Oak Ridge Death of Kulmiye Aganeh

Posted August 24, 2009
Filed under: News |

8/19/09
Letters Editor
The Toronto Star

Dear Editor,
Isabel Teotonio’s article re the horrific death of 22-year-old Kulmiye Aganeh is somewhat inaccurate and full of omissions. (“Mother wants answers as to why son died.” Aug. 17). First, Kulmiye’s mother Ikram Said did in fact listen to and act on his pleas for a lawyer – to say she “never listened” is not true. Second, Kulmiye was not “schizophrenic”; a psychiatrist concluded he was not “mentally ill”. Kulmiye was understandably angry at being fraudulently labeled, drugged and locked up in psychoprisons like Whitby Mental health Centre and the Oak Ridge hellhole of Penetanguishene Mental Health Centre. Third, Kulmiye “collapsed” and died within minutes after guards forcibly injected (overdosed) him with 85 milligrams of zuclopenthixol, another dangerous neuroleptic. Fourth, racism as a major factor,raised by several human rights activists at the conference, was not mentioned.The Midland OPP’s criminal investigation into this homicide and the subsequent inquest will probably be another whitewash.
Don Weitz
1401-38 Orchard View Blvd., Toronto,Ontario M4R 2G3