October 18, 2017 The Skanner Page 3
News
family emigrated long
ago and who owns sev-
eral businesses in the
Portland area, there are
about 100 Rohingya fam-
ilies in the Portland met-
ro area, and about 5,000
in the United States. The
largest concentrations of
Rohingya families are in
Wisconsin and Chicago,
but Portland’s communi-
ty has become a leading
in the last two months,
with as many as 400,000
Rohingyas fled the coun-
try.
In September, Merkley
released a statement on
the ongoing persecution
of Rohingyas in Burma,
and he told The Skanner
he is working with col-
leagues in the Senate to
draw more attention to
the issue.
Portland’s community has
become a leading voice in
calling for action
voice in calling for action
to help Rohingya people
overseas.
The term “Rohingya”
refers to an mostly-Mus-
lim ethnic group that has
lived in predominant-
ly-Buddhist
Myanmar
for centuries. Rohingya
people have long been
oppressed by Burma’s
government, denied the
right to free movement
and education; accord-
ing to Iqbar, a small per-
centage of Rohingyas
currently living can read
and write, and few of
those living in the United
States can read and write
English.
In October of last year,
Myanmar has drawn
criticism from the Unit-
ed Nations, Amnesty In-
ternational and others
for ongoing attacks on
Rohingya people. These
have included the report-
ed burning of villages,
rape of Rohingya wom-
en and extra-judicial as-
sassination of Rohingya
men without warning or
explanation. Ali’s neph-
ew was killed. Portland
resident Chit Khing, who
just arrived four months
ago, lost a cousin in an
extrajudicial killing by
soldiers.
The crisis has escalated
Bond
“The State Department
is missing in action right
now. They should be re-
ally protesting ethnic
cleansing and assault on
that community,” Sen.
Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon)
said last week in a meet-
ing with The Skanner
News.
Secretary of State Rex
Tillerson did comment
on the issue in a Septem-
ber with British Prime
Minister Theresa May
and Foreign Minister Bo-
ris Johnson. He called the
current crisis a “defin-
ing moment” and said, “I
think it is important that
the global community
speak out in support of
what we all know the ex-
pectation is for the treat-
ment of people regard-
less of their ethnicity,”
he added. “This violence
must stop, this persecu-
tion must stop.”
But the U.S. has other-
wise been quiet on the
issue. Local advocates
are hoping for United
Nations intervention, as
well as a reinstatement
of sanctions imposed un-
der the Obama adminis-
tration – and an embargo
on weapons sales to the
Read the full story at
TheSkanner.com
OHS Rescues Displaced Texas Pets
A flight of 80 pets that survived Hurricane Harvey touched down in Portland Oct. 13 helping to relieve the pressure on flood-ravaged
shelters in areas hit by the hurricane. The Oregon Humane Society, along with the Lucy Pet Foundation, chartered the flight when they
heard the SPCA of Brazoria County (SPCA-BC) in Texas is in urgent need of help. The SPCA-BC, located about 51 miles south of Houston,
sent approximately 40 dogs and 40 cats on the flight. The pets arriving in Portland have all been released for adoption by their owners
who, for various reasons, are unable to continue to care for them.
Settlement
cont’d from pg 1
Matter hashtag on social media.
Johnson, who had tweeted using
that hashtag and a reference to
the hip-hop group Public Enemy,
learned that a colleague had cre-
ated a file monitoring his online
activity.
Last week the state announced
it had settled with Johnson for
$205,000. Also as a condition of
the settlement, Johnson cannot
work for the state of Oregon for
five years.
The investigator who created
the file, on the other hand, had his
job reinstated by the state arbitra-
tor earlier this year.
James Williams, using a tool
called Digital Stakeout, created
files on others using the #Black-
LivesMatter hashtag. He was ter-
minated and later sued the state,
saying he was following instruc-
tions given by supervisors.
In an interview with Oregon
Public Broadcasting’s “Think Out
Loud” earlier this week, Johnson
said Williams’ reinstatement and
his termination is an example of
systemic racism in Oregon, not
a problem with any specific indi-
“
Johnson’s wife, Nkenge Har-
mon Johnson, who is currently
President and CEO of the Urban
League, reached a settlement in
a separate lawsuit with the state
I’m proud of the work we achieved to-
gether to reach out to diverse commu-
nities throughout Oregon
vidual.
“This will happen again,” he told
host Dave Miller.
“Erious has been a part of the
DOJ team for over three years,
and we are sad to see him leave. It
is both a personal loss and a loss
for all of DOJ. I will miss his wise
counsel as our Civil Rights Direc-
tor, but I’m proud of the work we
achieved together to reach out to
diverse communities throughout
Oregon,” attorney general Ellen
Rosenblum said in a statement
emailed to The Skanner.
the same day.
Harmon Johnson filed a legal
claim in 2016 relating to the ter-
mination of her job as then-gov-
ernor John Kitzhaber’s commu-
nications director. She has said
she was fired in 2014 after raising
questions about Kitzhaber’s fi-
ancée, Cylvia Hayes, and her in-
volvement with policy issues in
his campaign. Kitzhaber resigned
from office after extensive report-
ing of alleged influence-peddling
by Hayes. Harmon Johnson will
receive $70,000 from the state.
cont’d from pg 1
staff and student spaces across all cam-
puses.
Special attention was given to PCC’s
southeast campus, which doubled its
size from 94,000 to 200,000 square feet.
With 85 percent of PCC’s operational
budget going towards staffing, little is
left over to finance major renovations
and new buildings. That’s where bond
measures come in.
“What we’re trying to do is to provide
relevant education on technology and
equipment for those jobs that are go-
ing to be in demand in our region,” said
Kelley.
In particular, PCC says Measure
26-196 will improve equipment and
facilities in the training of science,
technology, engineering, arts and
math (STEAM) jobs.
“We’re trying to create jobs that we
know will be sustainable,” added bond
program director Linda Degman. “And,
for example, we know there’s a rising
need for health care workers.”
PCC’s Sylvania campus is its oldest,
with some buildings nearing 50 years.
The bond monies would renovate its
Health Technology building, which
houses classrooms for both STEAM
and health professions. The renovation
would include science and biology labs,
nursing education suites, and faculty
workspace.
PCC’s Portland Metropolitan Work-
“
Passing the bond
measure will not
cost taxpayers any-
thing extra
force Training Center will also get a
facelift if the bond passes.
“That project really focuses on bring-
ing together services and re-train-
ing people to allow them to have liv-
ing-wage jobs,” said Degman on the
importance of bringing the site up-to-
date.
In addition to reviving job training
centers and facilities, the bond will in-
vest in the safety and security of PCC
campuses, as well as expand child care
services for students with children.
“We have a high level of support for
what we do in this region,” said Kelley.
“I’m confident that the polling we have
done over the past couple of years indi-
cates that, because about 60 percent of
the population in this region has either
attended PCC or has a family member
that’s attended.”
According to the bond’s official cam-
paign consultant, Angela Martin, over
70 percent of voters with a relationship
to PCC favor the measure. But voter ap-
proval is still over 50 percent for those
who have no connection to the college.
“Our only opposition is apathy,” said
Martin, who added that PCC campaigns
are among the most positive she’s
worked with.
Voters in Multnomah, Washington,
Clackamas, Columbia or Yamhill coun-
ties can vote on the bond in November.
The college is also hosting a series of
free forums to unpack the bond for the
voting public.
Each will begin at 5:30 p.m. and in-
clude a short presentation, followed by
a question-and-answer session.
COURTESY OF PCC
“
cont’d from pg 1
PHOTO COURTESY OF OREGON HUMANE SOCIETY
Rohingya
If passed, bond funds would renovate job training
centers as well as update facilities.
• Monday, Oct. 23, in the Oak Room,
College Center, Sylvania Campus,
12000 SW 49th Avenue
• Tuesday, Oct. 24, Room 213, Build-
ing 5, Rock Creek Campus, 17705 SW
Springville Road
• Wednesday, Oct. 25, Rooms 203-204,
Student Union, Cascade Campus, 705
N. Killingsworth Street
• Thursday, Oct. 26, Community Hall,
Southeast Campus, 2305 SE 82nd and
Division
