• Summary
• Sanctuary Past & Present
  1. History
  2. Experience at First Unitarian Congregation
  3. Shree Kumar Rai . . 10 Years of Struggle
  4. Sanctuary Questions
• Press Release
• Statement by Shree
• Interfaith Refugee Network in Ottawa
• Second National Rally on Refugee Rights and Sanctuary
  • Press Release
  • Audio Highlights
  • Rally Program
  • Statements
  • Addresses
• Backgrounder
  • Risk of Torture
  • Evidence from Nepal
  • Amnesty: Grave Concern
  • First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa
  • Mr. Rai's Appeals
• Refugee Sandwich
• How can I help?
• Press Coverage
  • Metro News - Mar 23/07
  • Ottawa Citizen - Mar 23/07
  • Ottawa Sun - Mar 23/07
  • CBC News - Mar 22/07
  • Ottawa Citizen - Mar 22/07
  • Echo Weekly - Jan 1/08
• Archive
  • Samsu Mia
  • The Refugee Appeal - Is No One Listening?
• UU Ottawa Home Page

Background

This summer representatives of several Ottawa area churches and faith communities came together to create a support network for refugees seeking asylum after arriving in Ottawa.. Some of the members have had first hand experience with the provision of sanctuary to failed claimants. Many of them are also very aware of the flaws in the current refugee determination system. The proposed network is not intended to support “sponsored refugees” as there are other organizations and processes in place for these refugees.

The Interfaith Refugee Network in Ottawa is sponsoring the October 24 National Rally on Refugee Rights together with First Unitarian Congregation. Its mission statement and primary tasks are as follows:

Mission Statement

To ensure that refugees seeking asylum receive the best possible personal support in the processing of their refugee claims, to provide individuals with sanctuary if absolutely necessary and to advocate for improvements in the refugee determination process.

Primary Tasks

• Welcoming and Supporting Refugee Claimants – to prepare lists of resources for claimants, such as competent legal and other counselors, temporary housing and aids to completing the Personal Information Form.
• Support for Sanctuary – to provide advice and first hand support to faith communities who are prepared to offer sanctuary to failed claimants.
• Advocacy – to identify flaws in the current refugee determination system and responsibly advocate for change through the media and the political process.

Initial Planning

During the 2007 summer months, the members further developed the basis of the network and prepared some preliminary information on the first two tasks above.

Part of the initial work will be to clarify the network's relationship to related organizations, such as the Coalition in Ottawa for Refugees (COR), the Catholic Immigration centre, the Ottawa Justice Network (OJN) and KAIROS Ottawa (Capital Area Justice Initiative), the Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR).

The following churches and related organizations are represented on the network: First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa, St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church, All Saints Lutheran Church, All Saints Anglican Church (Westboro), North-West United Church, MacKay United Church, Catholic Immigration Centre, Temple Israel, St. Joseph RC Church, Friends (Quakers), St. Michael and All Angels Anglican Church, Ottawa West End Community Chaplaincy and the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa. In October a representative of the Muslim Community will also join the network.

The members met again in September and invite other Ottawa-based faith communities to join the network.

For further information and to get involved contact Mary Duncan at 613-798-0267