United Church asks Solberg to look into Winnipeg family in sanctuary

The United Church of Canada is asking federal Immigration and Citizenship Minister Monte Solberg to look into the case of a Muslim family living in sanctuary in a Winnipeg church.

The Raza family Hassan Raza, his wife Sarfraz Kausar and their six children took refuge in the Crescent Fort Rouge United Church on Aug. 3.

Solberg did not comment Thursdayon the request.

The family was threatened with deportation to Pakistan in August after a Federal Court judge rejected their refugee claim based on the threat of religious persecution. The family is Shia and claim they face persecution from the Sunni majority in Pakistan.

While the Winnipeg church had written to Solberg's office in August, when the family went into sanctuary, the United Church's national office demanded Thursday that Solberg talk to church representatives about the family's case.

"We ask not for privilege, we ask for a discussion with the minister of immigration. We have been consistently denied the right to discuss," said Heather MacDonald, chair of refugee and immigration advocacy, in Ottawa.

MacDonald added that she, the church's moderator, and church congregation members have written to the minister. She said the church remains committed to providing sanctuary to the Raza family in the meantime.

Plea made to MPs

In Winnipeg, Crescent Fort Rouge Rev. Barb Janes said Thursday she has been pleading to local MPs to intervene. Aside from two visits from Liberal MP Anita Neville, politicians have remained silent, she said.

MacDonald said the United Church will begin a national public campaign asking Solberg to speak with thechurch moderator, the Right Rev. David Giuliano, about the matter.

She said there are many options for the Raza family, including leaving the country and reapplying for temporary resident permits.

Since leaving Pakistan in 1998, the Razas have lived in the United States, and has been in Canada the last four years. Two of the children were born here and are Canadian citizens.

Until the family took sanctuary in the church, the father had been working full-time in Winnipeg.

"There are six children we are homeschooling in a sanctuary in Winnipeg. This family needs a future," MacDonald said.

"We wonder about the humanitarian values this government is supposedly built on, when they cannot even talk to us about how to help a decent, hardworking family find a way to resolve this sanctuary situation."