Yesterday's Toronto Star ran a story about Jeremy Hinzman, his wife Nga Nguyen and their 14-month-old son, Liam. Mr. Hinzman sought CO status in mid-2002, seeking to fulfil his military service obligation in a non-combat assignment. During his rotation in the Afgan War, while his application was pending, his detail was KP -- dishwashing. His application was eventually denied, and anticipating that his unit would be rotated into Iraq -- a war he belives is unjust and was being fought over oil interests -- he, Nga and Liam drove from Fayetteville, N.C. to Canada.
PFC Hinzman is now AWOL from the 2nd Battalion of the 504th Brigade Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborn Division, and subject to arrest within the jurisdiction of the United States.
During the Vietnam War, more than 30,000 men and women -- commissioned, enlisted, inducteed, or avoiding induction -- sought refuge in Canada from prosecution by military and civilian courts for war resistance. Hinzman's chances of receiving refugee status are slim, none of the 268 American applications to Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board last year was accepted.
Canada must decide if a U.S. Army deserter be considered a refugee?
America must decide if refusal to bear arms in this war is subject to prosecution, and how far the envelope of criminal liability extends.
Children interrupt, I'll come back to this.
Coverage in Canada:
Globe and Mail
Toronto Star