"This week, after saying he was cutting down on immigration from "third world countries" in the wake of the deadly attack on two National Guard members by an Afghan national, President Trump turned his wrath on people from Somalia, calling them "garbage." He advised Somali Americans to go back to the Horn of African nation and "fix it," calling it "hell." Somalia has been plagued by clan-based conflict for decades and is currently fighting the Islamist insurgent group al-Shabab."
"In the thirty years since, millions of Somalis fled the country, ending up all over the world, including in the U.S. Somalia-born Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Democrat, hit back at Trump's comments this week, calling them "vile." She pointed out Somali Americans make considerable contributions to the U.S. and "are working to make our country better." Many Somalis at home also rejected Trump's comments, saying they too were working to make their country better -- despite danger, poverty and political mismanagement."
"Dr. Abdulkadir Abdirahman Adan is one of them. A dentist by profession, he set up the country's only free ambulance service -- a lifeline in the capital city Mogadishu, that regularly experiences terror attacks from al-Shabab. Adan said Trump's comments show he doesn't know much about Somalis. "In every nation there is some bad people, in every nation, but not all of them. Somalis, I do believe there are very good people, in generosity, helping others," he told NPR."
President Trump publicly insulted Somali people and Somali Americans, saying he would cut down immigration from "third world countries" and calling Somalis "garbage," urging them to return to Somalia and "fix it," and labeling the country "hell." Somalia collapsed after the 1991 overthrow of Siad Barre and has endured decades of clan-based conflict and an Islamist insurgency from al-Shabab, prompting millions to flee worldwide including to the United States. Somalia-born Representative Ilhan Omar condemned the remarks as "vile" and emphasized Somali Americans' contributions. Somalis in Somalia continue local efforts to improve conditions, including operating a free ambulance service in Mogadishu under constant risk.
Read at www.npr.org
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