Refugee from Nepal given sanctuary in Ottawa church
Last Updated: Thursday, March 22, 2007 | 5:47 PM ET
Original Story from CBC News
Shree Kumar Rei has lived at the First Unitarian Church of Ottawa since he was ordered deported on Feb. 27. (CBC)
The First Unitarian Church of Ottawa has offered sanctuary to another refugee — this one from Nepal — who had exhausted his appeals to stay in Canada and was about to be deported.
The church was successful in 2004 in helping a Bangladeshi refugee, Samsu Mia, get permission to stay in Canada after giving him sanctuary for more than a year.
Shree Kumar Rai entered the church Feb. 27, the date he had been ordered deported.
Rai left his home in Nepal more than 10 years ago, and has been working as a sushi chef in Montreal since then. He said he was arrested and tortured in Nepal because of his pro-democracy activism.
He said Thursday police still visit his wife and 15-year-old son in Nepal, looking for him.
He said he will be arrested and tortured again if he returns.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada told Rai in a letter it does not believe he faces substantial risk of torture.
A refugee-law expert at the University of Ottawa, Peter Showler, said the Immigration and Refugee Board has a poor record in assessing the risks deported people face.
He said the absence of an effective appeal process makes churches like this one step in to offer sanctuary.