Ottawa’s Chief of Police, Vern White, says that visible minority groups are being targeted by gangs.  It’s one of the many challenges facing youth today says Farah Aw-Osman, president of the Canadian Friends of Somalia. 

In an essay he wrote in 2008, Mr. Aw-Osman outlines some of the reasons why young people are getting caught up in crime. He also offers suggestions on how families, along with the wider community, can help. The essay has been updated and edited for space. 

Somali youth: Stop the violence 
Farah Aw-Osman

 "The solution to adult problems tomorrow depends on large measure upon the how our children grow up today. There is no greater insight into the future than recognizing when we save our children, we save ourselves." - Margaret Mead

 The numbers of gang and drug related killings among Somali youth are skyrocketing, not to mention the alarming numbers of youth who are incarcerated or are being released back into society on probation and other strict conditions.

Since 2005, it is estimated that close to two dozen Somali youth have been killed in drug-related incidents in Alberta with some of the victims coming from Ontario. And in fact, Somali youth violence is not confined to Canada; it’s happening in the US and Europe.

Many Somali families are struggling with the holes that these killings have left in their lives.  There is growing outcry within Somali community which has led to a call for action for the community to stand up and take responsibility.

Youth violence is not confined to any one subgroup of the Canadian youth population. It cuts across all racial, religious, gender and socio-economic backgrounds. However, there are factors which place certain youth at risk of both offending and of being victimized. Identification of these factors can facilitate successful early intervention, violence prevention and health promotion.

Safe School Act (Zero tolerance)

In his book On Time, On Task, On a Mission, Dr. Chris Spence, a Toronto area educator and area superintendent of schools, wonders whether education is helping everyone equally.

“Is it just rhetoric that assumes our public education system offers every child an equal chance to achieve? Our society's sense of justice and fairness is at the root of this issue. In spite of this, schools generally tend to promote the children of advantage and discourage those of disadvantage,” he writes.

The Safe School Act was supposed to make schools a safe environment where every student would feel welcome. Instead, the situation in most public schools is that ethnic minority students are expelled or suspended more often than their Caucasian counterparts.

Most suspensions and expulsions are harmful and do not teach troubled students appropriate behavior. Instead, suspension and expulsion excludes minority students (including our Somali children) from learning and other support, often leaving them unsupervised, and more likely to be involved in drugs and crime.

Youth justice

In my professional experience, too often black and other minority youths are rushed to court and thrown in jail, leaving them with criminal records that will impact their lives for years to come.

A paper by Justice Canada titled, Review of Multiculturalism and Justice Issues: A Framework for Addressing Reform, concluded that there was evidence of discrimination in the youth justice system. It also noted that there is some evidence of over-representation of minority youth in detention in some parts of the Canada.

Racial profiling

In March 2003, the then-Ottawa Police Deputy Chief Larry Hill acknowledged at a national policing forum that officers in this city are not immune to the tendency that exists in institutions — including schools, hospitals, businesses and law enforcement — to stereotype people according to race.

How can we save our youth?

I feel our community has been asleep at the wheel.  Community based organizations, Somali educators and parents have failed our youth.  There is nothing wrong in saying we failed our children and youth.

Every member of our community should be alarmed, concerned and dedicated to minimizing any increase in youth crime. Instead of complaining and blaming others for our shortcomings we should bear some of the responsibility. It is time to come out of our state of denial and start helping our children and youth.

 
Parent responsibility: Absent fathers
Over the past 20 years, I have been deeply involved in helping at-risk Somali youth and their families. In all my years in community service, I have rarely seen any Somali father lend his son a hand.  Instead I have met so many hardworking, dedicated, caring and compassionate Somali mothers who were struggling to raise their children single-handedly without any moral, financial or physical support from their husbands.  These mothers were coming to court everyday and were willing to put down thousands of dollars to bail out their kids. 

We have too many dads and not enough fathers in our community.... Mothers alone cannot assume all responsibility for the well being of our children and youth.

The absence of Somali fathers in the lives of their children is a key reason as to why so many youth have fallen into the hands of the criminal justice system.  We have too many dads and not enough fathers in our community. Too many Somali men know how to create babies, unfortunately, few of them know how to raise, nurture and support their children. Mothers alone cannot assume all responsibilities for the well being of our children and youth.

Community responsibility

Community based organizations are supposed to be the tool by which communities achieves its goals. CBOs are supposed to meet the needs of their communities; advocate on their behalf, and empower members, especially the youth. 

However, oftentimes we see Somali community organizations that are totally disconnected from the community that they claim to represent. Not only are many Somali organizations out of touch with their community, but they have transparency and accountability issues as well.

Recommendations

• Parents should get involved in their child's education and educate themselves by taking parenting courses.
• Most of our youth are peaceful and productive citizens. We need to focus on rooting out youth violence.
• There should be a leadership change within our community. The old guards must give way to a new generation of young leaders.
• We should empower, engage and encourage our youth and give them the tools they need to succeed.
• Somali elders, community leaders, educators and parents should listen to our youth so that they can address their needs and to help them overcome challenges and obstacles

• In order for government and community initiatives to work, youth should be consulted.
• We should be aware of political opportunists and turn to elected officials who are there to serve us. If these elected officials are willing to support us in these critical times then we should welcome them in good faith. Empty rhetoric and false promises will not solve our social problems.
• Finally, in order to intercept and prevent all social ills that threaten to tear down the future of our youth and the very fabric of our communities and the society we live in, there should be trust and cooperation between ethnic communities and authorities.

For the full text of this essay, go to http://wardheernews.com/Articles_08/December/18_somali_youth_farah.html