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 March 27, 2007
Gov't seeking info on ex-T.O. man jailed in Ethiopia
OTTAWA (CP) - Canada continues to seek the whereabouts of a former
Toronto resident apparently jailed in Ethiopia, says Foreign Affairs
Minister Peter MacKay.
Little has been heard from Bashir Amir Makhtal since he was taken
into custody in January in Addis Abbaba. "We continue to work with
consular officials to try to locate him, to try to render assistance
if possible," MacKay told the Commons on Tuesday.
Makhtal, a Canadian citizen born in Ethiopia, lived in Canada for 10
years before moving to Kenya where he opened a used-clothing
business.
He was on business in Somalia during the recent invasion by
Ethiopian troops. Makhtal fled back to Kenya, but was detained along
with others at the Kenya-Somalia border.
Makhtal was held in Nairobi and subsequently shipped, without
warning, to Ethiopia.
Liberal MP Dan McTeague demanded to know if MacKay had asked the
Kenyan government why Makhtal "was rendered to another country
without consultation with Canada" and what actions the minister had
taken since.
MacKay tried to assure McTeague that Makhtal had not been forgotten.
"I will continue to work with him and others to do as we always do
in cases where Canadians find themselves in jeopardy abroad, and
that is to assist them in every way possible."
Makhtal's family has retained Lorne Waldman, who also represents
Syrian-Canadian Maher Arar, to help secure his return to Canada.
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Do all the
good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you
can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to
all the people you can, as long as ever you can.
by John
Wesley |
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