Refugees From A Persecuted Somali Tribe Find Homes, Help And Hope In Columbus

The Columbus Dispatch ^ | 17 May 2004 | Encarnation Pyle

[buccaneer81]

"Now, ladies, remember: Don’t buy food with your money," Kasvin instructed as they marched past aisles of Cheez-Its, Oreos and peanut butter. "That’s what food stamps are for."

Words fail me.

[cyborg]

"We thought America was a land of peace," said Mohamed Shoble, 23. "I don’t understand it. Our skin color is the same as our African-American brothers."

*** Oh dear.

[Pearls Before Swine]

Psst... Want to work the system? Check out Lewiston, Maine.

[Vigilantcitizen]

Encarnation Pyle.

The author has a wierd name.

[cyborg]

I don't get why they offer these people FOOD STAMPS. My best friend asked me one day why she keeps getting a case of milk, I explained what WIC was. She immediately recoiled in horror *LOL*

[Mears]

I read your post before I read the entire article and figured you were being humerous about the food stamps.

Unfortunately,you weren't-----your tax dollars at work,but not at work for you.

Can't other African countries take these people in? Why on earth are we doing it?

[cyborg]

I don't get the food stamp thing. Again NYS started running food card commercials on the radio :sigh:

[dagnabbit]

The women and their families are among the first wave of as many as 14,000 Somali Bantus, a persecuted African tribe, whom the federal government is resettling into Columbus and around the country during the next two years.

We are in the 12th year of the Clinton Administration.

There is one great thing about living in Washington DC. It such a certainty that the democratic nominee will carry the electoral votes here that there is no reason to ever vote for the GOP lesser of two evils. So I can safely vote for a third party candidate or not vote for President at all, and not dirty myself by casting a vote for a non-leader like G. Bush who would purposely inflict injuries, like the one described in this article, upon the US of A.

[kiki04]

Hey, at least they are entering the country through legal means...

The Somali refugee population in Columbus is HUGE. If you live in the area, there are several somali restaurants and even some somali shops together in strip malls (Somali malls). I actually have visited a few places, had some Somali students last year. The food isn't all that bad, I liked Somali tea (like chai).

There is a charter school that was started for them, International Academy of Columbus.

They are taking menial jobs for the most part, since not many are educated.

[neutrino]

I don’t know English or have a job yet," Shoble said

Wonderful. This ought to get the country moving again. No, really, it will. In a downward direction, of course.

[ETERNAL WARMING]

Bend over, America. While the Somalians might find more help, hope etc., life in these United States continues to go downhill for the American worker and taxpayer. Their social experiment isn't fairing very well in Maine. Towns are going broke and unemployment is rampant. Crime is up.

[ikka]

They are MUSLIM! Good luck Columbus, you will need it!

[ikka]

Red tape instituted after the Sept. 11 attack delayed the tribe's resettlement and stemmed the flow of other Somalis into the United States, from 5,000 in fiscal 2001 to 239 in 2002, said Kelly Gauger, spokeswoman for the U.S. State Department.

A nugget of good news.

[Ghengis]

When you interview these immigrants for jobs, there seems to be a few social security numbers shared by all. Their references are written by the same "Minister" in Somolia. Their listed previous employment is always with the same companies in Somalia or the states. Prior to 9/11, 50% or so of the Port Columbus airport security screeners were Somolians.

These folks have been so under the radar of the system for so many years, it is scary.

[Sunshine55]

"I thought you said curtains were for windows. Why is this for showers? And what is a shower again?" asked Hajiya Juma, 22.

No wonder my kids tell me they smell like hamsters at school...

[buccaneer81]

No wonder my kids tell me they smell like hamsters at school...

Ahh...but hamsters on food stamps. Check out Tim Horton's at 161 and Cleveland Ave. They've taken over and run off American blacks and whites.

[justanotherday]

"that have federal contracts to help Bantu refugees adjust to life in the United States. "

Our tax $'s at work.

[cyborg]

Your kids say that?

[buccaneer81]

I grew up in Needham. Have many relatives in Maine (Bangor to Caribou). I've followed the Lewiston story. They're far worse off than Columbus.

[Sunshine55]

Yep, they are sick of tripping over them in the halls too...it really PISSES ME OFF that these people can take time out to praise Allah in our school systems while our own children can no longer pray.