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HEADLINE: Former Ethiopian
helping immigrants make better lives in Fort
McMurray |
BYLINE: BY
VERNA MURPHY, TODAY STAFF
BODY:
On the day Today sat down with Hukun Hurur,
the Geneva Press Club held a press
conference to discuss the situation in
Ogaden, Ethiopia, where Hurur used to live.
The club says the Ethiopian army and
security forces are carrying out summary
executions, gangs are raping women and there
are arbitrary detentions without charges or
trial. They also say that the Ogaden region
is off-limits to international humanitarian
and human rights organizations, as well as
the international press. Hurur graduated
from international business from Seneca
College in Ontario and now works for the
YMCA Immigrant Settlement Services in
McMurray.
Today: When did you move to Canada?
Hurur: Originally I am from Ethiopia, but I
lived in Italy before I came to Canada. I
came to Toronto in 1991, and then to Fort
McMurray in 2004. I came from Ogaden, and
there is much news from there. There is news
from there every day about human rights.
When I lived in Toronto I was the president
of the Somali-Ogaden organization, which was
a charitable organization that is quite
large in Toronto.
Why did you come to Canada originally?
I think people should understand more about
immigrants. There are some immigrants who
are skilled workers who come to look for
better work. But most immigrants come to
Canada because their lands are suffering
with wars. They were running to refugee
camps and later they would go to another
country, and maybe then another country. The
main reason we came here was because we
constantly faced unsettlement and war. Many
had to leave their family behind.
Do you think that you will ever go back to
Ethiopia?
I am Canadian, I do not think of myself as
Ethiopian anymore. I became a Canadian
citizen in 1993. I did not even keep my
passport current because I did not think
about travelling back, but I did recently
reapply for it in case I want to go on a
trip. I feel Canadian, I just want to stay
here.
What is the hardest thing for a new
immigrant in coming to Fort McMurray?
At first everyone is busy looking for a
place to live and to work, so at first they
are busy.
Weather, accommodation and jobs are a
challenge for anyone coming to Fort
McMurray, but even a bit more for a new
immigrant. There is a gap, especially in
work for new immigrants. There are many well
educated immigrants here who are facing
challenges in getting jobs here. I think
they may not be welcomed at some jobs
because it is somewhat who you know, not
what you know. We have to be more welcoming
to people coming from other countries.
There are many cab drivers who are from
various countries in Fort McMurray. Do you
interact with them?
I worked at Access Taxi before, and there
are cab drivers there that are educated in
many fields, you will find very educated
people driving cab here. You can find
drivers from every field. They just want to
provide for their families, they want the
same opportunities as every one else. People
need to look at them not as immigrants, but
as Canadians. And it's good now, people in
Fort McMurray are learning more about
Somalia, a few years ago people did not know
where it even was, and recently there was a
young white man who talked to me in Somalian,
and I was like, "Wow, who taught you that?"
Do you plan on staying in Fort McMurray?
Oh yes, my family is here. I have two small
children now. One is seven months and one
will be three come September. I think in the
next few years, as immigrants become more
settled, you will see more community events
and more integration.
I always ask what your one piece of advice
is for anyone reading this might be. What
would yours be?
I hope my message would be that everyone
makes themselves more knowledgeable and make
a goal to be good citizens and work together
and create a good society.
GRAPHIC: photo by Verna Murphy, Today Staff
Hukun Hurur sits in his office at the YMCA
Immigrant Settlement Services on Franklin
Avenue. Hurur is proud that he has
officially been a Canadian for 15 years.
LOAD-DATE: June 30, 2008
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