The aunt of a drowned Syrian boy whose image was shared around the world on Wednesday learned that multiple members of her family had died after seeing the image of three-year-old Aylan Kurdi on the Internet.
Tima Kurdi, who has lived in the Vancouver area for more than 20 years, had been trying for months to bring some of her family to Canada, but Canada had rejected the family’s refugee application according to MP Fin Donnelly, who is running for re-election in Port Moody-Coquitlam. This rejection was not for the family of the drowned Syrian boy, but for Teema’s other brother, Mohammed.
In a statement to Global News, the Department of Citizenship and Immigration Canada said:
The plight of the Syrian people, including the events of yesterday, is a tragedy and we offer our condolences to all those affected.
An application for Mr Mohammad Kurdi and his family was received by the department but was returned as it was incomplete as it did not meet regulatory requirements for proof of refugee status recognition. There was no record of an application received for Mr Abdullah Kurdi and his family.
The department also clarified that they did not offer citizenship to Abdullah, despite previous reports stating that they did.
Abdullah, also Tima’s brother, was trying to bring his family Aylan, his five-year-old brother Galip and their mother Rehan from Syria to Europe. Only Abdullah survived.
WATCH: Bodies of drowned Syrian boys washed ashore transported to Turkish hospital:
Speaking on the Global BC Morning News, Donnelly said Kurdi came into his office in March and gave him an overview of what was going on with her family in Syria.
He said Kurdi gave him many graphic details about what her family was going through in Turkey and Alexander told him he would look into it.
After a follow-up call from Alexander’s officer, Donnelly said they waited for months for any further details.
- B.C. child-killer’s attempt to keep new identity secret draws widespread outrage
- Inquest hears B.C. hostage was lying on her captor before fatal shooting
- ‘We’ve had to make a 180’: What Oregonians say they got wrong with decriminalization
- B.C. judge grants shared custody of family dog in landmark ruling
“And then of course Tima learned about what everyone else has now seen, the image of her nephew lying on the beach and just gut-wrenching and heartbreaking.”
Donnelly said Tima is distraught at the news of her family. She spoke to her brother, Abdullah, on Wednesday and Donnelly said he told Tima he does not want to be alive anymore after losing his family.
“You have to make decisions, you have to look out for people around the world, you have to look out for folks in your own country. This was a case that was compelling to me. I acted as her representative, as her member of Parliament, and I implore the minister to do the same. When I reviewed the case it seemed compelling. It seemed that this, like many others in that region are facing, the circumstances, it just compelled me to act.”
“And I just feel that the minister, if he had read that case, would have done the same thing.”
Tima does not know what she is going to do at this time, but it has been suggested a service could be held in Canada for the two young boys and Rehan.
Donnelly said Canada needs to do more to help and accept more refugees who are fleeing from Syria and other parts of the world. “Canada is known as a giving, and a caring country, we need to do our part,” he said.
Comments