ICC Marks 40 Days Since Flight 752 Tragedy
Today marks the 40th day since the tragedy of Flight 752, when Iranian forces shot down a passenger airplane and killed all onboard, the vast majority of whom were from the Iranian-Canadian community. In Iranian culture, the milestone of 40 days is extremely important, and the Iranian Canadian Congress (ICC) at this moment consoles the rest of the Iranian-Canadian community in this difficult time.
We also at this moment recommit ourselves to transparency, accountability and justice for the victims of Flight 752 and their families. We once again condemn not only the reckless shooting of the plane itself, but also the Iranian government providing false information to the public in the three days after the tragedy.
On this 40th day since the tragedy, we once again call for a transparent and thorough investigation of the tragedy, with full cooperation and oversight by international bodies and independent investigators to confirm what happened and to identify those responsible.
The families of the victims of this horrible tragedy must be supported in any way deemed appropriate and desired by the families, including through restitution.
We also ask that the Canadian government works with allies to mediate conflicts in an effort to de-escalate tensions in the region to prevent further loss of life. Canada must stand for peace.
درخواست تعدادی از خانوادگان قربانیان پرواز ۷۵۲
برخی از اعضای خانواده های قربانیان پرواز ۷۵۲ با ما تماس گرفته اند تا متن زیر را با اعضای خود در میان بگذاریم. لطفا پس از خواندن متن آن را با اطرافیان خود نیز به اشتراک بگذارید تا خانواده درجه یک این قربانیان بتوانند به منظور همدلی و همکاری یکدیگر را پیدا کنند.
این دعوتنامه ای برای خانواده درجه یک قربانیان پرواز ۷۵۲ است تا بتوانند در یک گروه اختصاصی که توسط خود این خانواده ها ایجاد شده و نظارت می شود، با هم در تماس باشند. این گروه برای مراوده و سازماندهی موثر ثر میان خانواده ...ها و به منظور همدلی و همکاری ایجاد شده است.
در صورت تمایل لطفا اطلاعات زیر را به آدرس ایمیل [email protected] ارسال کنید:
۱. نام
۲. شماره تماس
۳. آدرس ایمیل
۴. نام مسافر پرواز
۵. نسبت مسافر با شما
توجه: لطفا اطلاعات تماس تنها یک عضو از خانواده درجه یک (مادر، پدر، خواهر، برادر، فرزند دختر یا پسر) مسافر را ارسال نمایید.
ICC Demands Government Action to Protect Iranian-Canadians at the US-Canada Border
This letter is following up to a previous correspondence sent on January 7th, 2020, in which we communicated our concerns over reports of discrimination against Iranian-Canadians at the US-Canada border.
In some cases, Iranian-Canadians have reported being held for over 30 hours without explanation and being asked racially charged questions. Some have reported being finger printed before being sent back to Canada and are worried about what the United States plans on doing with these finger prints.
There have also been reports from Canadian outlets about the United States government collecting DNA samples from those who are detained at the border, which can be very dangerous for all Canadians who wish to enter the United States, whether it be for business or personal reasons.
Since these initial reports, the accusations were confirmed and leaked memos have shown that individuals of Iranian descent, including Canadian citizens, residents, and international students, are being discriminated against by US border officials, subject to extra interrogation, and being detained, solely because of their national origin, as part of what seems to be formal government policy.
We ask again that the Prime Minister's Office, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Minister of Public Safety immediately investigate this issue and lodge the strongest possible complaint with the Trump administration. We expect the Canadian government to stand up against this racial discrimination by Donald Trump's government, a discrimination not only violates the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, but also international laws that prohibit discrimination based on national or ethnic origin.
کنگره ایرانیان کانادا طومار نژاد پرستانه «درخواست خروج دانشجوهای ایرانی» را محکوم میکند
کنگره ایرانیان کانادا طومار نژاد پرستانه «درخواست خروج دانشجوهای ایرانی» را محکوم میکند.
هفته گذشته، ازرالوانت، از ربل مدیا، در پاسخ به سقوط هواپیمای ۷۵۲ اوکراینی طوماری نوشت که در آن از دانشگاههای کانادا درخواست میکند دانشجوهای با تابعیت ایرانی را اخراج کند، این در حالیست که پس از سقوط هواپیمای اوکراینی درخشش و نقش دانشجوهای ایرانی در جامعه علمی کانادا پر رنگتر از قبل شد.
کنگره ایرانیان کانادا ضمن ابراز خشم و انزجار جامعه ایرانی-کانادایی از این طومار که توسط رسانه راستگ...رای افراطی به منظور فرصت طلبی و بهره برداری از فاجعه سقوط هواپیما منتشر شده، بار دیگر تاکید میکند: ایرانیان کانادا و بخصوص دانشجویان بینالمللی ایرانی مشغول به تحصیل در کانادا، جز اصلی و تاثیرگذار در پیشرفت علم و دانش کانادا هستند، و ما تا اخرین لحظه از حقمان برای ماندن در کانادا ،خلاف سلیقه مهاجرستیزانی مانند ازرا لاونت، دفاع خواهیم کرد.
بدین منظور کنگره ایرانیان کانادا با تمام قوا بدنبال یافتن گزینه مناسب برای پاسخ به تنفر پراکنی و تبعیض علیه ایرانیان میباشد، گزینه های پیش رو شامل درخواست برای بررسی تبعیض علنی علیه ایرانیان، و سوال از شبکه های اجتماعی برای در اختیار قرار دادن تریبون به نفرت پراکنی و مهاجر ستیزیست. بزودی اطلاعات بیشتر را در این امر مهم به اطلاع شما میرسانیم.
ICC CONDEMNS RACIST PETITION CALLING FOR EXPULSION OF IRANIAN STUDENTS
Last week, Ezra Levant of the notorious Rebel Media outlet created a petition that called for, among other things, the expulsion of Iranian international students from Canadian universities, supposedly in reaction to the downing of Flight 752.
The Iranian Canadian Congress expresses the anger that many Iranian Canadians feel toward Levant and his far-right outlet for trying to take advantage of a tragedy that has affected the Iranian Canadian community so deeply, as well as his effort to use this tragedy as an excuse to attack our community. Iranian Canadians, including and especially Iranian international students studying in Canada, are an integral part of Canadian society and we will defend our right to stay here in Canada despite the wishes of hateful people like Ezra Levant.
In this effort, the Iranian Canadian Congress is vigorously exploring its options in responding to this hateful and reprehensible action by Levant, including asking for social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to deplatform Levant and Rebel Media, and exploring whether Levant's actions constitute hate speech.
Please stay tuned for more information about this important case.
Iranian Canadian Congress's Message to Prime Minister Trudeau
Find below a message sent from the Iranian Canadian Congress to Prime Minister Trudeau in the aftermath of Flight 752:
Dear Prime Minister Justin Trudeau,
On behalf of the Iranian Canadian Congress, we would like to thank you for the leadership, sensitivity, and compassion that you've shown to the Iranian Canadian community and Canadians at large as we cope with the tragic events of Flight 752.
Iranian Canadians are looking to our Canadian government to help provide accountability, transparency, and justice to the victims and their families. Specifically, the Iranian authorities need to be held accountable for not only the lives lost but also for the misleading statements released from Iran following the incident. We appreciate that you and the Canadian Government have committed yourselves to these very principles.
We also commend Prime Minister Trudeau for calling for de-escalation in the region, rightfully noting that “If there were no tensions, if there was no escalation recently in the region, those Canadians would be right now home with their families."
Although the responsible Iranian authorities should in no way be exonerated, it is important to recognize, as you have, that the first victims of war and conflict are innocent civilians. Furthermore, as this tragic incident has shown, the 300,000 strong Iranian Canadian community means that any threat to innocent lives in Iran is also a threat to Canadian lives.
The ties that bond Canada and Iran are deep and they require that Canada take a positive and active role in the region to help foster peace and stability in the region, a role that can draw on the long-standing Canadian tradition of mediation and diplomacy.
We thank you for the support you have shown the Iranian Canadian community in committing to bring accountability, transparency, and justice for families of the victims as well as working towards a peace that helps ensure that such a tragedy will never happen again. We look forward to working with the Government on these difficult yet vital goals.
IRANIAN CANADIAN CONGRESS STATEMENT ON NEWS ABOUT FLIGHT 752
Late last night, the Iranian government released a statement admitting that they shot down Flight 752. As Prime Minister Trudeau emphasized in his press conference, there needs to be transparency, accountability and justice.
The Iranian Canadian Congress condemns the actions of the Iranian government in providing false information to the public during the past three days. Those who have committed this crime of shooting down a passenger airplane and those who have been responsible in releasing false information must be held accountable.
A transparent and thorough investigation of the tragedy must be completed, with full cooperation and oversight by international bodies and independent investigators to confirm what happened and identify those responsible.
The families of the victims of this horrible tragedy must be supported in any way deemed appropriate and desired by the families, including through restitution.
We also ask that the Canadian government works with allies to mediate conflicts in an effort to de-escalate tensions in the region to prevent further loss of life. Canada must stand for peace.
ICC VP Asks PM Trudeau, Ministers, to Stand Up for Iranian-Canadians at Canada-US Border
Find below a letter sent by ICC VP Pouyan Tabasinejad to Prime Minister Trudeau, Foreign Minister Champagne, and Immigration Minister Mendicino, as well as their Conservative and NDP counterparts Andrew Scheer, Erin O'Toole, Peter Kent, Jagmeet Singh, Jack Harris, and Jenny Kwan with regard to discrimination against Iranian-Canadians at the Canada-US border:
I am writing this letter to you on behalf of the Iranian Canadian Congress, a non-profit and non-partisan advocacy organization dedicated to defending the interests of the Iranian Canadian community, a population estimated at 300,000 across the country.
Iranian-Canadian Congress has been hearing reports of Canadians of Iranian heritage are being detained and held for questioning at the Canada-USA border due to their ethnicity. Aside from facing undue delays, these individuals have been asked to answer questions about their political beliefs and their views on the recent crisis in the Middle East. This means that Canadians residents as well as citizens are being racially profiled at the US border.
In some cases, Iranian-Canadians have reported being held for over 30 hours without explanation and being asked racially charged questions. Some have reported being finger printed before being sent back to Canada and are worried about what the United States plans on doing with these finger prints.
There have been reports from Canadian outlets about the United States government collecting DNA samples from those who are detained at the border, which can be very dangerous for all Canadians who wish to enter the United States, whether it be for business or personal reasons.
We at the Iranian Canadian Congress are requesting that the Canadian government defend the rights of Canadians at the Canada-USA border and condemn the discriminatory actions of the United States government against Canadian citizens and residents.
Further, we request that an investigation be performed by the Federal government of Canada on the situation at the border, and if need be for the Canadian government to issue a travel advisory for Canadians entering the United States of America.
As Canadian citizens and residents, the Iranian-Canadian community expects the Canadian government defend the dignity and safety provided to us by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Iranian Canadian Congress's Statement on Recent Events in the Middle East
The Trump Administration's assassination of Iran’s second most powerful man has been extremely concerning for many analysts and advocates for peace and security in the Middle East. As many analysts have noted, it is very possible that the tense situation in Iraq will be spread to Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and even Afghanistan where Iran is capable of responding.
The ICC's Statement on Iran Protests
Please find below the Iranian Canadian Congress's statement on the protests currently occurring in Iran:
Sanctions and economic mismanagement have put tremendous financial pressure on people and the sudden increase in fuel prices has further deepen the economic troubles for Iranian people. We urge the international community to lift these harmful sanctions.