Reports from Amman Jordan
by Samah Sabawi
| Part XXI - No Palestinians Allowed | |||
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Comments from Readers
January 21, 2005 Of all the people I’ve met in Jordan, Taghreed has had the most profound effect on me. I have admired her charitable work, her gentle gracious attitude, the depth of her compassion and her relationship with her exemplary family. I am astonished and outraged to find out that she has become the latest victim in Canada’s racist anti-Palestinian policy.  This year, Taghreed’s daughter Rawan will be
married to a Canadian-Palestinian. The wedding is set to take
place on Feb 19th in Ottawa. Up until now, everything has worked
according to plan. Rawan’s wedding dress is hanging in her closet, her
bags are packed and the last thing on the to-do list was to get a Visa
for her mom to accompany her on her journey from her family home to her
new life in Canada.There is no doubt that Taghreed qualifies for a Visitor Visa. She supplied the Canadian Embassy in Amman all the guarantees required: income statements, bank statements, photocopies of the wedding invitation, the receipt for the wedding reception, her son-in-law’s address in Ottawa, his financial statement, his bank statement and many more papers, proofs, letters and statements. Taghreed gave the embassy everything required but still failed to get the Visa - not once, but both times she applied. There is no doubt that she failed simply because of one reason: she is a Palestinian. On the letter explaining why she was refused, the Visa Officer at the Canadian Embassy said that she didn’t fulfill the following criteria: - the reason for travel to Canada and the applicant’s contact there; - the applicant’s financial means for the trip; - the applicant’s ties to his or her country of residence, including immigration status, employment and family ties; - whether the applicant would be likely to leave Canada at the end of his/her authorized stay.  Those
reasons are transparently bogus. Her reason for travel is valid
because she wants to attend her daughter’s wedding. She has
financial means for the trip as proven by her bank statement. She
has strong ties to her country of residence as she leaves behind a
young teenage daughter, her husband and her home, so obviously she
would want to return home after the wedding.Taghreed was never given an interview at the embassy. The denial of her entry is a shame to every Canadian who believes in equality. Canada must not have a Palestinians Out policy. Please voice your objection to this terrible crime of prejudice. Note: Taghreed was eventually granted a Visa and was able to attend her daughter's wedding. Our thanks to all who wrote on her behalf. Samah Sabawi, originally from Gaza and whose permanent residence is now Ottawa, is a writer, playwright and well-known activist. Her articles appear in several popular online journals. Her Palestinian Diary is exclusive to YayaCanada. YayaCanada Boycott Israeli Apartheid
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