Arriving in Canada in 2008, from the Jenin region in the occupied West Bank, Omar applied for refugee status and was refused. At the time, the Canadian government demonstrated little consideration of the well-documented reality of the systemic violence faced by Palestinians in the Israeli occupied West Bank on a daily basis. A recent Human Rights Watch report notes :
âIsrael enforces severe and discriminatory restrictions on Palestiniansâ human rights, and it builds and supports unlawful settlements in the occupied West Bank. Its security forces appear to use excessive force against Palestinian demonstrators and suspected attackers, raising the spectre of extra-judicial killings. It has renewed the practice of punitive home demolitions.â
Despite this refusal, Canada has never fairly addressed Omarâs case- leaving him without status, but unable to return to Palestine. Instead, Omar has been living in stateless limbo for close to a decade.
Today, Omar is working hard in the city as a low-wage worker, unable to travel or visit his family in occupied Palestine and without the full rights of a permanent resident or a Canadian citizen. Given the governing Liberal Party of Canadaâs rhetoric of supporting the rights of refugees and the fact that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau literally campaigned in support of the rights of Syrian refugees in the last election, we point to the fact that today Trudeauâs policies are failing many refugees.
As artists, we feel it is important to express our support and to speak out in solidarity with Omar Ben Ali. Our work is rooted in expressing the spirit of life and beautiful moments, but also the struggles we all face to overcome adversity and injustice. Within this context, we extend our solidarity, our hearts and our love to Omar Ben Ali.
Omarâs current campaign for status is something that we support. Tadamon! has been working with Omar and has full information on Omarâs case at : tadamon.ca/omar
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