For Immediate Release
Toronto, July 31, 2001.B’nai Brith Canada has responded with cautious approval to reports indicating that the federal cabinet has decided to revoke citizenship of Helmut Oberlander, on the grounds that he failed to disclose his wartime record as an employee of a notorious Nazi death squad.
Rochelle Wilner, B’nai Brith Canada President, commended the government for “taking the right step in moving forward on this case. Defenders of Oberlander argue that he was ‘just’ a translator and therefore innocent of the vicious crimes of his colleagues. But it is these support roles that allowed the Nazi death machine to operate with such brutal efficiency.”
David Matas, Senior Legal Counsel, commented: “Although the government has reportedly at last authorized revocation of citizenship in the Oberlander case - the logical follow-up to the protracted proceedings against him - this case has dragged on for far too long. The next step - immediate deportation - must be implemented without further delay. And the government must move forward in an expeditious manner with all cases that are still outstanding.”
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B’nai Brith has been active since 1875 as the country's senior advocacy and volunteer agency. Its Institute for International Affairs was established to monitor human rights issues worldwide, and covers the issues of Nazi war criminals within its mandate.
For further comment contact:
Rochelle Wilner or Ruth Klein at 416-633-6224
Institute for International Affairs
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