Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration reconstitutes Board of Directors for fourth term    Nazaha investigates 370 individuals, arrests 131 in corruption crackdown    No cars, no limits: NEOM reveals how life will unfold in The LINE    Volcano owners' conviction over deadly eruption thrown out    Riyadh Metro to run until 2 AM, buses until 3 AM during Ramadan    Makkah Halal Forum concludes, reinforcing Saudi Arabia's role in the global halal industry    Red Sea Global introduces sustainable aviation fuel to Saudi Arabia    Saudi interior minister discusses counter-narcotics cooperation with Syrian officials in Riyadh    Saudi Arabia reaffirms support for Sudan and urges political resolution at UN Human Rights Council    Trump commends Zelensky ahead of White House talks    Mexico extradites notorious drug lord and dozens of cartel members to the US    Ramadan begins with the crescent moon, but the start time can still vary around the world    SFDA launches new initiatives to promote healthy food habits in Saudi Arabia    Indian man awarded damages over length of commercials before movie screening    Hollywood legend Gene Hackman and wife found dead at their home    Pokémon boss believes series can last another 50 to 100 years    Abdullah Kamel: We want Makkah to be a source of knowledge dissemination for halal industries and services "Volume of global halal market expected to reach $10 trillion by 2030"    Marcelo Carne's outburst: A moment of madness that could cost him his season    Al-Khaleej stuns Al-Ittihad with stoppage-time equalizer in Saudi Pro League    Toney strikes twice as Al-Ahli thrashes Al-Qadsiah to close in on top four    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    









Canadians rally against racist brutality
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 12 - 08 - 2016

Canadians from different walks of life have rallied against racism and police brutality following the death of a mentally ill Canadian Somali in Ottawa.
The coalition of community groups, called Justice for Abdirahman Abdi, 37, includes mainly black organizations with supporters including Amnesty International, Jewish Family Services and others who want to end the police's targeting of blacks.
The case is being probed by the Special Investigation Unit that is staffed mostly by former police officers and determines whether officers broke the law.
Yasir Naqvi, Ontario's attorney general, who was among the politicians who spoke at Abdi's funeral stated that such tragedies must stop. Bob Chiarelli, Ontario's minister of infrastructure, recalled the death three years ago of his son who suffered from schizophrenia. He called mental illness challenging but also an area "where we can make very significant improvements."
Margaret Parsons, executive director of the African Canadian Legal Clinic, stated at City Hall that black mentally ill people have died in confrontations with the police all over Canada for decades. Criminologist Scot Wortely reported in 2006 that while blacks constitute three percent of Ontario's population, they are 10 times more likely to be shot by the police and constitute a third of the deaths caused by the police.
The Abdi case highlighted police brutality, according to the media. Abdi is said to have groped a female at a coffee shop. He stopped and was leaving when customers called the police. Eyewitnesses said the police chased him, sprayed pepper at him and beat him with a baton. Another officer according to eyewitness Ross McGhie "administered a number of very heavy blows to the head and face and neck of Mr. Abdi."
Witness Shukri Samater said police knelt on Abdi's head as he lay on the ground. Eyewitnesses said police attempted to seize cell phones of people who were recording the incident. The media said that videos showed a police officer using his boot to roll Abdi, who was lying on his stomach, his hands tied behind his back. Videos also showed police standing over him while waiting for paramedics. Abdi showed no vital signs when the paramedics took him to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Hawa Shafi, president of Canadian Somali Mothers, thanked Canadians, including the media, for their fairness and support and for demanding an end to violence against the mentally ill and blacks. The community wants a full report on what happened, measures proposed to prevent such tragedies, actions taken against the officers and a meeting of officials with the entire Somali community instead of with just hand-picked individuals.
Justice for Abdirahman coalition has made 10 recommendations including a task force to examine the problem and propose solutions, a mechanism to hold police accountable for systemic discrimination, reassigning the police officers being investigated for causing death or serious injury to stop their interacting with the public, training police throughout Canada to deal with mental-health issues, reporting of race-based data on police encounters with civilians, review of all coroner's inquest recommendations since 2001 and identifying those still needing implementation and requiring police to wear body cameras and install cameras in police vehicles.
Nimao Ali, a family friend, said that doctors told the family that Abdi had died 45 minutes before reaching the hospital. Family members described Abdi as "an amazing son and brother and a kind-hearted uncle." The Ottawa Muslim Association paid his funeral expenses.
In June, Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dube issued a report urging that police training in Ontario be overhauled to focus on "de-escalation" in dealing with people in crisis. "Whenever an unarmed individual comes into contact with police and ends up dead a very short time later, we have to ask serious questions," he stated. Community Safety and Correctional Services Minister David Orazietti has accepted his recommendations.
Ottawa Police Chief Charles Bordeleau is seeking to improve relations with all communities. Naqvi organizes an annual basketball game between Ottawa Police Services and the Somali community to foster trust.
Ironically, most Somalis did not come to Canada as immigrants. Rather, Canada accepted them under the Geneva Convention because they faced persecution or risk of cruel and unusual punishment in their own country. They sought safety in Canada.
By and large, they are contributing to Canada while enjoying its privileges. Ahmed Hussen, a former president of the Canadian Somali Congress, was elected to the House of Commons on the Liberal ticket in last year's election. The federal cabinet includes Aboriginal, women and visible minorities but no blacks.
Mental illness is a problem in Canada, with one in five Canadians facing serious depression at some point. Refugees from war-torn countries are particularly vulnerable because of the trauma of war and broken families.
In their new country, they need support, which most people get. Some, unfortunately, meet the very fate they had sought to avoid when they came to Canada.
— Mohammed Azhar Ali Khan is a retired Canadian journalist, civil servant and refugee judge.


Clic here to read the story from its source.