US of A should help Tonga with deported Joe Blows [1]
Wednesday, July 23, 2008 - 18:28. Updated on Thursday, September 11, 2014 - 16:40.
Editor,
Please include another one of my frustration to your readers, regarding the Problems with Deportees.
Dealing with "deportees" is as old as the world written history and definitely not just a "national" Tongan issue. However, it is the Tongan approach that makes one wonder where have all the ones with common sense gone.
I read your writing on the recent workshop in Nuku'alofa. From a firefighter's perspective, it appears you have a group of people throwing water at the flame of the problem. The source of the fire is left untouched.
To the Honorable Prime Minister and your distinguished firefighters, please consider the following. Let's take a deportee from the Us of A.
A general profile can be very close to this:
1. First or even second generation immigrant to the US at a very young age and part of a family;
2. Very little formal education or high school drop out;
3. Problems with the law;
4. Has spend time in jail (evidently for a serious crime that warrants deportation);
5. HERE IS THE KICKER: Individual was deported to Tonga straight out of jail.
During the Vietnam Era, Marines and Soldiers were pulled out in the middle of a firefight in combat and told it is his time to return to the States. Within a week, after a year or so of killing, and watching his buddies dead right in front of him, he is discharged from the armed forces and into his civilian world with very little to no training at all of how to act in the world he left behind. Moreover, the civilian communities had no training on how to deal with these "new animals". The jails in the US were filled with prior military personnel.
From their Vietnam mistakes, the US provided rehabilitation for us after Desert Storm and continue to provide Post Traumatic Treatment for those of us who are seriously damaged by our battle experience. It helped, but no one really recovers from the atrocities of war.
My point here is this. Through the proper chain of command, you must get to the source of the fire. In the US cases, I'd start by soliciting help from the American Samoa Congressman, the Honorable Eni Faleomavaega Hunkin. My approach would be to this point,
"20 years ago, the Kingdom of Tonga gave you and you accepted Joe Blow, an innocent 5 year old. Last week, your forced on us a 25 year career criminal. We demand assistance on dealing with all the Joe Blows you have returned to us. After all, they become what they are while under your supervision. The Kingdom of Tonga has the option of not allowing any deportees back to the island. Let's get together and work out a reasonable compromise before we are forced to use the above option"
The US can provide fundings and technical assistance to institution that deals with these deportees.
Yes, please continue to do what can be done to the deportees in Tonga, but we need to check this problem out before they arrive at the Kingdom's shores.
Mafi 'o Amerika Samoa.
slkava [at] samoatelco [dot] com