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Students upset by Ebola visa ban
By Eddie Ameh
Aissatou Bah, president of the West African Youth Association at the University of Ottawa said Canada’s ban on visas to people from Ebola-stricken countries is not the solution to the pandemic. (Photo © Eddie Ameh)
Students from Ebola-stricken countries feel Canada’s recent ban on issuing new visas stigmatizes them.
“Banning visas from these countries is unfair especially to the international students who want to come and study here,” said Aissatou Bah, a Guinean student, Friday.
Bah’s home country has been ravaged by the deadly virus. “I don’t think banning people is going to help anybody,” she said. Bah said the ban is “stigmatizing people from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.”
Bah’s father, who is in Guinea, will not be able to attend her graduation should the ban be in force next year.
Last month, Canada banned the issuance of visas to people in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. The World Health Organization (WHO) says the move violates the spirit, if not its International Health Regulations, which proscribe travel and trade bans by its 196 member states without WHO’s approval.
Bah, president of the University of Ottawa West African Youth Association said the best way to address Ebola is for Canada to help the countries fight the disease.
Jennifer Humphries, vice-president of the Canadian Bureau of International Education said her organization is concerned about the ban, but said not many students will be affected, particularly during the upcoming January admissions, since there is usually a small intake of international students during this period.
“We hope the ban will be reviewed and eventually lifted after May,” Humphries said. While the number of students coming to Canada from the region has never been high, it has been rising lately, according to the Canadian Bureau of Education’s annual report on international education in Canada.
In the meantime, Carleton University and the University of Ottawa have advised students to avoid travelling to Ebola affected countries if it is not necessary.
Christopher Cline, media relations officer at Carleton in a statement said “If you are travelling to certain parts of western Africa over the holidays, it may be difficult for you to re-enter Canada or you may face screening measures.”
Marie Simone Biaye, a third-year University of Ottawa student from Guinea said she understands some of the measures taken but, is frustrated by the visa ban.
“It is as if they are telling us that we should deal with our own problems. This is a global issue,” she said.
Biyae and Bah plan to visit Guinea next summer to solicit support from a number of NGOs to raise awareness on Ebola in Ottawa and raise funds. They intend to volunteer in Guinea to help in the efforts to fight against the virus.
Not every student from western Africa is following the recommendation to stay put in Canada over the winter break. Though his country is not currently subject to any bans, Carleton student Michael Obi from Nigeria plans to go home for the Christmas break.
Obi is confused by the different warning and bans.
“What happens if there is another case reported in Nigeria?” he said.
Nigeria was declared Ebola-free in October by the WHO. However, the Government of Canada advises people to avoid all non-essential travel to Nigeria at this time. Obi thinks coming back from Nigeria might be “complicated” if Nigeria reports a case while he is there.
“It is a big risk I am taking,” he said. “This is the only time I can visit my family.”
