We are connected

I harken back to a story that may seem old by now but it is from World Refugee Day. I only shared then the story through pictures but maybe now I can do it through use of word.


One of the key people in my life here is Ahmed from Somalia. His story is full of disaster and despair. Yet he so often appears as the one with hope still alive. My Province in Australia has been working for sometime to sponsor him to Australia. Then something happened in Australia that deomonstrated how we are all connected and how that connectedness can act against our interests, as much as for them.

Recently in Australia, four young men were arrested on terrorist charges. Three were Somali and one was Lebanese. They had been in Somalia where they had had experience with the al-Shabab terrorist group. They came back with some plan to attack an army base in Sydney. What does this have to do with Ahmed?

He is Somali and wants to go to Australia. Well? Because of the arrest and charging of these four men, all Somalis are looked upon with suspicion within various quarters of Australian society. This means it is politcal suicide at present to push a Somali cause within Australia. As I gave this news to Ahmed here in Bangkok, he just had this increduloud look upon his face as if to say, "How could this be? I am not one of those four!" For better or worse, we are all connected.