Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2006. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
South African Press Association - September 3, 2006
Phumza Sokana, Johannesburg, South Africa
The Canadian paper reported that the women did not return home after attending the Aids conference in Toronto last month. They filed refugee claims in a bid to remain in the country, according to the report.
"Most of the claimants have the deadly disease and include a large group of women from hardest-hit South Africa and citizens of El Salvador, Eritrea, Uganda and Zimbabwe," the newspaper reported.
Many of the claimants are staying at Toronto hostels waiting to hear when an immigration board will hear their cases, the Toronto Sun reported Canadian immigration officials as saying.
The newspaper quoted immigration spokesperson Karen Shadd-Evelyn as confirming on Friday that up to 150 claims were received from the 24 000 participants at the conference.
"We can't talk about specific claims and we cannot release their countries of origin or other information," said Shadd-Evelyn.
A news bulletin on the South African Broadcasting Corporation mentioned a figure of 137 South Africans reportedly being among the group.
Francisco Rico-Martinez, of a refugee centre in Toronto, said three of the claimants -- an Eritrean , a man from El Salvador and a woman from Zimbabwe -- were referred to his "gender-friendly" hostel.
"Both of the men have Aids. They face persecution and discrimination at home," Rico-Martinez said.
He said the claimants are treated in their native countries as outcasts, or have little or no medicine.
Melissa Anderson, of the Immigration and Refugee Board, said it will take about a year before the claimants find out if they will be accepted in Canada.
About 48% of all people applying for refugee status are accepted in the North American country, the Toronto Sun reported.
A top Eritrean Aids activist, Amanuel Tesfamichael (32), is among the asylum seekers, according to the newspaper. Tesfamichael, who is the founder of Eritrea's 6 000-member association for people living with Aids, was allowed to travel to Canada on the condition he surrendered his passport to two government minders, who were also delegates.
He said the government didn't want him to leave his country. "I was only allowed to leave my homeland for 10 days. It feels so good to be free."
The South African Department of Foreign Affairs said it is "aware of the reported group of 140 people who are seeking asylum in Canada".
"Our high commissioner, Eddie Nkomo, has been in contact with the Canadian authorities to verify their nationality," said spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa.
The Canadian immigration office can only supply South Africa with the information on Tuesday, he said. "We cannot respond or comment on the matter until we have verified the nationality of these people."
The Treatment Action Campaign did not know anything about the women. "We have no knowledge of any South African who is seeking asylum there," said the campaign's Mark Heywood.
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