Man Without A Country....Follow

EDIT: Sorry..I didn't clarify. This is NOT a fake forwarded e-mail. I know this person. He's spent holidays with our family many many times. This e-mail was written by my brother and sister-in-law. I've known the guy for years. This is really happening and I'm just trying to post this everywhere I can to see if anyone knows anyone who can help. With the internet you never know.

I'm trying to get this out to anyone/everywhere I possible can. You never know who knows someone that can help....

Quick backstory as it's not totally clear in the e-mail I received from my sister-in-law. Sirene (the man that this is about) had applied for a student visa while the Soviet Union was still "up and running". Then the SU fell. He then applied for renewal and waited for almost 6 years before receiving a denial for it. Then he appealed twice. He also talked to the Russian embassy but they do not see him as a citizen anymore.

This is just ridiculous. He has done NOTHING wrong and will soon be treated as a criminal. I'd like to know where they think he can go with no passport. I'm beyond mad about this. This is a great guy and we're treating him like crap.

If anyone can help in any way...knows someone or what we can do, please let me know. Otherwise I ask that you please keep this matter in your prayers.

Thank you!! Below is the e-mail I got today:

**************

Dear friends and family,
I am writing this through tears.

As many of you know, our good friend, Sirene Zakirov, originally from USSR, received a letter two years ago that he was being deported. We helped him find an immigration lawyer and two years later, his request for permanent residency has again been denied. He has received a letter from the Office of Homeland Security that he must leave by October 17th on the first available flight to Russia. Further, after 13 years of living in this country, he was informed that he can take one suitcase not to exceed 40 lbs. As if that were not a big enough problem, Russia will NOT acknowledge him as a citizen since the fall of USSR. He has contacted the Russian Embassy on numerous occasions as recently as last week and they will not help him because of the citizenship law of the Russian Federation (whoever was there during the fall has citizenship, anyone who was not present simply does not). He has been here legally and has been a tax-paying, law-abiding person since he arrived in the USA 13 years ago.

He feels as though he is being treated as a criminal and in fact he will be arrested (and jailed) if he does not leave - however he can't leave because he can't get a passport and he can't fly without one - and where would he go, anyway? The system isn't working in this case! I fear that he will do something drastic - he said that they will have to take a cadaver back to Russia before he goes willingly. He fears being jailed or killed over there because of the militia everywhere and because of many other political things that would take me too long to write.

His is without citizenship to ANY country! This is crazy.

I have contacted every politician, the INS, and every news source I can think of. Please pray with us that some attention can be brought to this to stop this from happening!




Edited, Mon Oct 4 11:49:40 2004 by Dawntreader

Edited, Mon Oct 4 12:12:41 2004 by Dawntreader

I should have said this is NOT a forwarded e-mail. This is a man I know and have met many times. The e-mail was written by my brother and sister-in-law. They have been friends with him for years now and I know him through them. He's been at Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners with my family many times.

Sorry...looking back it does seem like a forwarded chain e-mail, but this person I know PERSONALLY. And it's all very too real. Just wanted to get the word out everywhere I can in case someone knows someone that can help.

I am curious as what you expect people on a GAMING SITE to to about it?

Try sending it to people who:

a. Give a f'uck
b. Have influence beyond a bunch of geeks looking up informaion on a computer game.
c. see a.

We're rude because we care. Now seriously GFY and quit being a troll.

Yeah.. the Terminal. Except the Terminal was based on a factual account of an Iranian citizen (if I remember correctly).

the guy the terminal is about is in paris. he tried to get into the u.k
he had no passport and was deported back to france.
the french would not let him enter so he was stuck in limbo.
international waters as it were.

his name is merhan karimi nasseri.
he has been in charles de gaulle airport for 16 years.

there is an article here http://www.iht.com/articles/535087.html

Wilson! Wiilllsonnnn!