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Canadians Help Snowden’s Guardian Angels
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$23,284 raised
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6 Years running
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Personal campaign Keep it all Montreal, QC, CA
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(Find us on Facebook: @4TheRefugees)

Edward Snowden, in a tweet on December 5, 2016:

«Reports say the refugees who sheltered me in Hong Kong have had some benefits cut in retaliation. Will Canada help?»

When Edward Snowden first came forward and revealed the NSA's illegal mass surveillance in 2013, an unlikely group of heroes helped him stay safe in Hong Kong: three extremely poor refugee families with almost nothing to their name.

Edward Snowden, dans un tweet publié le 5 décembre 2016 :

« On rapporte que les réfugiés qui m’ont protégé à Hong Kong se voient couper leurs prestations en guise de représailles. Le Canada les aidera-t-il ? »

En 2013, alors qu’Edward Snowden révélait au monde l’illégale surveillance de masse à laquelle se prêtait la NSA, trois familles démunies de réfugiés l’ont aidé à demeurer en sécurité à Hong Kong.

Edward Snowden's Guardian Angels: Ajith, Vanessa with daughter Keana, Nadeeka and Supun with daughter Sethumdi  (left to right)

Meet Ajith, Vanessa with daughter Keana, Nadeeka and Supun with daughter Sethumdi (left to right). They are the refugees who sheltered Snowden in Hong Kong in his time of greatest need. 

Their remarkable and heroic story was told for the first time recently in the International Media. When the refugees met Snowden, the entire US intelligence apparatus and every policeman in Hong Kong was looking for him.

Still, despite living in one of the poorest parts of Hong Kong, and with barely enough resources to feed themselves, these heroes took Snowden in and sheltered him. They became Snowden's Guardian Angels.

Now these angels and their families need our help.

 

Ajith. Vanessa et sa fille Keana. Nadeeka, Supun et leur fille Sethumdi (ci-dessus). Cet improbable groupe de héros ont protégé Snowden alors qu’il était en détresse.

Car lorsque les réfugiés ont rencontré Snowden, l’ensemble de l’appareil de renseignement américain était à ses trousses. L’héroïsme des trois familles a récemment fait l’objet d’une couverture médiatique ayant fait le tour du monde.

Mais malgré qu’ils vivaient dans l’un des quartiers les plus démunis de Hong Kong et qu’ils avaient à peine de quoi se nourrir, ces trois familles ont accueilli Edward Snowden dans leur demeure et l’ont protégé. 

Aujourd’hui, les anges gardiens de Snowden ont besoin de notre aide.

For the Refugees

After their role in the saga of Edward Snowden became public, the refugees have been stripped of the modest support owed to them by the Hong Kong government.

In recent interviews, Snowden's Guardian Angels have said that they wish to find peace and security in Canada, and have asked Canadians for help. For The Refugees, an NGO founded by three Montreal lawyers, decided to answer this call.

We are working entirely for free to help get these people and their children food and shelter in the coming months. Soon, we hope to relocate them somewhere safe.

This page is dedicated to raising funds for Snowden's Guardian Angels and for Canadians to let our government know that we believe these exceptional individuals belong in our communities.

Pour les réfugiés

Depuis que le rôle qu’ils ont joué dans la saga de Snowden est apparu au grand jour, les réfugiés ont perdu les modestes prestations auxquelles ils ont pourtant droit à Hong Kong. L’administration hongkongaise, déjà hostile aux demandeurs d’asile, leur coupe les vivres.

Lors d’entrevues récentes, les anges gardiens de Snowden ont dit qu’ils souhaitaient trouver la paix et la sécurité au Canada. Ils demandent aujourd’hui notre aide. Pour les réfugiés, une organisation sans but lucratif fondée par trois avocats de Montréal, a décidé de répondre à l’appel.

Nous travaillons bénévolement afin d’aider ces individus extraordinaires à nourrir leurs enfants et à demeurer en sûreté au cours des prochains mois. Nous espérons les déplacer en lieu sûr dès que possible.

Cette page est destinée à lever des fonds pour les anges gardiens de Snowden, et à donner une voix au gens venant des quatre coins du Québec et du Canada qui souhaitent manifester leur solidarité envers ces familles exceptionnelles. Ces gens veulent s’intégrer à nos communautés. À nous de dire à nos élus que nous souhaitons les accueillir.

Ajith, Edward Snowden's bodyguard in Hong Kong

Ajith acted as Edward's bodyguard in Hong Kong. He fled his home country of Sri Lanka in 2003. Yet in all this time, his request for asylum in Hong Kong has not been processed.

Ajith était le garde du corps d’Edward Snowden à Hong Kong. Il a fui son pays d’origine, le Sri Lanka, en 2003. Malgré tout, sa demande d’asile à Hong Kong n’a toujours pas été traitée.

Ajith as a young soldier in Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, Ajith signed up for the military when he was 18 years old. But in the Ambepussa Army Camp, young recruits were abused daily and often raped by their superiors. Ajith deserted. When he was caught by the military police, Ajith was tortured.

Ajith s’est enrolé dans l’armée du Sri Lanka alors qu’il avait 18 ans. Mais dans le campement militaire Ambepussa, les jeunes recrues étaient quotidiennement harcelées, agressées et sexuellement violées par leurs supérieurs. Ajith a déserté. Lorsque la police militaire l’a retrouvée, il fut torturé.

Ajith sitting in his tiny one room apartment in Hong Kong

Today, Ajith lives in a tiny room in a run-down building in Hong Kong. There is no kitchen and no bathroom. His home is a fire hazard.

Aujourd’hui, Ajith habite une toute petite chambre dans un immeuble endommagé de Hong Kong. Sa demeure ne comporte ni cuisine ni salle de bain, et présente des risques d’incendie.

Vanessa has been through hell.

Vanessa worked for years as a domestic helper in Hong Kong. In the world’s richest city, hundreds of thousands of young women from the Philippines, Indonesia and Bangladesh are living in appalling conditions. Many of them are practically modern day slaves.

Vanessa a travaillé pendant des années comme travailleuse domestique à Hong Kong. Chaque année la richissime ville accueille des centaines de milliers de jeunes femmes des Philippines, de l’Indonésie et du Bangladesh qui habitent dans des conditions inhumaines. Plusieurs d’entre elles sont essentiellement des esclaves des temps modernes.

Vanessa with her stateless daughter Keana

In 2000, Vanessa took a trip home and was kidnapped and raped. In 2002, she fled back to Hong Kong. Today, she lives there with her young daughter Keana, who is stateless.

En 2000, Vanessa effectua un voyage à la maison, où elle fut kidnappée et sexuellement agressée. Elle a fui vers Hong Kong en 2002, où elle a demandé l’asile. Elle y habite toujours avec sa jeune fille. Née à Hong Kong, la petite Keana est apatride.

Vanessa with her human rights lawyer Robert Tibbo

In June 2013, human rights lawyer Robert Tibbo asked Vanessa to shelter his new client: Edward Snowden. She hid Edward’s passport in her refrigerator. Today, Vanessa has fond memories of Snowden playing with her little daughter and all three of them celebrating his 30th birthday together in her home. 

En juin 2013, l’avocat Robert Tibbo a demandé à Vanessa de protéger son nouveau client : Edward Snowden. Elle cacha le passeport de Snowden dans son réfrigérateur. Aujourd’hui, Vanessa garde de bons souvenirs de Snowden jouant avec sa petite fille. Sous sa protection et alors qu’il était recherché par les services de renseignement américains, Edward Snowden souligna son 30e anniversaire avec Vanessa et sa fille.

Supun (left) and Nadeeka (right) kept Edward Snowden safe.

Supun (left) and Nadeeka (right) fled their home in Sri Lanka after being persecuted and abused. When they met Snowden, they let him sleep in their bed. They themselves slept of the floor in the corridor.

Supun (à gauche) et Nadeeka (à droite) ont fui le Sri Lanka après avoir été persécutés et agressés. Ils laissèrent leur lit à Edward Snowden lorsqu’il était sous leur protection, et dormirent à même le plancher du corridor de leur immeuble.

The unknown side of super rich Hong Kong

This is what Supun and Nadeeka see when they look out their window. Makeshift homes of people left behind and forgotten by the affluent society of Hong Kong.

Voici ce que Supun et Nadeeka voient lorsqu’ils regardent par la fenêtre : les habitations de fortune des personnes laissées pour compte par la prospère société hongkongaise.

Supun, Nadeeka, daughter Sethumdi and son Dinath: a young family in struggle

Hong Kong law does not allow asylum seekers to work. At the same time, the authorities will not assist with money for anything but shelter and food. Supun and Nadeeka have to scrape by each month, worrying how to buy diapers for their little son Dinath or school books for daughter Sethumdi.

Les lois de Hong Kong n’autorisent pas les demandeurs d’asile à travailler. Parallèlement, les autorités locales ne leur fournissent que des ressources minimales pour qu’elles trouvent un toit et de la nourriture. Celles-ci sont insuffisantes. Chaque mois, Supun et Nadeeka s’inquiètent à savoir s’ils pourront se permettre des couches pour leur fils Dinath ou des livres d’école pour leur fille Sethumdi.

 

Snowden applauds his saviors

Without Ajith, Vanessa, Nadeeka and Supun, Edward Snowden would not have been able to do what he needed to do. Hiding in their homes,  Snowden stayed in touch with journalists around the world to contribute to the debates of mass surveillance and government overreach.

His Guardian Angels have done a tremendous service to our society. Yet they are destitute and threatened.

This is what Edward Snowden himself has said about them:

«These people have gotten up every morning in the face of tragedy and persecution, and go to sleep each night with whole families in a single bed. And though they have nothing, they risked everything to do what is right. Everything that I thought I knew about bravery was nothing compared to what I saw in Hong Kong.»

Snowden remercie ses héros

Sans Ajith, Vanessa, Nadeeka et Supun, Edward Snowden n’aurait pas pu accomplir ce qu’il devait faire. Sous leur protection, Snowden est demeuré en contact avec des journalistes autour du monde afin de contribuer aux débats sur la surveillance de masse et de ses abus.

Ses anges gardiens ont rendu un service incroyable à notre société. Mais ils demeurent dépourvus de moyens et sont menacés.

Voici ce qu’Edward Snowden lui-même a dit à leur sujet :

« Ces gens se sont levés tous les matins pour faire face à la tragédie et la persécution, et se couchent toutes les nuits avec leurs familles dans un seul et même lit. Bien qu’ils n’avaient rien, ils ont tout risqué pour faire le bien. Tout ce que je croyais savoir sur la bravoure ne se compare en rien avec ce que j’ai vu à Hong Kong. »

Snowden's praise has not gone unnoticed.

Les louanges de Snowden ont été remarquées.

Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt is supporting this campaign.

Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt (above), who plays Edward Snowden in the new film by Oliver Stone, is helping raising funds for the refugees. He even produced this mini movie about the campaign:

L’acteur Joseph Gordon-Levitt (ci-dessus), qui interprète le rôle d’Edward Snowden dans le film éponyme réalisé par Oliver Stone, a prêté main forte à la levée de fonds pour les réfugiés et a notamment réalisé ce court vidéo pour inviter les gens à donner :

All Donations go to the families without deductions

Canada has a tradition of helping refugees and people in need. Snowden’s Guardian Angels need our help. It’s our turn to protect them.

All donations in full will be applied to the families. We as lawyers and the NGO do not and will not make any deductions to funds donated, with the exception of standard banking fees and bank transfer fees.

Please consider donating to these three brave refugee families here today.

Email : info@fortherefugees.com

 

Toutes les contributions vont aux familles sans déductions

Le Canada a pour tradition d’aider les réfugiés et les personnes dans le besoin. Les anges gardiens d’Edward Snowden demandent notre aide. C’est à notre tour de les protéger.

Tous les fonds recueillis seront destinés aux familles. Notre organisation et les avocats qui y travaillent ne déduisent pas de montants des fonds collectés, avec la seule exception des frais bancaires ou transactionnels standards.

Nous vous invitons à donner pour ces trois courageuses familles aujourd’hui.

Courriel : info@fortherefugees.com

In the Media Articles | Dans les médias

Globe and Mail

South China Morning Post

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