deported to War-Torn Country

HALIFAX – Dammika Kumara Tissawalangumndiyanselage (Kuma), a Sri Lankan man and 5-year resident of Dartmouth, faces a deportation order currently slated for this Saturday. The Halifax office of the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) will be proceeding with Kuma’s deportation, currently scheduled for May 19th, 2007, to war-torn Sri Lanka. Kuma is currently married to a Canadian citizen, has been living and working in Halifax for five years. He was originally scheduled for deportation on May 11th, however the order was delayed due to the fact that the only international airport in the country has been closed as a result air attacks by the Tamil Tigers. His deportation represents a disturbing and repressive act on the part of immigration officials, due to the dangerous situation to which he and his wife would be subjected in Sri Lanka.

Kuma’s Canadian wife, Kimberly Charron, had applied to be his sponsor in his permanent residence application, based on Humanitarian and Compassionate grounds. Regardless of the pending nature of this legal claim, his deportation date to Sri Lanka was set for May 11th, 2007. Kuma lost his refugee claim in 2005 and was notified on April 14th of this year that he lost his Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA) application. His deportation date was later extended to May 19th due to the closure of Sri Lanka’s only international airport.

Kuma’s wife, Kim Charron, is currently working two full-time jobs in Dartmouth, due to the fact that the Canadian government has revoked Kuma’s work permit. The Canadian government’s unwillingness to consider issuing a stay of Kuma’s deportation order has placed an immense emotional strain on Kim and her family. Kuma and Kimberly will be forced apart due to the financial strain caused by the repeated rescheduling of Kuma’s departure flight by Immigration officials. Despite the dangerous nature of the situation in Sri Lanka due to the current civil war, Kimberly had initially planned to depart with Kuma. Instead, she will remain in Canada for the next few months due to threats to her safety, as well as financial constraints.

Not only is the Canadian government willing to place this man and his wife in immediate danger, but in a show of an incredibly racist double standard, the government has imposed a travel warning for Canadian citizens to this war-torn region. This represents a slap in the face for all Canadians who believe in a society which is not based upon racism and discrimination.

Kuma is prepared to depart willingly, but will be filing a new application for spousal sponsorship in hopes of returning to Canada. Such a process could take up to a year to complete. Kuma faces the prospect of living in a war zone while awaiting the results of this process. Kuma’s deportation will occur less than two weeks after the deportation of the Silva family, a Brazilian family who had lived for years in Halifax, by Canadian Immigration officials.