United Nations

Concerning: Taylors (Irungus) v Canada

I fully support the settlement of Aisha & Bankole Irungu (Angela & David Taylor) in a safe country outside of the United States or Canada, them receiving financial compensation, as well as having their situation addressed by The United Nations and other appropriate bodies.

Strictly because of discrimination based on race, national origin, and political belief, they have been illegally forced to wander in exile for 7 years without a country.  Theirs is an unjust, inhumane and illegal situation, which must be resolved.  I am appalled by the treatment that they received in Canada by the authorities.

It is deplorable that they were not only denied their right to a refugee process free from the influence of a foreign power, but they were also denied the right to appeal their Immigration and Refugee Board decision in Canada – a right that is supposed to exist for all refugee claimants. Further, it’s appalling that Aisha & Bankole were denied access to information about how to address their situation of statelessness with an international body for several years.

I believe that to tell someone that they cannot return to their own country, as Canada did, is an act which makes a mockery of every covenant and article that exists in The International Convention on Civil & Political Rights, particularly the right to leave any country, including one's own, and to return to one’s country.  Further, I believe that to force a person to roam the earth with no country, access to medical care, hope of family life or settlement is a form of torture. 

I fully support the right of peoples in the world to equal participation in cultural activities. 

Aisha Irungu is a musician, cultural worker, and expert on African-American musical traditions. While in Canada and Europe she has been shut out of performing at “jazz festivals” and other local appropriations of African-American music; while at the same time, non-African-American musicians play at such events for a profit. She describes this as “cultural imperialism” by the music industry – as the industry is profiting from African-American music while barring African-Americans from performing it. Aisha was told, in Canada, that if she continued to speak out against this, “it will be played out in your refugee claim” – and it was. In Europe, venues have refused to hire her, have blatantly paid Europeans more money than they would pay her, and refused to pay her for contracted performances.  She continues to speak out and do her cultural work despite many hardships and obstacles.

I believe that the attempt to coerce Aisha to abandon parts of her culture by threatening her in this way is reprehensible. This is an example of pure racism, forced assimilation and a violation of several UN covenants on cultural rights.  I believe, as is spelled out in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights that “…. In no case may a people be deprived of its own means of subsistence. “  Aisha & Bankole must have their civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights protected.  I believe that this covenant applies to all peoples’ cultures.  This is a serious issue that must be addressed by this committee.

Aisha is a musician/singer whose uncle toured with Duke Ellington in the 1950´s.  Her father refused to fight for a segregated America in World War II – he was jailed.  Her grandfather was a Communist and contemporary of Richard Wright in Chicago.  Bankole, a writer, researcher and author was targeted for his writing and work towards the internationalization of the Black movement in the US. The first political formation that he belonged to in the US was one calling for the UN to assist in supervising a plebiscite (people’s vote) where African people could decide what their relationship to the US government should be. 

I, the undersigned am united in solidarity and resolve to aid Aisha and Bankole in obtaining financial compensation, being settled in a safe third country outside of the US or Canada and in having their case resolved before The United Nations and other appropriate bodies.