We are following up on the VOA Special Report on the radicalization of Somali refugees in the US.
While many Somalis have adapted slowly to American life, a sense of alienation persists for some, giving an opening for recruiters from Al-Shabab and Islamic State. In this September 27, 2013, file photo, young women play basketball before the start of a rally by the Minneapolis Somali community against terrorism. (Reuters)
Our colleagues at VOA have recently produced “Why He Chose To Leave This Good Land?” a special report on the radicalization of some young Somali-Americans. This week, we are focusing on one section of the article each day.
Please note that this report is not adapted to the Special English style, so it is more appropriate for advanced learners who use our site.
You can read the full report at http://projects.voanews.com/isis-recruit-somali-americans/
Today’s quote is from the second section, called State of failure:
With the [Somali] government’s collapse in 1991 and the country’s descent into chaos, Somalis fled en masse, to refugee camps in Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Yemen, then onto Europe and North America. More than 1.5 million scattered around the world. More than 50,000 now live in the Minneapolis-St. Paul region… But Somali families have suffered disproportionately from unemployment, poverty, mental health problems and crime. Community activists estimate as many as 3,000 Somali men may be in the criminal justice system—under arrest, imprisoned, on parole. Some 20 percent of Somalis lack jobs. Another estimate based on U.S. Census data found only 50 percent of working-age Somalis had jobs.
Our question for today is:
What does the report say are some of the root causes of the problems Somali refugees have in the United States? What do you think should be done to correct these problems?
Please give us your answer in the comment section below, and come back tomorrow for another question.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Dr. Jill
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Words in This Story
adaptation – n. the process of changing to fit some purpose or situation
disenfranchisement – n. the state of feeling powerless; not having the rights of citizens such as the right to vote
jihad – n. a war fought by Muslims to defend or spread their beliefs
infrastructure – n. the basic equipment and structures (such as roads and bridges) that are needed for a country, region, or organization to function properly
