Division Inc.

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

Salaan...

 

Division iyo kala tag, go' Soomaalida ma kala haraan, always, all the time meel walba ee joogaan.

 

Read on.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio - For Yusuf Abucar, this is a summer of waiting.

 

The co-founder of the Somali Community Association of Ohio is waiting to hear from the city's Community Relations Commission on whether it will support Abucar's bid to once again lead the large nonprofit he co-founded in 1992 that helps refugees and new immigrants with housing, employment and other social services.

 

Abucar and other vocal members of central Ohio's Somali community - the second largest in the nation with about 45,000 residents - accuse the association's current director, Hassan Omar, of helping only Somalis from his clan and not delivering services to others.

 

But Omar, who beat out Abucar in a 2001 election to become director, has refused to hold another election. He dismisses his critics, calling them disgruntled, divisive and petty.

 

"In Somalia, we use weapons to hurt each other," Omar said. "Here, they are trying to use the media as a weapon."

 

The association has received about $24,000 from the city each of the last three years. It also took in $354,000 from Franklin County this year for youth and after-school programs and $209,000 for a job readiness program.

 

Abucar and about a half dozen other Somali immigrants presented the commission in June with a 200-signature petition that demands an election.

 

[sNIP]

 

Omar changed the association's bylaws soon after taking over as director to get rid of the election requirement, saying that a nonprofit organization is different from elected offices such as the city council or the mayor's office. Providing services to the community should be the association's sole focus, he said.

 

To continue.