Minn. Somalis Close Well Fargo Accounts In Money Transfer Protest

WCCO.com ^ | 1/13/12 | Edgar Linares

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

At a mid-town Wells Fargo bank a large group of Minnesota Somalis gathered Friday to remove their money from the bank and protest.

The group says Wells Fargo has been unwilling to work with them to get money to Somalia.

Last December more than a dozen Twin Cities businesses known as Hawalas stopped offering money transfers to the east African Country. They stopped because of provisions aimed at keeping funds out of the hands of terrorists.

“This is a humanitarian crisis,” said Abdirahman Muse, a former Wells Fargo customer. “Hawalas are the only way we can send money to our brothers and sisters. Many people rely on us to put food on the table.”

Wells Fargo stopped working with Hawalas in 2008. Protesters say the big bank now has an opportunity to be a leader and begin providing assistance.

“They are letting our families die,” said Shukri Hassan, a former Wells Fargo customer. “By not letting us work with them our families… brothers and sisters are dying of hunger.”

A spokeswoman for Wells Fargo says they hate to see customers leave. A regional leadership team from Minnesota plans to meet with members of the Somali community next week.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Well, if your fellow countrymen and women weren't so busy getting convicted in Minnesota of soliciting funds in support of terror groups overseas....maybe you would still have the ability to send money home to your "starving relatives."

Your fault, not ours.

So, as we say around here...

Tough hop.

[BenLurkin]

bttt

[Opinionated Blowhard]

Any bank that gets mixed up with this nonsense deserves what it gets.

[maine yankee]

The group says Wells Fargo has been unwilling to work with them

---

wells fargo won’t let us blackmail them.

[MestaMachine]

Enter holder in 5-4-3-2...

[EGPWS]

At a mid-town Wells Fargo bank a large group of Minnesota Somalis gathered Friday to remove their money from the bank and protest.

Will Wells Fargo be able to survive without the metro cabbie fortunes?

[Venturer]

I think Wells Fargo can make it without sending money to terrorists.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Note that the comments at the article source are 100% pro WF and anti-Somali. The Star Tribune is running the story, as well and NOT allowing comments...

[M-cubed]

Buy an airline ticket with your US MONEY and go back and help your “people”

[Chickensoup]

Perhaps we can close the accounts on all the Somalies in the US.

[EGPWS]

The Star Tribune is running the story, as well and NOT allowing comments...

The star and sickle doing it's part in saving us from ourselves? /s

[gaijin]

Many people rely on us to put food on the table.

US welfare money --> Somali in USA --> Somali in Somalia

Now we see who we're REALLY supporting, eh?

[gaijin]

Many people rely on us to put food on the table.

US welfare money --> Somali in USA --> Somali in Somalia

Now we see who we're REALLY supporting, eh?

[marty60]

Call the Pirates, they seem to have plenty of money. Maybe they will feed the starving. /s

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Well, he’d have to go after the DHS’ HLIC.

[HereInTheHeartland]

WF is doing things right it sounds like! Hats off..

[hal ogen]

Are these somali-immigrants anti-American????? Spend your money in the ol’ USA, you unappreciative tools.

[RetiredTexasVet]

Ok Americans, time to help out our Somali brethern. All you kids that won’t eat the carrots, spinach, squash, beans, etc. just box them up and we’ll send them to our starving Somali brethern instead of money that they would foolishly spend on guns, bullets and bacon.