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EMPORIA, Kan. (AP) -- When Somali refugee Mohammed Osman moved to this small town in the eastern Flint Hills, all he wanted was a job.
What he didn't count on was the stares, anger and resentment that greeted him and hundreds of other black, Muslim Somalis who changed the complexion of this mostly white, Christian town when they began arriving in early 2006.
"It is OK -- nice people, nice job," Osman said. "Some people living here in Emporia, they don't like Somali people, some people say racist things, 'We don't want black people coming.' They have that, but we don't worry about that. We keep going."
Most of the refugees fled war-weary Somalia in the 1990s and spent years in Kenya before coming to the U.S. under a federal program that allows resettlement of people fearing persecution or death in their native countries.
They generally settled in larger metropolitan areas first then moved to Emporia after word of jobs at the Tyson Fresh Foods plant spread.
Many locals responded with kindness to the refugees -- many of whom don't speak English -- and organized efforts to bridge the gap between the two cultures.
But others had starkly different responses, suggesting the Somalis' arrival had brought more crime and disease, or complaining about the refugees' unusual habits and attitudes.
A blog on The Emporia Gazette's Web site is filled with anonymous posts such as this:
"The town is going downhill. The Somalis are rude, inconsiderate and ungrateful. They drive terrible, and I'm afraid more than ever to be on the streets of Emporia. No one wants them here."
Others aim their anger at city officials or Tyson, while some complain about social services for the refugees, or criticize the federal government's handling of refugee resettlements.
In response to the complaints, the city organized a town hall meeting in November, where about 300 residents filled an auditorium to vent and question officials involved in the assimilation efforts.
The meeting seemed to calm some of the uproar, but all those involved say more will need to be done to unify the town's population.
As part of that effort, some concerned citizens formed the Emporia Refugee Resettlement Alliance, a loose-knit, unfunded group that meets occasionally to discuss the issues. A potluck dinner that drew Hispanics and Somalis was held, and a woman hired as a community liaison by Tyson has met with many groups to explain the culture.
One refugee, Abukar Ibrahim, said "99 percent" of Emporia residents have been welcoming and helpful. But it's still hurtful, he says, to hear or read comments that Somalis are unclean, rude or lazy.
"Just all they see, 'This is a black; this is a Somali.' They have never seen us before," Ibrahim said. "Maybe that is what's making this problem. But I hope this thing will change and people will understand us, where we came from, who we are, why we are here, all of that."
Most Somalis in Emporia are young and unmarried, and estimates of their numbers have ranged from 400 to a high of about 1,000. As of mid-December, Tyson officials said about 400 of its 2,500 employees in Emporia were Somalian.
When they arrive, the refugees struggle with such things as medical visits, learning to drive, dealing with landlords and even communicating with barbers. Others are taking adult education classes or English courses. Those who speak English, such as Ibrahim and Osman, spend much of their free time helping other refugees with those things.
Osman, 35, was interviewed at the Flint Hills Community Health Center on the day he finished a nine-month regimen of medication for latent tuberculosis, which made him part of the most contentious issue surrounding the refugees.
When the center saw a spike in latent tuberculosis cases, rumors flew that the refugees were sick and a danger to others' health. The center and Tyson worked to spread the word that latent TB, which is typical among refugee populations, is not transmitted through casual contact and can be treated with medication.
Before the Somalis arrived, the center treated an average of 30 to 35 latent cases. Currently, it's treating 130 patients with the disease, 75 percent of them Somalians.
The center hired an interpreter and dedicated a nurse to work with the refugee population. Lougene Marsh, executive director of the center, said the center had treated about 675 new Somali patients from 2006 through mid-November 2007 -- about 4.87 percent of its patient load.
She also noted that Somalis who use the center have insurance through Tyson, so no social service is picking up the tab.
But the TB rumors have hurt business at the Ayan Cafe, a Somali eatery and gathering spot for refugees, many of whom live in a large apartment complex across the street.
Mohammed Jama, a part owner of the cafe, said Emporia residents have stopped coming to there because of the TB rumors.
"Since this news come out saying Somali people are sick, my business went low," Jama said. "We request them to stop this thing they are spreading. We are a clean people. Let them come and meet us. Come and find the truth before you say something else."
Stephen Weitkamp, director of refugee and migrant services for Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas, said his group is using a $109,000 grant to assess the size and needs of the Somali population.
He said the goal is to help further assimilation, but he does not expect Emporia to become a major refugee resettlement site because it does not offer enough jobs for unskilled laborers.
"My suspicion is that this is going to be a temporary phenomenon," Weitkamp said. "We are not talking about generations, maybe only five years."
Some Somalis have left Emporia because of the controversy, Ibrahim said, but most hope that time will allow the two cultures to better understand each other.
"We like them; we respect them," he said. "But we expect them to respect us, too, like we are brothers. We suggest the Emporia community give us time. To hurry is no good. Everything needs to be given time."
SOURCE: AP, January 15, 2008