opinion was not expressed to police). They claimed that we alienated Israelis by keeping controversial opinions, and refusing to change our
views. And so on...
The IRB's negative decision became not just a matter of our personal fate, but also a matter of human rights in general.
1998. In her speech in the Federal Court, Mrs. Murphy, the Minister's of Immigration representative, confirmed the IRB members' negative
attitude towards human rights, and also widened personal accusations against Lev Gunin, turning the question of our refugee status into
the question of his "inadmissible" (by whom?) ideological views. As IRB did before, Mrs. Murphy refused even to mention Alla Gunin,
Elisabeth Epstein (Gunin), and the children.
The Federal Judge, Mr. Dube, just copied Mrs. Murphy's and the IRB statements, refusing to evaluate arguments of the TWO sides. He
claimed that - because in their refusal to recognize us as refugees IRB members used the formula "no minimal credibility", - such cases are
automatically denied by the Federal Court. In reality, his decision was made in contradiction to another Federal Court judge's decision in our
case, and also contradicted the IRB's final (conclusive) decision. In that decision IRB agreed that some persecutions against us (they
called them "difficulties") could take place because we abused the Israelis by refusing to obey their demands to change our views. Mr.
Dube also revealed his partiality by distorting some important events and attacking our lawyer in personal. A person, whose name was also
Dube, was involved into negotiations between the immigration officer, Mrs. Malka, and the General Consul of Israel, in our case. We could
not find that person among the IRB headquarters' staff, or among other immigration divisions. All faxes were submitted to Israeli consulate
from Mrs. Malka, without mentioning any other name (s). However, the responses from the consulate were submitted to Mr. Dube. We feel
that this mysterious Mr. Dube has something what to do with the Federal Judge Mr. Dube.
IRB and Mrs. Murphy's accusations against us were such, which are the prerogative of the criminal court. They accused us so sharp as if
we were killers or terrorists. In reality we are innocent people, never accused in defamation, or fraud. In the same time, the way they acted
might be easily considered as a criminal offence.
We are appealing not just because of incredible injustice, but because the removal back to Israel means DEATH for us. If nobody in the
whole world could prevent it, it would mean that if people are deprived and innocent they might be kidnapped and taken to another country
by force. It would mean that demonstrative humiliations over human rights, such as the IRB members and Mrs. Murphy expressed, are
tolerated. There are rumors among UN staff that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights might be changed soon to fit to the brutal and
ultra-religious regimes' requirements. Please, do something for us before it happened!
The only way to save us is to help us in obtaining the permanent residents status in any civilized country. That could prevent our eventual
removal to Israel.
Please, help!
Family GUNIN:
Alla, Lev, Ina, and Marta GUNIN
Elisabeth EPSTEIN-Gunin
Tel. (514) 499-1294
E-mail: [leog@total.net]
Web Page, dedicated to our case:
www.total.net/~mioara/witness.htm
Григорию СВИРСКОМУ
от Льва ГУНИНА
& КРАТКОЕ ОПИСАНИЕ НАШЕГО ИММИГРАЦИОННОГО ДЕЛА ПО-РУССКИ
Сначала напишу несколько слов о себе, как Вы просили. Я родился в Бобруйске, сейчас мне 43 года. Моя жена
- Алла - родилась в Бобруйске, ей 40 лет. У меня высшее музыкальное образование, у моей жены - среднее
техническое. Она была начальницей Центрвывоза в Бобруйске. У нас две дочери - Ина и Марта, 12 и 11 лет.
Ина успешно учится музыке, сдает экзамены в университете МакГил, получая каждый раз самые лучшие баллы.
Она играет на пианино и на флейте, а также участвует в лучшем детском хоре в Монреале под управлением
Айвона Эдвардса. Она также пишет рассказы и сказки по-французски. Она может читать и писать по-русски
тоже (я ее научил), но так как ни в русский детский сад, ни в русскую школу она никогда не ходила, для нее
так же, как и для Марты, французский язык - это тот язык, которым она лучше всего владеет. Они неплохо
говорят и по-английски, читают и пишут. Они также понимают идиш и польский. Иврит забыт полностью,
видимо, подсознательно подавлен пережитыми в Израиле стрессами. Марта талантливая юная балерина. Она
была выбрана из многих детей Национальным Балетом Канады, но мы не смогли отправить ее в Торонто на
учебу (Роза знает подробности) - и все опять из-за отсутствия статуса. Марта участвовала во многих спектаклях
и представлениях. Ее "послужной список" уже более длинный, чем у многих взрослых балерин.
И я, и моя жена обладали далеко не богатырским здоровьем уже тогда, когда в 1991 году навсегда покидали
СССР. В Израиле наше состояние сначала улучшилось, особенно в тот период, когда у нас появились какие-то
