Family hides in church fearing deportation to Zimbabwe

A woman and her 10-year-old son hid from immigration officials in a Montreal church because she said she preferred a Canadian jail to a death squad at home in Zimbabwe.

‘‘If I go back, I’m going to die,’’ said Dorothy Dube, upon hearing that her family had been refused refugee status. ‘‘At least here it’s only prison.’’

Immigration officials ordered Dube, her son Basil, and her 18-year-old niece Nompilo Ncube, to meet them at Dorval airport yesterday afternoon.

Instead, Dube and her family sought asylum from Reverend Darryl Gray at the Union United Church.

Ncube said she was raped by Zimbabwean government thugs, and Dube said she faces death for political dissent.

Dube said she could not understand how Canada could deport refugees to Zimbabwe in the face of confirmed reports of torture, beatings and political killings.

‘‘Canadians were born free; they don’t understand the terror we face at home,’’ Dube said, speaking in a whisper because of a heart condition. ‘‘I’m sick with stress.’’

Supporters are appealing to CanadianImmigration Minister Denis Coderre to halt the deportation, said Gray, whose church will be providing food and shelter.

‘‘We simply want justice. We don’t believe the family got a fair hearing,’’ he said.

Activists will also urge the minister to review the process for Zimbabwean refugees, who are rejected twice as often in Quebec as in other provinces.