Statement from Warrior Queen Nzinga:
7 years 8 months 3 days. Remember that. 7-8-3. Grace period received. Ancestors
hear my plea and gave me this opportunity to stay alive. 7-8-3. And, oh what
a life I was given full of strife and struggle. Achievements and defeats.
Love, joy, and pain. 7-8-3. I loved it all. I arrived here a broken, wounded,
lost and confused soul running from a hostile world, in which I was born,
you embraced me, healed me, gave me a home, for this I love you so. My heart
weeps cause 7-8-3 was just not enough for me to do. There is still so much
more. For this reason, to my friends I implore, keep pushing and fighting
to achieve my return. After 7 years, 8 months, 3 days, back to where they
think I belong. Me not knowing if I'm safe or if I must watch my back but
I know I'm smart, so for my safety I will figure out a plot. You guys just
concentrate on getting me back. Wherever my heart is, is where I call home.
Please guys, bring me back home, I will not be able to do this alone.
Their fascist inequity is keeping me from giving my proper goodbyes, this
does not come as a surprise. They must think I'm Bin Laden in a disguise.
These cocksuckers are so afraid of me, cause now they know who I am, now they
know I'm a warrior, now they know I'm a queen. When my legal counsel told
me they wouldn't let him see me off, I flipped. How much they think they
can do to me and get away with it????? They felt they are above the law!!!!!
My rights are being trampled every goddamn day. They withhold information
from my counsel, just because the people of Canada want me to stay. I have
gotten to say goodbye to only three of my best friends. Due to all the restrictions
that they impose I will only get to see two more and after three, before I
only get to see them through a glass wall.
I believe I have a dislocated shoulder, from which I am constantly in pain.
Also a sore wrist from the cuffs I received after the march. I told the nurse
but nothing was done about it. No, they are more worried about the commotion
I am causing, than of me doing a lawsuit.
Now they have placed me in solitary confinement, they say it is for my safety,
to tell you the truth, I think it is for their safety. This all spells H-U-M-A-N-
R-I-G-H-T-S- V-I-O-L-A-T-I-O-N. The jail authorities tell me this has nothing
to do with them, Immigration puts me here. They just treat me like the rest.
Immigration told me, they have nothing to do with the jail. So no one takes
responsibility for the situation, there is no accountability.
Well, Mr. Volpe, I Wendy Maxwell make you accountable!! Along with Correctional
Services Canada, and the entire police. If anything happens to me, here in
Canada or in Costa Rica, my lawyers are prepared to sue your asses and even
if I die, my children will be rich and taken care of for the rest of their
lives. But enough about me, I am only one of the many. Today I want you to
remember the other non-status women sitting in here. In the same or even worse
circumstances than mine. Nisha Patel (India), Geeta Patel (India), Olecsandra
Roshko (Ukraine), Udine Haneille (Jamaica), Yi Hao (China), Jasmine (Trinidad),
Maria Theresa Arana Damota (Spain), Martilde Gonzalez (Argentina), and many
more who I have met and whose names I don't remember or don't know. For this
reason, once I return, I will dedicate my energy to improve the conditions
of non-status women in Canada, and I urge every organization that mentioned
their support to me, and my case, to endorse the “Don't Ask Don't Tell” campaign.
This policy is urgent in Canada. If a policy like this was now in place,
as it is in many cities across the USA, I would not be in this position today.
And last, to all my friends, when I get back, you are getting, each one,
one of my famous bear hugs. I love you all.
Wendy Maxwell
AKA Warrior Queen Nzinga
Transcribed Sunday March 13th, 2005
From Vanier Centre for Women