Marty Dolin Executive Director Dear Mr. Dolin We are writing you on behalf of the members of the Eritrean Community in Winnipeg Inc. (see attached petition forms) to bring to your attention a matter concerning one of your employees, Mr Ghezae Hagos Berhe’s – an Inland Protection Councillor - unbecoming activities in undermining community work. We decided to write you this formal letter of complaint in recognition of the Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Council’s (MIIC) stated mission that it “exists to welcome and extend hospitality to all refugees/immigrants and to serve them as brothers and sisters” and MIIC’s stated goal to “…enhancing newcomer’s experience and potential to contribute to the community…” and on behalf of the refugees and new comers whom, potentially, stand to be negatively affected as a result of Mr. Berhe’s actions. In what appears to be a clear disregard for the values and principles that are advanced by the organization he works for, and also the welfare and safety of refugees and new comers who come to Canada from war torn places, Mr. Berhe has: · On August 23, 2010 went to the media, the Winnipeg Free Press, to allege that a seminar, that many Eritrean newcomers attended, was in fact a “terrorist fund raising” event. The action, as taken by Mr. Berhe, despite its obvious pitfalls in stigmatizing and risking a vigilante response against those marginalized groups (as newcomers are), has caused a serious polarization with in the Eritrean community here in Winnipeg. (Please find an enclosed copy of the stated media article). A number of individuals in the community have complained that this had some how affected them at work with other Canadians. · As the Eritrean Community in Winnipeg was preparing to host its first cultural festival during the weekend of August 21 – 22, 2010 here at the Franco-Manitoban Cultural center in Winnipeg, Mr Berhe wrote a letter to “alarm” the owners of the Franco- Manitoban Cultural Center premises by lying to them that the planned event was in fact a “terrorist fundraising” gathering in the “guise” of a cultural event (please find enclosed copy of the letter). Sadly, the owners of the aforementioned premises fell for his deception and withdrew their commitment to rent the hall at the last minute. Fortunately, another location agreed to host the event where it was finally possible to be held. Had Mr. Berhe succeeded in cancelling this festival as he intended, all he would have succeeded in would have been to deny many newcomers to Canada from having the opportunity to participate in their ethno-cultural activity. By attempting to deny many newcomers right to organize and work together, we fail grasp his logic of claiming to be part of an organization that strives to “…enhancing newcomer’s experience and potential to contribute to the community…” as its stated goal. · There are some complaints (that we had no means to verify) that were received from members of the Eritrean community, which claim to the effect that Mr. Berhe had made a veiled threat to them that they shouldn’t continue to attend meetings that he deems to be pro-government (in reference to the government in Eritrea), as this could, according Mr. Berhe, mean bad for their immigration case, since he has full “access” to everyone’s (presumably meaning every Eritrean inland protection applicant in Winnipeg) immigration file at Welcome Place.
Executive Director
Dear Mr. Dolin
We are writing you on behalf of the members of the Eritrean Community in Winnipeg Inc. (see attached petition forms) to bring to your attention a matter concerning one of your employees, Mr Ghezae Hagos Berhe’s – an Inland Protection Councillor - unbecoming activities in undermining community work.
We decided to write you this formal letter of complaint in recognition of the Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Council’s (MIIC) stated mission that it “exists to welcome and extend hospitality to all refugees/immigrants and to serve them as brothers and sisters” and MIIC’s stated goal to “…enhancing newcomer’s experience and potential to contribute to the community…” and on behalf of the refugees and new comers whom, potentially, stand to be negatively affected as a result of Mr. Berhe’s actions.
In what appears to be a clear disregard for the values and principles that are advanced by the organization he works for, and also the welfare and safety of refugees and new comers who come to Canada from war torn places, Mr. Berhe has:
· On August 23, 2010 went to the media, the Winnipeg Free Press, to allege that a seminar, that many Eritrean newcomers attended, was in fact a “terrorist fund raising” event. The action, as taken by Mr. Berhe, despite its obvious pitfalls in stigmatizing and risking a vigilante response against those marginalized groups (as newcomers are), has caused a serious polarization with in the Eritrean community here in Winnipeg. (Please find an enclosed copy of the stated media article). A number of individuals in the community have complained that this had some how affected them at work with other Canadians.
· As the Eritrean Community in Winnipeg was preparing to host its first cultural festival during the weekend of August 21 – 22, 2010 here at the Franco-Manitoban Cultural center in Winnipeg, Mr Berhe wrote a letter to “alarm” the owners of the Franco- Manitoban Cultural Center premises by lying to them that the planned event was in fact a “terrorist fundraising” gathering in the “guise” of a cultural event (please find enclosed copy of the letter). Sadly, the owners of the aforementioned premises fell for his deception and withdrew their commitment to rent the hall at the last minute. Fortunately, another location agreed to host the event where it was finally possible to be held. Had Mr. Berhe succeeded in cancelling this festival as he intended, all he would have succeeded in would have been to deny many newcomers to Canada from having the opportunity to participate in their ethno-cultural activity. By attempting to deny many newcomers right to organize and work together, we fail grasp his logic of claiming to be part of an organization that strives to “…enhancing newcomer’s experience and potential to contribute to the community…” as its stated goal.
· There are some complaints (that we had no means to verify) that were received from members of the Eritrean community, which claim to the effect that Mr. Berhe had made a veiled threat to them that they shouldn’t continue to attend meetings that he deems to be pro-government (in reference to the government in Eritrea), as this could, according Mr. Berhe, mean bad for their immigration case, since he has full “access” to everyone’s (presumably meaning every Eritrean inland protection applicant in Winnipeg) immigration file at Welcome Place.