Refugees find Oakland can be worse than Iraq

San Francisco Chronicle / SFGate.com ^ | Wednesday, December 28, 2011 | Jordan Gerstler-Holton, Special to The Chronicle

[thecodont]

After the Iraq war broke out, Ghazwan Al-Sharif went to work translating for the U.S. military - a job that paid well but subjected his family to repeated violence, including a brutal attack on his sister.

Scared for his life, Al-Sharif accepted the government's offer to come to America as a refugee, one of thousands relocated to this country since the war began. In June 2008, he moved in with two other Iraqi refugees, sharing a two-bedroom apartment in Oakland's Fruitvale neighborhood - a situation arranged by the nonprofit International Rescue Committee.

It wasn't long before Al-Sharif said he learned that there were parts of Oakland where violence rivals what he escaped in Iraq.

One night, he decided to walk home alone. Two men attacked him, bashing him in the face with a metal object and robbing him of some money, his cell phone and his ID. He was left screaming on the ground, his face gushing blood.

He said the police never identified his attackers.

Al-Sharif, 40, is one of more than 50 Iraqi refugees who have been moved to East Oakland by the International Rescue Committee. The nonprofit's officials say they won't settle refugees in unsafe neighborhoods, but Al-Sharif and dozens of other Iraqis blame the organization for exposing them to an unfamiliar type of violence - one perpetrated by gangs rather than political militants.

Al-Sharif admitted it wasn't smart for him to walk home alone at night. And committee officials say they warned Al-Sharif, and all refugees the group resettles, to heed safety precautions.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/12/27/MNU31M90D0.DTL#ixzz1hr6hPzCR

[thecodont]

Refugees are being resettled in neighborhoods based on housing costs, unfortunately, those same neighborhoods have high crime rates.

[TexasRedeye]

Too bad he was not warned and allowed to defend himself appropriately against these Amish gangs.

[apillar]

One night, he decided to walk home alone. Two men attacked him, bashing him in the face with a metal object and robbing him of some money, his cell phone and his ID. He was left screaming on the ground, his face gushing blood.

Sorry Al-Sharif, you aren't a dark enough shade of brown for Oakland. Holder's people just consider you another "whitey"....

[roadcat]

Welcome to America. During our familys first visit to Washington, D.C., my cousin talked me out of getting a hotel room in Georgetown in favor of one a couple blocks from the White House, to save $10 a night. Worst decision ever!

Upon arrival, the hotel clerk warned us not to step out at night, to travel at minimum in pairs and to watch our backs. And this was for exiting the hotel room into the hallways! Looking out the windows at night, we saw black hoodlums wandering the streets and making mayhem. The next morning, we cancelled the rest of our stay and went to Georgetown. My daughter lived in Oakland for a few years, in a safe neighborhood. She transited unsafe streets to get to work. I'm sure it's the same everywhere - do your homework before settling down in an unfamiliar place because there's bad 'hoods everywhere.

[RC51]

...one of thousands relocated to this country since the war began
If we won the war why are we importing our supporters during the war back home? Shouldn't they be treated as hero's and brave leaders back in their home communities?

[old school]

“Whitey” has nothing to do with it! It doesn’t matter what race you are in some urban areas. You’re like meat in the Big Cat enclosure during feeding time at the Zoo! I guess people think this is America, where you can go anywhere you want to. It’s a free country, ain’t it?

[muleskinner]

It's obvious Miss Winkler, who is in charge of relocation, does not live in or near Fruitvale.

So the guy get the tar beat out of him in Oakland, then moves to the Tenderloin in S.F.

Frying pan/fire? Those poor bastards.