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From	Andrew.Bacelis@directory.reed.edu (Andrew Bacelis)
Date	09 Jun 2000 17:28:13 PDT
Subject	globe_l: Activists arrested in Calgary, deported

--- Forwarded Message from "Tina Purnat" <tpurnat@hotmail.com> ---
----Original Message Follows----
From: Bob Olsen <bobolsen@interlog.com>
To: mai-not@flora.org
Subject: Activists arrested Calgary, deported
Date: Fri, 09 Jun 2000 13:44:00 -0700
To: petrol@list.nisto.com
From: Amit Srivastava <amit@corpwatch.org>
Subject: CANADA DETAINS AND DEPORTS OIL CONGRESS ACTIVISTS

PROJECT UNDERGROUND   www.moles.org
TRANSNATIONAL RESOURCE & ACTION CENTER    www.corpwatch.org

Contacts:
Amit Srivastava, TRAC cell: 415-786-4327
Carwil James, Project Underground cell: 510-421-0119

CANADA DETAINS AND DEPORTS OIL CONGRESS ACTIVISTS

Update:  June 9, 2000- Both activists have been deported and
have arrived back in San Francisco.

San Francisco, June 8-Bay Area activists set to speak at a
teach-in on the human rights and environmental impacts of the
oil industry were arrested by Canadian immigration officials
last night at Calgary's international airport.

The officials told Carwil James of Project Underground and
Amit Srivastava of the Transnational Resource & Action Center
(TRAC) that they were detained because of their involvement
in activities critical of the World Petroleum Congress-a
global oil industry gathering.

"The Canadian government should be ashamed of itself for
pre-empting free speech in such a heavy-handed manner.
It appears that Canada is more interested in protecting oil
corporations than human rights," said Joshua Karliner,
Director of TRAC.

Using a law that apparently allows them to deny entry to
individuals with two or more arrest convictions, Canadian
officials detained James and Srivastava as they arrived for
the Counter Petroleum Congress where they were scheduled to
speak.  Both activists have been convicted of misdemeanors
in the past for engaging in non-violent civil disobedience.
Mr. James was most recently arrested at the demonstrations
against the World Trade Organization in Seattle.
Mr. Srivastava hasn't been arrested in nine years.

Immigration officials used this pretext to read through and
copy paper and electronic documents the activists carried,
including Mr. Srivastava's year long work plan.

"This detention is part of a systematic government effort
at the behest of oil corporations--something we are more
used to witnessing in dictatorships like Nigeria," said
Danny Kennedy, Director of Project Underground.   "With
free trade, corporations move freely across border; people,
especially those critical of corporate globalization,
apparently cannot."

Both activists are people of color (Amit is Indian American
and Carwil is African American).  Other white activists with
multiple civil disobedience charges were apparently let into
Canada without any problem. "While this may be coincidence,
we are also concerned that they may have been singled out as
activists of color" said Kennedy.

The activists who were jailed over night and transported in
chains and shackles were given two choices:  either fight
deportation and risk a life-long ban from Canada or withdraw
their application to enter the country and leave immediately.
Mr. James is staying and fighting deportation, working with
Canadian immigration attorneys.  Mr. Srivastava has withdrawn
his application. He should be available to interview from 8 pm
PST onward.

--30--



==================================
Amit Srivastava
Climate Justice Coordinator
Transnational Resource and Action Center (TRAC)/ Corporate Watch
P.O. Box 29344, San Francisco, CA 94129, USA
Tel: 1 415 561 6472  Fax: 1 415 561 6493
Email: amit@corpwatch.org
Web: http://www.corpwatch.org
==================================



    .............................................
    Bob Olsen, Toronto      bobolsen@interlog.com
    .............................................
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