Day: July 14, 2008

Humanitarian aid workers murdered in Somalia

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

NGO’s (Non-governmental organizations) are considering moving out of parts of Somalia where radical Islamic fighters recently killed several aid workers.  Hat tip: Blulitespecial.   I don’t know what to say except go back and re-read Kevin Myers much criticized article:  “Africa is giving nothing to anyone—apart from AIDs.”  Then read this story which begins:

MOGADISHU, July 13 (Reuters) – Local aid workers in Somalia held crisis meetings on Sunday as anxiety rose over growing insecurity and the unexplained killings of humanitarian staff.

Unidentified gunmen have killed at least three aid workers in the anarchic Horn of Africa country this year and are holding four of their foreign colleagues hostage.

Fears were raised further in the past week by leaflets threatening local NGO workers with death if they did not quit their jobs.

Aid sources said most agencies working in Somalia were discussing suspending operations in Mogadishu and the south.

“It really is the end of the world if we now have to face death just because we are helping poor people,” said a local doctor who asked not to be identified.

Automatic US Citizenship to Chinese babies born on Saipan

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

I am really getting off track from refugees, but these Bush supported immigration sneak attacks seem to be coming from every direction these days.  Word is that the Bush Administration will not oppose lifting the ban on HIV positive immigrants we reported on yesterday here.

Now, comes news, thanks to John Derbyshire writing at NRO The Corner, that Chinese women are paying big bucks to give birth on Saipan because their babies will automatically become US citizens.  Read all about it here.

East Africans breaking into Europe, some dying on the way

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

I came across this story just as I finished my previous post last night about East Africans entering the US illegally.  What struck me right away in this latest article is that those trying to enter Europe (Spain in this case) illegally are so-called “refugees” from Somalia and Eritrea (two of the 4 countries sending illegals to the US).

A series of tragedies involving migrants off the coast of Spain have raised fears that the summer could see a record-breaking death toll in the region, as refugees embark on increasingly perilous routes in smaller boats to avoid detection.

According to human rights agencies, there has been a sharp increase in the numbers of people attempting to make the sea crossing from North Africa to southern Europe, many of them from sub-Saharan conflict zones such as Eritrea and Somalia.

After a week of disasters and rescues at sea that has shocked Spaniards, authorities have identified the coastal port of Almería as the new favoured destination for human traffickers attempting to avoid increased police patrols and surveillance. A total of 51 migrant deaths at sea has been reported this year, but the actual mortality rate is certain to be far higher, since the bodies of many refugees are never recovered. The Red Cross estimates between 2,000 and 3,000 people die trying to reach Spain every year.

I’m making a new category called ‘Africa’, because we have posted so many times on issues relating to the continent and it looks like there will be no let-up.