Category: Africa

Update from Rome: Tensions high at refugee center, minors evacuated

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

We reported on Wednesday that local residents in one neighborhood of Rome have had it with the local refugee center claiming the asylum seekers have brought crime to their community.

See our original story here.

Reader ‘pungentpeppers’ spotted this latest news and asks why Italy is even giving refuge to mostly Muslim Egyptians and Bangladeshis. My guess is that—just as is happening in the US with the so-called Unaccompanied Alien Children—everyone who is an economic migrant (not a legitimate refugee) and wanting to get into a first world country these days is claiming they are persecuted and are demanding asylum.  They know how to use that “A” word! Someone has taught them how to use it!

Rome Mayor Ignazio Marino, …the building has been “seriously damaged.” Photo from story about Rome being broke: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/28/rome-spared-bankruptcy-italy-rescue-matteo-renzi

From Deutsche Welle:

 On Thursday, workers at a refugee center on the outskirts of Rome reported renewed tensions with local residents, who have been holding violent demonstrations against the foreigners in recent days.

“We are scared. We are trying to find a compromise with the residents,” a center official, Francesco Amato, told the Associated Press news agency. The refugees currently being housed at the facility are reported to be primarily from Egypt and Bangladesh.

Amid the upswing in violence despite a heavy police presence, minors were evacuated from the site.  [The movement of UACs is going on around the world—ed]

A statement from Rome Mayor Ignazio Marino’s office indicated that the building in the eastern suburb of Tor Sapienza had been “seriously damaged,” according to Reuters news agency.

Hostilities escalated on Monday, with protesters throwing stones and bottles at the center as they shouted insults at its residents.

“Rome rejects all forms of violence, racism and xenophobia,” Marino said in the statement.

Conflicting reports have described the protesters in Tor Sapienza, on the one hand, as disgruntled Italian natives whose ire is directed at the government’s insufficient support for the refugees and, on the other, as far-right xenophobes.

For new readers, check our ‘Invasion of Europe’ series for background on how Italy got into this mess in the first place by sending its Navy out to rescue boats filled with illegal aliens coming from North Africa.

Then this about a country in economic turmoil as it is, from DW:

According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Italy will be home to nearly 80,000 refugees and close to 14,000 asylum seekers by January.

For US readers, we are bringing you news from Europe (going over the edge!) so that you know what might be ahead for us as migrant numbers reach a certain critical tipping point.  Will Obama bring us there quickly with his threatened amnesty for millions?

Ohio University program geared to get the kids’ minds right on refugees…

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

….presents “harrowing” tale about the “multinational nature of the refugee experience” as a Somali illegal alien arrives in America.

That story about the Somali arriving in the US illegally across our southern border is most interesting to me.

Ethnographer Tariq Tarey will tell harrowing story about illegal alien Somali sneaking into America. http://tariqtarey.com/about/

If you happen to live anywhere near Ohio University Lancaster, you might want to check out the program next week.

From Logan Daily:

LANCASTER – November is a month where many remember to be thankful for what they have. During International Education Week, Lancaster campus students, faculty and staff will have an opportunity to hear from refugees in Central Ohio who are very thankful to be living here.

The campuses at Ohio University have different themes during International Week to examine issues of cultural tolerance and understanding.

“The theme for Ohio University Lancaster’s International Education Week is Safe Haven: Refuge in Ohio,” said OUL development director Mandi Custer. “We will be looking at the different cultures that have come into Central Ohio from places like Rwanda and Somalia.”

On Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m., a panel discussion will be held (“Voices of Refuge”) in the Raymond S. Wilkes Gallery for the Visual Arts. The panel will be made up of refugees from around the globe talking about how they came to the United States and Central Ohio.

[….]

On Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 6:30 p.m., conflict in another country will take center stage at OUL. Somali Refugee and Documentarian Tariq Tarey will speak in the Wagner Theatre.

Then isn’t this interesting, presented as if there is nothing wrong with Somalis (or anyone) arriving illegally across our southern border, Tariq Tarey will talk about an illegal alien Somali.

So where did the poor struggling Somali illegal alien get the money to travel half way across the world to Colombia, and up through Panama, Central America and across all of Mexico with no one stopping him along the way? Will anyone dare ask that question of presenter Tariq Tarey?

And, while you are asking, ask why the star of his documentary needed to come illegally when we have resettled over one hundred thousand Somalis over a couple of decades—there is a legal line for Somalis!

The Logan Daily continues:

According to the Somali Community Association of Ohio***, Somali refugees started arriving in the U.S. in 1991. Since 1995, Columbus, Ohio, has proven to be a popular destination for refugees, and today Ohio has the second largest Somali population in the U.S. It is estimated that there are at least 38,000 Somali immigrants and refugees living in the Columbus metropolitan area.

Tarey will talk about how and why refugees from Somalia end up in Central Ohio. He’ll also show clips from his documentaries, which focus on the stories of refugees.

“One of the stories is of a man who literally walked from South America to California to get into the states,” said Custer.

“Tarey’s documentary on the Darién Gap is harrowing, but also interesting,” said Ohio University Lancaster English Assistant Professor Matt Wanat. “It uses the journey of one man through a stretch of dense forest and swamp between Colombia and Panama to document both the multinational nature of the refugee experience and the hardships so many face. I look forward to Mr. Tarey’s talk.”

***The Somali Community Association of Ohio has one of the strangest Form 990’s I’ve ever looked at.

Note on page 9 of its most recent form, here.  Total revenue was $354,331 and $353,761 came from government grants.  They received $570 from non-cash contributions so they are 99% funded by taxpayers.

Then go to page 10 where they have listed:

$4,104 for compensation to officers, but no other salaries and yet they spent $2,206 for payroll taxes.

$27,254 was spent for occupancy and $6,000 for accounting (for this tiny outfit?).  But zero office expenses are listed.  See some of the other misc. expenses as well.

Most of their money, a whopping $298,289 went for a summer food program which I see they do have in Ohio for poor kids to eat over the summer.  I don’t have time to look for their government grant for this food program, but since they had no other income that year the food grant (was it halal food?) also covered a few of their other expenses…like the $27,254 occupancy expense…to the tune of over $55,000 for the year.  Hmmmm!  Audit needed here?

For more information, I typed “Somali Community Association of Ohio” into our search window and get all of these previous posts.  Typing in “Somalis Ohio” we get a whole lot more, here.

Rome: Protesters take to the streets claiming refugees are bringing crime to their neighborhood

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

Sorry to focus so heavily today on ‘Invasion of Europe’ news, but that seems to be where the action is.

Matteo Salvini a political “rising star” in Italy. http://news.yahoo.com/salvini-seeks-fill-berlusconi-boots-italys-063140476.html

From the Independent:  (Be sure to see the photo which I can’t import—these women don’t look so nasty to me!  Their sign says: ‘enough uncivilised immigration’)

Racial tensions have exploded in Rome’s suburbs after locals chanting pro-Mussolini slogans attacked an immigrant holding centre. Police responded with baton charges and tear gas.

Locals are calling for the building in the Tor Sapienza district to be closed after blaming the migrants it houses for “insupportable” levels of street crime in the area.

But the nastier side of the protests were apparent on Tuesday night with hundreds of people chanting: “The blacks have to go,” and dozens more shouting: “Long live Il Duce (Mussolini)”.

The violence in Tor Sapienza began simmering on Monday night with hooded men throwing stones at the Sorriso reception centre in Viale Giorgio Morandi. On Tuesday night the situation escalated dramatically. At around 10pm around 50 people, at the head of a 250-strong crowd, attacked the centre with rocks and petrol bombs. At least 14 people, including four policemen, were injured in the clashes that saw cars and rubbish bins set alight and used as barricades. Some residents claimed the police over-reacted. “They charged us suddenly, for no reason, while were standing still on the pavement. We wanted protection from the forces of law and order, but instead they attacked us,” one local, Eliana, told Ansa news agency.

The 36 African and Bengali refugees inside pleaded with police to be led away to safety, according to Corriere Della Sera newspaper. A few hours earlier one of the refugees was attacked in the street.

The ugly developments are the latest sign of a wave of anti-immigration sentiment sweeping Italy, with populist political leaders appearing to profit from, even encourage it. Matteo Salvini, head of the xenophobic Northern League, has seen his ratings rise after appearing in a T-shirt bearing the phrase: “Stop Invasion”.

But, now hold on, go to the last paragraph and we learn that the refugees aren’t pure as the driven snow…..

The violence at Tor Sapienza is the latest in a series of racially-motivated confrontations in the capital in the past few months. In September there were several clashes between refugees and locals in the Corcolle district. Around 40 migrants attacked two buses with stones and threatened a female driver, after claiming they were not allowed on public transport. Locals responded by launching vigilante patrols.

I wonder what level the migrant population must reach before violence comes to the streets.

LOL! Remember that story we had from Italy in August—Refugees protest against boring Italian food!  It is tough being a refugee in Italy these days.

Go here for our archive on the ‘Invasion of Europe.’  And, especially see this post on the rise of the European right.  Can Europe still save itself?

Malta writer: no “illegal” migrants just “irregular” ones, and you are a racist if you don’t see that

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

This is your standard Leftist diatribe against anyone who dares question the wisdom of giving asylum to anyone in the world who reaches any country’s border.  I’m just mentioning it for two reasons—-one to show how they manipulate the language. “Irregular” migrants (funny! Ha! Ha!), and secondly because we have been a long-time observer of poor little Malta as a doorway (doormat!) to Europe (and America) for thousands of mostly Muslim ILLEGAL aliens coming from North Africa.

Assuming there isn’t more than one Alison Bezzina in Malta, she won an American prize for humorous writing in 2011—“Dr. Smith at your cervix.” http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20111021/life-features/timesofmalta-com-blogger-finalist-in-humour-writing-contest.390125

If you want to catch up on Malta, see our extensive archive here where you will see posts about how the US State Department is scooping up some of the illegals and bringing them to your towns and cities.

Here is Alison Bezzina at the Malta Independent apparently in response to some facebook postings that got rather strident.

I am totally convinced that people who comment so cruelly and negatively have never met anyone in Semihar’s [Eritrean mother of three who arrived illegally in Malta—ed] situation, at least not in person. To me, they are racists devoid of emotion, compassion or empathy. Sadly, most justify their racism and hatred by saying that they are not particularly against Africans but against people who enter the country illegally.

Conveniently, they fail to understand that asylum seekers and refugees such as Semihar are not in Malta illegally. They enter the country irregularly (not illegally) because they have no other way of doing so, but then, once they are recognised as genuine asylum seekers (and most are) they have as much right to be in Malta as you and I. Once they are out of detention, they are even given a Maltese ID card and are legally allowed to work because, shock horror, it is their right!  [Hey, here is a thought, maybe Alison could take Semihar and the kids to her home!—ed]

She rambles on and says a political candidate wasn’t raised to be a “decent” man by his parents, then makes some analogy to the Berlin Wall that isn’t immediately clear to me, and wraps up saying that the recent decision by the European Court of Human Rights (we posted here) could backfire and incentivize countries like Malta and Italy to let ‘asylum seekers’ move on to the interior of Europe.  With that last point I agree.  Malta and Italy are swamped already—thank the Court of Human Rights and open those detention centers and let them move on.  Germany might actually put them up in a 4-star hotel.

By the way, people like Ms. Bezzina think they can just throw the word “racist” around and everyone will run for cover.  It doesn’t work anymore!

Our complete ‘Invasion of Europe’ series is here.

And, just fyi we have had a lot of readers from Malta over the years.

Official application for Temporary Protected Status filed for West African Ebola countries

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

The next time one of your friends (or a politician) says, ‘I oppose illegal immigration, but am all for LEGAL immigration’ tell them they don’t know what they are talking about!   Legal immigration has been so perverted by federal programs such as Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to make the word legal meaningless.

Once TPS is granted for a country, those here from that country NEVER go home.  It is NOT temporary.

(Obama had already signed a short delay in the departure of West Africans, here.)

Not unexpectedly, however, an official request has been filed with the White House for a TPS (temporary refugee!) designation for citizens of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone which means that anyone in the US now (legally or illegally) from those three countries will not be required to leave.

The Ebola crisis could end next month and those granted TPS will be here for life (waiting for amnesty of course).

From Front Page Africa:

In Boston, Liberian human rights activist, Rev. Torli H. Krua said western countries must stop Ebola hysteria and save West Africans.

Boston, Massachusett – YOUNG-Africa Inc. on November 3, 2014 filed a petition seeking temporary protection for citizens of Ebola ravaged West African countries of Guinea, Liberia & Sierra Leone stranded in the United States. The petition filed at the White House, Washington, DC. called on President Barack Obama to immediately designate Guinea, Liberia & Sierra Leone as countries appropriate for Temporary Protected Status (TPS/DED).

The petition comes at a time when the Northeast United States experienced its first snowstorm that threatened the lives of individuals and families without adequate access to food, winter clothing and shelter.

Consistent with humanitarian norms of civilized societies, TPS/DED is a provision of the Immigration Act of 1990 (IMMACT), P.L. 101-649, established by the United States Congress to provide temporary work permits for immigrants in the United States who are temporarily unable to return to their home country because of ongoing armed conflict, an environmental disaster, or extraordinary and temporary conditions. Countries currently designated for TPS include: Syria, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Haiti.

Clearly, the worst Ebola epidemic in the world ravaging West Africa and the impending harsh winter weather present a clear and present danger for West Africans stranded in America because of Ebola making the designation of TPS/DED a necessity. Speaking in Boston, Massachusetts on the occasion of the filing of the petition for TPS/DED, Liberian human rights activist, Rev. Torli H. Krua frowned on ignorant politicians who fan the flames of fear and discrimination by ignoring scientific facts about Ebola. “Rising Ebola fear, discrimination and hysteria sweeping across western countries are unnecessary, unjustifiable and counterproductive in the battle against Ebola.

By the way, Liberians already on TPS were supposed to be deported long ago, but politicians like Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, responding to pressure from Liberian lobbyists, keep them here with continued legal maneuvering.  A new TPS designation now, due to fears that they will get Ebola if they go HOME, will give them the reprieve for years to come (as they wait for amnesty).

For more on TPS, see our archives here.  Those on TPS are considered temporary refugees and can work, get drivers licenses, and receive benefits just like other refugees.  The only thing they can’t do is vote, and they are probably doing that anyway!