Uh! oh! UNHCR wanted to see the 126 Rohingya still in Thai custody….

Update Jan. 24th:   Jakarta Globe:  Indonesia determined that the 193 Rohingya they rescued will be returned to where they came from since they are economic migrants and not asylum seekers.

 

….but they are gone, escorted out to sea according to this article in the Earth Times:

Bangkok – A group of 126 Rohingya boat people whom the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) wanted to access to determine whether they needed protection has already been pushed back to sea by Thai authorities, officials said. “These people have been escorted out of Thailand,” said Thai Foreign Ministry deputy spokesman Thani Thonpakdi.

[.....]

…. the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) has now made it clear that the 126 boat people had been pushed out to sea already, said Thani.

The human rights groups must be howling about now.

The Thai government maintains the Rohingya are not refugees that would fall under the UN High Commissioner for Refugees purview anyway.

“From information we have collected, it appears that they are economic migrants,” Faizasyah said.

Faizasyah said the foreign ministry could not involve the UN refugee agency UNHCR because the Myanmar refugees were not believed to be political asylum-seekers.

In light of the public relations nightmare Thailand has gotten into it was pretty stupid of them to take this group of 126 out to sea, not to mention inhumane.

If you are new to this story, go here, to our special category on Rohingya and catch up!

Europeans getting cold feet about taking Gitmo prisoners

Update Jan. 24th:  Two more former Gitmo inmates return to terrorism, more cold feet expected soon!

European countries did a lot of yakking and complaining about our military prison at Guantanamo Bay Cuba, but now when their wonder boy announces it will be closed in a year they are not eagerly stepping forward to resettle the detainees, most of whom were captured on the battlefield of the War on Terror (which no longer exists we are told as of yesterday).

Check out this Washington Times story which says if they (European countries) take any Gitmo guys they will have to release them immediately into the general population.

“The Europeans have been nagging the United States to close Guantanamo for ages,” said London-based security analyst Bob Ayers. “Now the U.S. is actually thinking about doing it, these same Europeans that have been critical of the U.S. are now very reluctant to take those people into their own countries.”

This is going to be so much fun to watch.   Back in the USA, Glenn Beck was suggesting Alcatraz because of its proximity to Nancy Pelosi’s home.   And, I think I know some Kansans making picket signs already.

But, I was thinking today, maybe the terror suspects could be broken up into groups of two or three and spread around to many maximum security prisons where they could be put into the general prison population and see how tough they really are.

All of our previous posts on Gitmo are here.

“Preferred communities” for refugee resettlement

People ask me all the time, how “THEY” decide which cities and towns will get refugees.  Well yesterday I got an announcement for a new round of grants (with lots more money) for the Office of Refugee Resettlements (ORR) “Preferred communities” program.   The ten top dog refugee resettlement agencies (volags) can vie for bigger bucks in the coming year if they are resettling refugees in desireable cities.

It annoys me so much whenever a news account laments that the volags get only $425 for each refugee they resettle.  I’ve been at this for going on two years and I still can’t figure out all the different funding programs available to these government contractors, and for that I apologize to readers who are also searching for answers.

Here is what ORR says of this program:

Preferred Communities are localities where refugees have excellent opportunities to achieve early employment and sustained economic independence without having to utilize public assistance. These localities also have low welfare utilization by refugees. The Preferred Communities Program also meets the needs of special populations through intensive case management.  [see below for what is a special population needing intensive management]

Now, before I list the cities don’t assume your city is off the hook if its not on the list, these are just the previous cities where the volags got extra federal funding.   Be assured the volags are plotting all the time to bring refugees to new cities and also know that some cities that are way overloaded with refugees, like Ft. Wayne, Indiana are still having refugees resettled by the hundreds.

Here are the “preferred communities” as determined by the federal government and the non-profit contractors.   Although I must say some of these cities are places we have reported are having lots of trouble finding jobs for refugees, so I don’t know how they became “preferred.”

Arizona: Phoenix and Tucson

Florida: Jacksonville and St. Augustine

California: Los Angeles and San Diego

Colorado: Denver

Georgia: Atlanta

Idaho: Boise, Treasure Valley, and Twin Falls

Illinois: Aurora, Chicago, and DuPage

Iowa: Des Moines

Kansas: Kansas City

Kentucky: Bowling Green

Maryland: Baltimore, Silver Spring, and Takoma Park

Massachusetts: West Springfield

Michigan: Dearborn and Grand Rapids

Minnesota: Minneapolis

Nebraska: Omaha

New Jersey: Camden

New Mexico: Albuquerque

New York: Albany, Buffalo, and Syracuse

North Carolina: New Bern and Raleigh

Ohio: Akron and Columbus

Pennsylvania: Erie, Lancaster, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh

South Dakota: Sioux Falls

Tennessee: Chattanooga, Knoxville, and Nashville

Texas: Abilene, Amarillo, Dallas, Ft. Worth, and Houston

Vermont: Barre and Colchester

Virginia: Richmond

Washington: Spokane

Wisconsin: Milwaukee

What is a special population:

Examples of special populations needing intensive case management may include, at a minimum, youth and young adults without parents or permanent guardians who have spent an unusually long period under refugee camp conditions; refugees experiencing social or psychological conditions including emotional trauma resulting from war; refugees who are HIV+; or other populations with physical disabilities or medical conditions identified and determined by BPRM and ORR as needing intensive case management. Culturally and linguistically appropriate linkages and coordination with other service providers is necessary to improve access to services and enhance the likelihood of their integration into new communities.

By the way, I didn’t see anywhere where the citizens of these cities had any say, or the local government for that matter.   Your state refugee offices are involved along with the feds and the PRIVATE resettlement contractors.

STATISTICS ARE COOL:    This site was down for sometime, but you can go there now (it’s a pdf file) and see stats for each state—how many refugees in recent years, how many are working and the grants the state received.  The State refugee coordinator contact information is available there too.

Burmese refugees fear coming to US

We have covered this topic so often I’m going to let you read the article in USA Today yourselves.   Burmese refugees (mostly Karen Christians so far) and the largest ethnic group we are resettling these days are fearful of leaving the security of camps in Thailand for a couple of reasons.   They are afraid of losing their culture and of working in menial jobs in the US.   Their fears are not unfounded.

Rule #5: Can Obama take ridicule? We don’t know yet

The other day I told you about Obama’s “community organizer” guru, Saul Alinsky and Rule #5.   In “Rules for Radicals” Alinsky says Ridicule is the most potent weapon in defeating one’s political enemies.   I questioned then whether President Obama could handle ridicule and I still think he cannot.

However, Obama supporter, comedian and blogger Andy Borowitz on his website maintains that humor is not dead (has not been killed by political correctness) and says he is confident that Obama can be ridiculed.  I doubt it.   We will see. 

Did you notice yesterday or the day before how annoyed Obama looked when VP Biden made a snide remark about Chief Justice Roberts and the error Roberts made in  administering the oath?  Well, here is Borowitz  take on that. 

Of course, the ridicule below is of Biden and not Obama.  We will see if  Borowitz ever really ridicules Obama or whether good ol’ Joe will be the butt of jokes siphoning off the ridicule quotient and leaving Obama untouched.

We’ve all been wondering what Biden’s role would be in the administration once Hillary got the big foreign policy job, holy cow, these people are smart, knowing ridicule was inevitable, we now know what his job is!

Here is Borowitz in a piece Judy just forwarded:

In the first major initiative of his presidency, President Barack Obama today dispatched Vice President Joe Biden on what he called “an important and special mission” to Antarctica.

The news of Mr. Biden’s unexpected trip appeared to take the Vice President by surprise, as he was in the middle of making a joke about Chief Justice John Roberts to members of the press corps when the President interrupted him with the news.

“Here’s how John Roberts sings the National Anthem,” Mr. Biden was saying. “’Oh see can you say…’”

Mr. Obama, yanking away Mr. Biden’s microphone, then informed him of the extraordinary journey to the South Pole he was about to undertake.

The President was vague about what the mission to Antarctica would entail, but he did indicate that it could take “up to four years.”

While some witnesses to the scene said that Mr. Biden seemed surprised by the news, his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, offered another version of events during an appearance later in the day on “Oprah.”

“Joe was given a choice of places to go and he picked Antarctica,” she said. “President Obama said he could also go to the moon or Mars.”

Dr. Biden’s remarks were cut short when President Obama appeared on the set and unplugged her microphone.

Other than the Biden news, Mr. Obama’s day went as planned, meeting with senior staff, drawing up a budget, and being sworn in as President for the third time.

I can’t do another blog, but would one of you start a blog called something like Obama Ridicule Watch—it would be so much fun!

Update Feb. 13th:   Obama throws Biden under the bus.

“Don’t bite the hand that feeds you”

Via Jay Nordlinger at National Review comes this song from 1915, addressed to immigrants.  Can you imagine this song being sung in public today? As Jay comments, “Would today that qualify as ‘hate speech’?”  Here are the words:

Last night, as I lay sleeping,
A wonderful dream came to me.
I saw Uncle Sammy weeping
For his children from over the sea.
They had come to him, friendless and starving,
When from tyrant’s oppression they fled,
But now they abuse and revile him,
Till at last in just anger he said:

If you don’t like your Uncle Sammy,
Then go back to your home o’er the sea,
To the land from where you came,
Whatever be its name,
But don’t be ungrateful to me!
If you don’t like the stars in Old Glory,
If you don’t like the Red, White and Blue,

Then don’t act like the cur in the story,
Don’t bite the hand that’s feeding you! 

You recall the day you landed,
How I welcomed you to my shore?
When you came here empty-handed,
And allegiance forever you swore?
I gathered you close to my bosom,
Of food and of clothes you got both,
So, when in trouble, I need you,
You will have to remember your oath.

If you don’t like your Uncle Sammy,
Then go back to your home o’er the sea,
To the land from where you came,
Whatever be its name,
But don’t be ungrateful to me!
If you don’t like the stars in Old Glory,
If you don’t like the Red, White and Blue,
Then don’t act like the cur in the story,
Don’t bite the hand that’s feeding you!

Here is the recording.  

In 1915 there was no legal difference between immigrants and refugees. Many of the groups we think of as immigrants were fleeing persecution. My paternal grandparents were part of the large migration of Russian Jews who were fleeing pogroms and looking for a better life.  I know they were grateful for being in America. There must have been immigrants who weren’t grateful, or the song wouldn’t have been written. A considerable number of immigrants went back to their countries of origin; I know many Italians did. But they were not escaping persecution, just poverty.

But today gratitude is not in fashion, and nobody seems to be encouraging refugees to feel (or at least act) grateful for their immense good luck at being here. That’s not to say that none are grateful — we know that many are, and many express their gratitude. In fact, I expect that some of our most patriotic Americans will come from refugees and immigrants who know from their own lives how fortunate we all are to live in such a country. 

But for those who don’t appreciate America, maybe we need to revive the song.

Bangladesh to take some Rohingya back

Good for you Bangladesh!   In the on-going saga of the Rohingya Muslim boat men, there is a bright spot.   The Indian Navy had rescued some of the Rohingya men attempting to get to Malaysia and has detained them.   Those identified as citizens of Bangladesh will be returned to that country.  Now, isn’t that a sensible solution.

From the BBC:

Bangladesh has accepted that at least 57 illegal migrants who made unsuccessful boat journeys to Thailand and Malaysia are its citizens.

More than 300 people, mostly Rohingya Muslim refugees originally from Burma but now living in Bangladesh, are in a jail in India’s Andamans islands.

Thailand is probing reports that troops sent the Rohingyas back to sea in boats without engines and little food.

[....]

Mr Hussain (Bangladesh’s foreign secretary) said Indian and Bangladeshi officials were now working out the most efficient way to repatriate the migrants.

Those rescued are Rohingya Muslims, originally from Burma’s Arakan province but many now settled as refugees in southern Bangladesh. Many have acquired Bangladesh citizenship.

Here is a first hand account in The National* from one of the survivors now in Indian custody.  He just wants to go back to Bangladesh to his parents.

Akhtar’s friend Farid was among the dead. “I had no idea that the journey to Malaysia could be so dangerous. I hope the Indian government will send me to Bangladesh soon. I shall work in Bangladesh now and never venture to go to Malaysia again,” Akhtar said.

“More than three-quarters of us died. Allah has kept me alive. It’s a miracle to me. I have to live the rest of my life as a good Muslim. Allah will definitely help me in Bangladesh.”

Hopefully Akhtar will spread that message to other young men.

Note to Thailand and all countries dealing with illegal aliens:  Feed them, treat them well, and return them to wherever they came from.   When you do foolish things like our Embassy in Malta has done—bring African illegal aliens to the US as refugees—they will just keep coming.

*The National is a publication from the United Arab Emirates–note they have not offered to take any fellow Muslims to the UAE.

Rohingya in Malaysia protest, say UN treats them unfairly

There is so much news regarding the Burmese Rohingya Muslims today, I don’t know where to start!    We have been writing extensively about the hundreds (thousands, the number keeps changing) of Rohingya men attempting to get to Malaysia and ending up in Thailand where investigations are underway about their treatment by the Thai military. 

The rescued Rohingya claim they were attempting to find work in Malaysia, but I had read some time ago that jobs in Malaysia were scarce for refugees.   Now, I’m wondering if they aren’t drawn to the community action on-going there.  It seems the Rohingya have ‘community organizers’ (agitators) there putting pressure on the UN to give them refugee status (and persumably a ticket to resettlement in the west).

300 Rohingya protested two days ago in front of UNHCR (UN High Commissioner for Refugees) offices in Malaysia’s capital.

The protestors, mainly Rohingyas from Burma’s western Arakan state, said they were being treated differently and were not being granted equal status by the UN agency.

Nyi Nyi, a leader of the protestors, said they held a brief demonstration and submitted their demands in writing to an official from the agency.

“We are demanding recognition as refugees, equal treatment by the office and a cessation to official corruption in granting refugee recognition,” Nyi Nyi said. 

[.....]

The UNHCR, however, denied the allegation, saying they treat all refugees equally.

The UNHCR has its hands full.  Look at the large number of Rohingya Muslims in Malaysia.

According to the UNHCR there are some 45,400 refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia, of whom approximately 40,000 are from Burma – with the majority of the Burmese refugees reportedly Rohingya Muslims from Burma’s Arakan state.

But, hey, Malaysia is a Muslim country, why can’t they just care for the mostly Muslim refugees? 

We have reported on many previous occasions that Rohingya refugees are already arriving in Europe, Canada, and I believe Australia and New Zealand.   The US will surely not be far behind.

To learn about Rohingya go to our special category here.   This is our 50th post on the subject.

Pew Poll: Americans priorities have changed fairly dramatically

A new public opinion poll by the Pew Research Center for People and the Press sends a pretty clear signal to the Obama Administration.  Economy, Jobs and Terrorism are the three biggies for most Americans.

As Barack Obama takes office, the public’s focus is overwhelmingly on domestic policy concerns – particularly the economy. Strengthening the nation’s economy and improving the job situation stand at the top of the public’s list of domestic priorities for 2009. Meanwhile, the priority placed on issues such as the environment, crime, illegal immigration and even reducing health care costs has fallen off from a year ago.

Check out the chart accompanying the story from Pew.   Global warming (in this frigid winter) has dropped to the bottom of the list.

And, although illegal immigration is low on people’s priority lists, I thought 41 % was still a fairly large number of people who place it as a high priority.  The number would be greater if the public better understood immigrations connection to the top three concerns:  Economy, jobs, terrorism.

Hint to groups like Numbers USA, keep educating the public about that connection!

See my post of two days ago about Obama and Immigration reform.    Rahm Emanuel gets it—-it is all about jobs!