CENTRAL OHIO Struggle divides Somalis

With 45,000 residents, the community of Somalis is the second largest in the nation.
COLUMBUS (AP) -- 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."
Receives support
The association has received about $24,000 from the city each of the past three years. It also took in $354,000 from Franklin County this year for youths 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.
They argued that more transparent leadership is needed from the association, since the Somali population is continuing to grow as Somalis move here from other Somali enclaves around the country.
"The community is increasing every year. The situation is deteriorating," said Abdi Issa, one of Omar's critics. "The services he is providing -- for housing, the elderly, for health care -- are limited."
The commission plans to inform the group of its decision at a meeting next month, said Deputy Director Napoleon Bell.
Officials at the Franklin County Job and Family Services, which administers the funding for the association's programs, have already looked into allegations of misuse of funds, spokesman Lance Porter said.
"It's nothing we've been able to substantiate, nothing concrete," he said.
Porter suggests that the critics form their own nonprofit to compete for grants and government funding.
But Abucar, who helped form the association in 1992 -- back when it was called the Somali Relief Organization of Ohio -- won't consider the idea. He said he helped build the association to its position of importance.