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A delegation of Eskimos from Canada arrived in France on Monday, September 12, to request the extradition of Joannes Rivoire, a priest accused of sexually assaulting at least five children.
The events would have occurred more than 30 years ago, in the 60s and 70s, when this missionary officiated in the Canadian Far North. Last August, Ottawa officially asked Paris to hand over Johannes Rivoire. But since then, nothing has happened.
Steve Mapsalak crossed paths with Johannes Rivoire when he was 13 years old. Half a century later, it is still difficult for him to talk about it: “I am a survivor. I have suffered for many years. What Father Rivoire did to us is serious, very serious. I thought I was his only victim. But this is not the case. We need to heal, and for that, he has to answer to justice, “he explains.
“Not getting justice has been torture”
Tanya Tungilik’s father, Marius, has never been able to overcome what he has suffered. He sank into alcoholism and committed suicide. So now his daughter is pleading with the French authorities to extradite the priest. “Not getting justice was torture for my father throughout his life and for us too. Nazi war criminals over the age of 90, like Rivoire, have recently been brought to justice. Age doesn’t matter when heinous crimes have been committed.” “, He says.
But more than the age of Johannes Rivoire, the problem is his nationality. In general, France does not extradite its nationals, but the priest is also Canadian, the Inuit say. This is what they will raise this Tuesday at the Ministry of Justice, where they will be received. Above all because in France a trial is impossible because the facts are prescribed.
This time, the Canadian Inuit are hoping that their petition will succeed because, according to them, times have changed.
“We have the Pope’s recent trip to Canada and then the unmarked graves that have been discovered. Finally, there is the awareness that every child counts and the compelling need for reconciliation with indigenous peoples. All this makes it time for the great nations to make firm decisions and act in favor of indigenous peoples. We implore the French to put pressure on their government to take swift action and return Johannes Rivoire to Canada,” explains Aluki Kotierk, President of the Nunavut Tunngavik organization, which represents the Inuit.
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