RE: [Futurework] The Arar Case

[Cordell . Arthur]

There was a good review of the case on TV0 last evening. (I will try to find a transcript of the programme).  An ex-CSIS (our version of the CIA) agent on one side and Arar's lawyer on the other.   An interesting case.    How to protect civil rights in a state of perceived national emergency.    It recalls the treatment of the Japanese-Americans during WW2.  During the crisis it all made sense.  After the crisis there was much hand-wringing.   Maybe that is the definition of crisis.  A loss of collective judgement.  Hence the statement "don't shout fire in a crowded theatre" It may set off a crisis where people will lose their collective judgement and trample the rights of others.   The question is: Is there a national crisis?  Why send this person to Syria?  Was there a deal in place that the Syrians would get the truth out of Arar through techniques that wouldn't be allowed in Canada?  (Much as the US used locals in Viet Nam to administer torture to "Viet Cong" prisoners).   arthur -----Original Message----- From: Ed Weick [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, November 6, 2003 8:06 AM To: futurework Subject: [Futurework] The Arar Case It is rather odd how people come out of the woodwork when there isn’t much reason to stay in anymore. Responding to public outrage over the Maher Arar case, Canadian politicians are now getting mildly bellicose, or at least making some pretense at doing so. Our Prime Minister, who said absolutely nothing about the case when Arar was being confined and tortured in Syria is going to demand answers from the Americans, but he’s leaving politics so he won’t be around to field the answers, if they come, which is unlikely. Bill Graham, the Canadian foreign affairs minister, who exudes about as much energy as a wet mop, is going to ask Colin Powell about Arar’s deportation. Well, good luck there too. Arar, for those very few who are not familiar with the case, is the Canadian citizen and software engineer who was detained in New York while changing planes on his way back to Canada. Strangely instead of being allowed to continue on to Canada, he was deported to Syria, his birthplace. An alternative might have been to detain him in the US, along with ever so many other people who are in secret detention without being charged. However, it would seem that wasn’t an option either. Send the bastard to Syria. They’ll know how to look after him. Arar is now back in Canada after suffering ten months of isolated detention and torture. Explanations are needed. Is he a genuine threat or was he a victim of circumstances? What circumstances, and if mistakes were made, who made them? Rights were violated and no charges were laid. Please, somebody, tell us why. Don’t worry, says our soon to be gone Prime Minister, the RCMP is conducting an internal inquiry, but what if the Mounties have something to hide, as is probable? What role did the now endemic paranoia in the US Administration play? What is needed is a full public inquiry which will either vindicate Mr. Arar or prove that we have something to fear from him. Mr. Arar is not afraid of an inquiry so why, politicians, are you? Ed