A Montrealer to the rescue of the sexual slaves of the EI

Businessman Steve Maman, inspired by Oskar Schindler, has set himself the task of releasing all the children kidnapped by the Islamic State group in Iraq. He is trying to raise $ 9 million. PHOTO ULYSSE LEMERISE, SPECIAL COLLABORATION.

Steve Maman, a Montreal businessman, launched a fund-raising campaign to free sex slaves from the clutches of the Islamic State (EI) armed group. This car salesman was inspired by Oskar Schindler, who had saved 1200 Jews during the Second World War, and said he had already managed to release 128 children in eight months.

It was while seeking to do business in Iraq that the Montrealer said he had met the Reverend Canon Andrew White, who lived in Iraq until last November. Thanks to his friend’s field contacts, he had the idea of ​​saving women and children kidnapped by the IE. These were sold as sex slaves.

“We started last January by helping out three Christian families from Iraq while Daesh [the Islamic State group] was getting close to their village dangerously,” Maman said in an interview with La Presse . These families have been relocated to Ankara and we are trying to sponsor them to move to Canada as refugees. ”

This Montrealer of Moroccan origin of Sephardic Jewish confession says he financed the first rescue operations from his pocket. Intermediaries in the field have since managed to negotiate to release children and young girls, mainly between the ages of 17 and 22, says Maman. “According to a UN report, children can become sex slaves from the age of 8 or 9,” he said, adding that it costs between $ 2,000 and $ 3,000 to free a child and Bring him back to his family.

According to the United Nations, the majority of sexual slaves in Iraq are Yezidis or Christians. A document describing the prices of sex slaves was recently discovered by a UN special envoy. In particular, children aged 1 to 9 are sold for up to $ 215.

Non profit organization

Saying that he wants to save all the kidnapped children, Mr Maman is now practicing full-time on this initiative. Just over a month ago, he founded the non-profit organization Liberation of Christian and Yazidi Children of Iraq and launched a fundraising campaign on Gofundme. Since July 5, $ 382,574 has been raised. Mr Maman hopes to raise up to 9 million.

Mr. Maman spoke about his initiative around the world, including in Israeli newspapers. So far, many people from the Sephardic Jewish community in Montreal have been involved with Mr. Maman, he says. “It’s a real team effort. We have also contacted Christian churches, but we have not yet received funding from them. ”

Mr. Maman said he also contacted celebrities like Céline Dion or Guy Laliberté to invite them to support his case, but has not yet received a response.

He also sought the help of his friend Roger Demers, a collector of Thetford Mines cars. “It is an exemplary family with a big heart,” insists the businessman.

“I make calls to ask people to give to the foundation, every penny is important,” says Demers. The collector, who has already had some trouble with Revenu Québec, points out that he collects no funds directly, and merely redirects donors to the foundation.

“People do not give to our family,” he insists. Mr. Demers also settled his legal fight against Revenu Québec by accepting, last month, to provide some information about his famous collection of vintage cars.

“This issue should not be mixed up with humanitarian aid,” he said. Steve is a longtime friend and child abduction comes to pick up anyone with a heart. ”

In paying for the release of these children, does not Maman end up funding the activities of the IA? This family man insists that he is not in any way a sympathizer of the group and does not deal directly with him. “We are the only official organization that is trying to save these children,” he said. I’m looking for solutions. I remind you that the Jews lived the Holocaust and the countries took six years to react. Why wait to save these children? ”

In the coming days, he hopes to save 10 more children.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *