Why Many Iraqi Refugees Who Want to Settle in Detroit Are Being Sent Elsewhere
If they'd known, they said, they would have asked to go to San Diego, where they had other relatives. And that's where they went. It wasted time and effort for everyone, George says, not least of all the family, which had to pay airfare for five to San Diego.
Not all refugees who want to settle in Detroit and cannot are turned away. One exception made is for followers of small religious minorities like the Sabaean Mandeans, an ancient religious sect that reveres John the Baptist and claims less than 100,000 adherents worldwide, including fewer than 5,000 in Iraq. There is a vibrant Sabaean Mandean community in Detroit.
Resettlement offices emphasize that, although they would like to take in far more refugees than they do, they can't provide adequate services for each one if the amount of resources they have stays the same.
But advocates like Kassab insist that community networks are strong enough to take care of the refugees. "Is it better for you to be with a community and poor services, or better services and no community?" George asks. "That's the issue."
- Read more about the effect of the recession on Iraqi refugees.
- Read more about Iraq's ancient sect known as the Sabaean Mandeans.
Reader Comments
Iraqis in Detroit
If you read the article, Al, then you understand these are mostly Catholic Iraqis coming to Detroit. You write that unemployed Muslims make mayhem, but I would argue that unemployed anythings make mayhem.
I live in Detroit and I welcome any Iraqi refugee. They've had a positive impact to my region culturally and economically. They don't "make mayhem" as you suggest. It's great to have so many ethnic enclaves in this city. Dearborn has a huge Arab population, Hamtramck Polish population, and it allows for some great opportunities that we otherwise wouldn't have. If we need the FBI to set up shop in the D, it will be to watch our corrupt politicians and inner-city violence, NOT to watch our Arab population.
Iraqis in Detroit
Unless the FBI is going to build a regional headquarters in the greater Detroit area to keep tabs on this situation, continued influx of Iraqis should be discontinued. I thought the SURGE was a success! Unemployed Muslims make mayhem.
Bishop's fear for Iraqi Christians
The Bishop of Norwich, the Right Rev. Graham James: speaking out on plight of Iraqi Christians
SHAUN LOWTHORPE
23 December 2008 06:00
The Bishop of Norwich last night launched a thinly veiled attack on the government's pursuit of war in Iraq claiming it had led to the persecution of fellow Christians in that country.
Wading into a potential clash with ministers, the Rt Rev Graham James said an overwhelmingly secular mindset at the heart of government, and a poor understanding of faith in other parts of the world had fuelled a policy which had left hundreds of thousands of Iraqi Christians in greater danger than ever before.
For centuries Christian groups have been tolerated in Iraq and even Saddam Hussein's former deputy Tariq Aziz was a Christian.
But since the fall of Saddam, five years ago, more than two-thirds of Christians, around 300,000 people, have either fled the country or faced persecution or torture because Iraqis wrongly believe they are linked to western governments.
On the eve of Christmas, Bishop Graham said both Britain and America were guilty of a “religious illiteracy” which had led to a lack of understanding about the fallout from the occupation, adding that it was tragic that two western powers with a strong Christian tradition may have almost eclipsed one of the longest surviving churches in the world.
And they had failed to do more to protect Christians and other minority groups.
“The consequences of the war have been terrible for the Christian community in Iraq, there's an irony about this,” he said. “There have been examples of hostages being taken and churches being looted and burned. The thing that people do not always recognise about Iraq is that it has one of the oldest Christian churches in the world that's been there since before Mohammed was born. These churches have always been recognised by the majority muslin population.
“There is this mindset which tends to see religion as something of private significance to people,” he added. “I don't think that the majority of the advisors to the British and American government had any idea of what the consequences would be. That suggests to me that religion and its place in the world isn't taken seriously enough.”
It is the second time in the last week where a senior Church of England cleric has been critical of government policies. Last week the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams clashed with Gordon Brown after stating that the government's plan to stave off the recession by boosting spending and borrowing were like “an addict returning to the drug”.
Bishop Graham said he decided to speak out because he was disappointed that the Prime Minister had failed to mention the plight of Christians in Iraq when he set out a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq last week. He said the issue had also largely been ignored by the media.
Last week he also raised the issue during a speech in the House of Lords when, in addition, he pressed ministers for assurances that measures would be in place to help returning servicemen cope with the psychological effects of the war.
“It would seem very strange to me if a Christian bishop did not speak out on behalf of Christians in other parts of the world where they are suffering,” Bishop Graham added. “While nothing much to do with the western church one of the by-products of the war is to be treated with suspicion.
“A significant minority of the Iraqi population were Christian. There's been at least two-thirds that have either left or been marginalised and in some circumstances killed.”
Bishop Graham said he had contact with one of the churches, St Georges in Baghdad, where he had learned of the persecution faced by Christians. One of the worst acts saw the murder of the Archbishop of the Chaldean Church in March.
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