They were deported to Tonga as strangers to their own land. Now these returnees are helping fight a drug crisisAs Latu Liava'a set foot again in Tonga, he felt like a stranger in his former country after years living in "the heart of gangs" on the US west coast.
But many "returnees" are coming back with few or no links to the communities they're re-entering, and some say Pacific countries lack the resources to help them.Mr Liava'a, now settled in Tonga, has helped form Dare to Dream — a group helping others find their feet after being deported to the country.Mr Liava'a joined with four other Tongans deported from the US to form Dare to Dream.
"It was a very negative term to use 'tīpota' because automatically, you're a bad person," Dr Fasi said.Instead, the group encourages using the word "returnees", or "foki ki 'api", which in Tongan means "returning home"."It softens their hearts and their minds … they look at them as Tongans who are coming home ... and we need to help them," he said.
"But in the meantime, it's really important that the Tongan government takes action to support the growing number of returnees in Tonga," she said.Dr Fasi, also a local MP, said fellow politicians expressed support for Dare to Dream's cause but haven't followed up with action.The group has also encountered long waits and frustration in trying to secure funding through Tonga's government and its departments, he said.
He also said the government established an inter-agency taskforce, led by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, to focus on supporting returnees in-country.Mr Sovaleni said the government understood the deportation policies of sending states, but is discussing with these countries how they can help Tonga support returnees.
"I tell him, come tomorrow the next morning at seven, have a bag of rice for you. But if you're hungry, I can go get you some barbecue."This kid is 10 years old and that's in 2018. Imagine now 2024, everybody and their mama doing it." "We know pretty much who's the users, the people selling. We know the way they look, their behaviour. It's easier for us to spot those kinds of people," he said.
Returnees Drug Crime Drug Trafficking Pacific Gang Activity Dare To Dream Pacific Transnational Drug Dealing Pacific Transnational Crime
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