A handful of refugees from Syria and Myanmar soon move in Lane County to live with the support of local charities and religious organizations.
A total of 10 people from three families - two families from Syria and Myanmar - are preparing to Eugene to come out of their country of origin, probably in the next two or three months, said Tom Mulhern, Director of Services Catholic Community Lane County.
Every family has a relative who lives in Eugene, Mulhern said. His arrival results from 18 to 24 months vetting of officials of the United States Department of State, including multiple levels of security checks, interviews and a medical examination.
The United States accepted refugees from Syria due to the ongoing war, and Myanmar due to the political repression and the ongoing violence. The government helps refugees these and other countries in communities across the country to place.
"Our commitment is new," Mulhern said. "We were approached a few months ago by the US Conference of Catholic Migration and Refugee bishops. They were, because there are placed three families who lacked for someone to manage a program of placing refugees in Lane County especially here . because of the local connection, we discussed with our Board of Directors decided that was consistent with our mission and something we could get behind. "
could eventually move up to 35 refugees in Lane County this year, Mulhern said.
Among the Syrian families are brothers Ali Turki Ali, a refugee from Syria who arrived in Eugene last summer and has since lived here, and the members of the Brothers of the family, as a sponsor of Ali, a resident of Eugene Peter Ward.
"Ali is very good," Ward said, adding that Ali found work and a home in Ward cousin Rental he said.
According to the national organization contact Parish Services of Lane County, the local group began to meet other religious organizations, including the Jewish Association of Lane County, First Congregational United Church of Christ Episcopal Church and Unitarian Church St. Mary universalist in Eugene, on the logistics a local refugee program work.
The national Catholic organization money from the United States Department of State receives refugees to help, but the money "very limited," Mulhern said.
President Obama, he said this year moved to the United States would like to see 10,000 Syrian refugees. Syria is experiencing a civil war five years one of the bloodiest genocides in recent decades prompted with an estimated number of civilian casualties of at least 250,000, according to the United Nations.
local religious organizations hope that the residents of Lane County is to step up with financial support so that they can help refugees with paperwork to provide legal residency to obtain social security cards, enrolling children in school and move eventually to a stable housing and a job.
Sedimentation in families could be long.
"This new place," Mulhern said. "There are significant language barriers. We install language courses and people just adults responsible for looking for a job to help and self-sufficiency as soon as possible. But we recognize that it will take some time."
The debate on the host Syrian refugees polarized, some people are afraid that between legitimate refugees may be some who want to harm Americans. Republicans in Congress have vowed attempts to block Obama to accept more Syrian refugees.
"I'm sure that there are in this environment, people who be very happy to come, and others have concerns," Mulhern said. "We do not expect people to bring expression concern. What we want to engage in dialogue and explain the review process of these families go through. Families who come here, can not return to their homes. The first would (priority) get all these returnees to their homes and communities, but in these cases is not possible because of what has happened in their country. "
Resistance to the refugees is a real challenge for Ward, whose father, an employee of the State Department, met with Ali in Turkey two years ago and has helped to navigate through the relocation process, move before to Eugene.
Ali is "very satisfied" with his two brothers and their families will join him soon. But Ali's mother was allowed to not come, Ward said. Ali brothers are their guardians who puts the family in a dead end, until it is approved.
Meanwhile Ali sponsorship was an experience that lives Ward changes, 26, the local refugee support groups, said that makes them proud of their community.
"I did not know what it would mean," he said. "But I am very happy to be a part of it. It is a great honor."
Follow Elon @EGlucklich on Twitter. Send elon.glucklich@registerguard.com.
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