This interview was recorded in April 2002 by Jaggi Singh and Stefan Christoff in Toronto, Ontario. The interview addresses the realities of life in Dixon, Toronto from the perspective of Abdi a political refugee from Somalia.
The interview is a striki
On August 10th, 2003, Abdirahman M. Abdinoor died at the age of nineteen.
Members of OCAP first met Abdi three years ago, during his interminably long fight for status in this country. He came to Canada from Somalia as a child of eight and for a decade, Abdi refused to give up the struggle for his right to education, employment, and a decent, safe life with his family in Toronto.
This despite the racist conviction of an Immigration Canada officer that he was not his own mother's son, that he lacked 'sufficient identity documents' to prove otherwise, even though it should have been impossible to ignore the civil war which had killed Abdi's father and forced his mother to flee with her child from a country which did not issue birth certificates nor passports. It was not until Abdi and his mother were subjected to DNA testing that an Immigration Review Board finally decided that he was indeed who he and his family had always said he was. It was not until two months before his death that Abdi received his permanent resident card. It was not until this time that Immigration Canada finally allowed him access to the resources of health care, schooling and legal employment.
And yet, despite all the forces working against his ability to build a life and future, which also included years of fighting back against targeting by the police and security guards in his community at Dixon and Kipling, the memory of Abdi is one of fierce inspiration and courage. He was a leader and light to kids and adults in a part of Toronto where police and security have had no qualms about jacking up kids in their early teens and younger on a daily basis. And he did not to hesitate to speak publicly about the wars being waged on his community by Immigration Canada, by enforcement officers of many different stripes.
It is a huge and unspeakable loss for a great many people. We extend our deep condolences to Abdi's family and to his community. We were fortunate to have known Abdi and we will not forget.
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