Offering Sanctuary

After much prayerful consideration, the Oversight Board and Ministry Leadership Team of First United granted the request of U.S. citizen Rodney Watson to seek sanctuary within First United Church.  Watson, after losing his job and being desperate for income, signed up as a cook for the U.S. army in Kansas City.  He was subsequently sent to Iraq for 12 months where he found himself working not as a cook but as an armed soldier charged with the task of securing the kitchen and mess area.  Within months of his 3-year contract ending, the U.S. army unilaterally extended his contract for a further 3 years and informed him he would be sent back to Iraq.  After his original tour of duty ended in 2006, he fled to Vancouver.

Despite the fact that there have been two majority votes by Parliament that support allowing U.S. soldiers opposed to the Iraq war to stay in Canada, Watson has been ordered to leave the country or face deportation. If he returns to the U.S. he faces a court martial and jail time.  Canadian law allows for a process that includes an opportunity for a review based on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.  If Watson returns to the U.S. he will not be able to access this review and because of his criminal record he will not be allowed to return to Canada.  Watson has a fiancé and a small son living in Vancouver.

 First United Church remains committed to and respectful of the due process of Canadian law.  However, in this instance the Board and Ministry Leadership Team believes that it would be unjust for him to be deported at this point.  Justice requires that Rodney be given a fair hearing on compassionate and humanitarian grounds before being deported.  In addition, the hearing needs to take into account the Parliamentary majority votes and Canada’s history of providing refuge to Vietnam war resisters.