The History of the Steward Family

     This is a unique family made of French, Swiss, German, Welsh, Scotch, and English with at least four royal houses, and a few Native Americans sprinkled here and there. This is a proud and hard working family of farmers, business people, entertainers, doctors, and teachers.   These people all migrated to America for one basic reason—freedom to pursue a better life.

     Times were hard in Britain, as well as all over Europe, during the reign of James I and his immediate successors. The people suffered from economic and political hardships, and the Protestant Reformation was sweeping across Western Europe. People were leaving the farms—Feudalism was dying out—and crowded conditions and low standard of living made the towns and cities ripe for bubonic plague. Along with economic and political problems, the weather changed. People could no longer survive the cold in Germany and the surrounding areas, and many left, joining the English, Scotch, and Welch in their migrations to the new world. This time in history is often referred to as the Great Migration. Some people came directly from their homelands while others went to Ireland, and from there boarded ships for America. Among those travelers were several Stewards who came over on the ships “The Fortune,” “The Susannah,” and “The Submission.” Some of the travelers went on to New York and Nova Scotia, while others went to Virginia and South Carolina.   

  The Origin of the Steward Family

      William Shakespeare once wrote a play about a Scottish king, Duncan, who is murdered by Macbeth, his captain. Macbeth, along with his friend, Banquo, was not only the king’s kinsman, but also a trusted officer in the king’s army.  Duncan I, the High King of Scots, reigned from 1034 to 1040, and is the subject of Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth. In the play, three witches prophesy that Macbeth will become king, but his friend, Banquo, will father a line of kings. Banquo was thane of Lochaber, a highland district in Inverness shire, and was a son of Kenneth, thane of Lochaber, and his wife Dunclina, a daughter of King Kenneth III. King Kenneth III’s wife was daughter of William Longespee, the first William and second duke of Normandy. Macbeth was thane of Glamis and a descendent of King Malcolm II; so he believed he had a good claim to the throne. He was also King Duncan’s cousin.

     Macbeth murdered King Duncan while he was a guest in Macbeth’s castle, but after Macbeth became king, he was still troubled by the prophecy. He then ordered the death of Banquo and his son Fleance. Banquo had two daughters who were not harmed. One was Beatrice who married MacDuff, the thane of Fife (You remember the part MacDuff played in Shakespeare’s play), and the other was Castisa who married Prince Frederick.

     Fleance escaped and fled to Wales to the court of Malcolm III Canmore, the son of the late King Duncan. Fearing for his safety, Fleance decided to go on to the court of Griffith ap Llewellin, prince of North Wales, where he married Nesta, the daughter of Griffith ap Llewellin, the last native Prince of Wales. They had a son named Walter who, after spending some time in Normandy, went back to Scotland and was named Royal Steward. Walter and his wife, Christian, the daughter of Alan, the Red, duke of Brittany, had six sons and three daughters: Alan, William, Edgar, Malcolm, Fleance, Walter, Margaret, Emma, and Helen. Alan, Walter’s son, married Margaret, the daughter of Fergus, Lord of Gallowary, and had three sons: Walter, Adam, and Simon. The last bit of the witches’ prophesies came true–Fleance fathered the line of Stuart monarchs.

     The original stewards in Scotland were servants usually of royal families or of families of nobility, and it was customary for families to take their occupational title as their surnames. Old English words “stigweard” or “stiweard” meant “guardian of the house.” Many different spellings of Steward exist, such as Stewart, Steward, Stuart, and Sturt.  Someone once said a Steward could be born with one spelling, grow up with another spelling, marry another spelling, and die with a different spelling.

     Early Scottish records show that the Steward name came from the Normans, and it was brought into Britain with the Norman invasions in the 11th Century.  These early invaders were descendents of Vikings or Norsemen, as they were sometimes called. In order to stop the Normans from continually attacking England and to form a closer connection with Normandy, the English King Ethelred married Emma, the daughter of Richard, Duke of Normandy. However, after the death of their son, King Edward, Edward’s French cousin, William of Normandy, invaded Britain, and in 1066, he was crowned King of England.

     Stewards were first found in Oswestry, Shropshire, where they were granted lands by King William (William the Conqueror).  The Normans had come from northern France and moved into England, and from there they went into Scotland. The second son of the Baron of Oswestry was Walter Fitz Alan who became steward to the Scottish royal family and was given land in Renfrew, Paisley, Pollock, and Cathcart. King David I of Scotland then made the office of High Steward hereditary. Fitz Alan’s grandson, Walter, adopted the surname Steward, and his descendent, Walter, became part of the royal family when he married Marjorie, the daughter of Robert Bruce, the heir to the Scottish throne. Their son, Robert Stewart became Robert II, the  first Stewart king of Scotland. Between 1371 and 1714, there were fourteen Stewart monarchs. Four were murdered, two died in battle, one was exiled, and seven were minors. Mary Stuart Queen of Scots married her cousin Lord Darnley (Henry Steward) and united the two main lines of Stewards on the throne. Their son became James VI of Scotland and James I of England.

     The earliest records of the Steward name appeared around 1327 in Norfolk County and Gloucestershire, but most of the Stewards are believed to be descended from the ancient Scottish line through Sir John Steward, the son of John, the Scot-Angle.

     The Stuarts of Hampshire, England, trace their descent from Sir Alexander Stuart, a younger son of the ancient Scottish line. From this line we have Augustine Steward, a member of the Virginia Company, who was in the Virginia Colony in 1611. Other Stewards or Stewarts in the colonies were James Steward, who came over in the ship Fortune to Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621, Charles Steward of Henrico County, Virginia, in 1635, John Steward of Upper Norfolk County, Virginia, in 1639, William Steward in Barbados in 1635, Charles Stuart in Maryland in 1642, James Stuard in Lower New Norfolk County, Virginia in 1651, David Steward of Northampton County, Virginia in 1652, Robert Stuart of Gloucester County, Virginia, and Oneale Stuart of Isle of Wight County, Virginia in 1652, Walter and Henry Stuart in Northumberland County, Virginia in 1653, Roger, Neal, and Patrick Steward of Virginia in 1655, and Andrew Steward of Surry County, Virginia in 1656.

     Walter Steward, the third hereditary high steward of Scotland, was the first to assume the name, Steward. He was the son of Alan, who died in 1204, who was the son of Walter who died in 1177, the first high steward. This Walter, known as Walter Fizalan, went to Scotland as one of the military aides of King David I. He was the second son of Alan Fitzflaad, a Norman chief who came into England with William the Conqueror in 1066. Walter died in 1246, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Alexander.

     Alexander Steward, the fourth high steward of Scotland had three sons: James, the fifth high steward and progenitor of the royal line of Stewarts, John, ancestor of many noble families, and Andrew. Andrew had a son, Alexander, and he had a son, Sir John.

     Sir John Steward was a second cousin to King Robert II and was also one of the attendants of James Stewart, prince of Scotland. In 1408, he was knighted by King Henry IV. He was also called the Scot-Angle and is believed to have perished in the battle of Agincourt in 1415.

     John Steward, the son of the first Sir John, was knighted by King Henry V in 1420. His brother, Thomas, settled in Swaffham, Norfolk, and became a famous mariner. He died in 1470. 

     Richard, the son of Thomas, married a daughter of John Borely. His son, Nicholas, married Cecilia daughter of John Baskerville. Thomas’ third son, Robert, became a monk at Ely. He is said to have obtained a confirmation of the Steward pedigree.

     William Steward, the great grandson of Richard Steward, was the father of Sir Thomas of Cambridge, who married Bridget, the daughter of John Poole of Cheshire, and was knighted by King James VI in 1604.  William’s daughter, Elizabeth Steward, was the mother of Oliver Cromwell.

     Sir Mark Steward, a grandson of Richard Steward, was the father of Sir Simon, who wrote the poem called The Faerey King.  Simon Steward, the grandson of Sir Simon, was a second cousin of Oliver Cromwell’s mother. He died in 1651 leaving a widow, Margery, and children, Simon, James, John, Henry, Margaret, Elizabeth, and Mary. John, the son of Simon the elder, married Ellen, and their son, Joseph, came to America at the age of 18 in 1682 on the ship “Submission.”

      Our Steward line came from Scotland through Virginia and Georgia to finally settle in south Alabama. In Virginia and the Carolinas, they met, and in many cases, married Arants and Smelsers from Germany; Tills from Switzerland; Williams, Pruitts, Mintons from Wales and England, and Hamners from Wales, France, Ireland, and England. They brought their families into Lowndes and Butler Counties in south Alabama where farm land was plentiful and in many cases, free.

Butler County, Alabama

     Our ancestors seemed to like the flat farm lands of Butler and Lowndes counties in south Alabama. Some of them received land grants; some purchased the land as they could, and others just homesteaded. Many of them prospered and set down roots, while others moved on to Texas and Oklahoma.

      Butler County was named in honor of Captain William Butler, who was born in Virginia and had fought in the Creek War. He was a former member of the Georgia Legislature and a captain of the Georgia militia. He was killed by Indians near Butler Springs, Alabama. Other famous citizens were Warren A Thompson, a noted explorer and an original settler in Butler County, and Hank Williams, country music star. Hank Williams is also descended from these early Stewards. Other relations of note are Melba Till Allen, Alabama State Auditor, and Cornelia Wallace, the second wife of Alabama Governor George Wallace.

     According to the U. S. Census Bureau, Butler County has a total of 778 square miles of which 777 square miles is land and 1 square mile is water. The major towns in the county are Georgiana, Greenville, and part of McKenzie. The county, located in south Alabama, was formed from Conecuh County and Monroe County in 1819. It was originally part of the Creek Indian lands that were ceded to Alabama on August 9, 1814. Indian burial mounds have been located on Cedar Creek, Long Creek, in the Bennett settlement, on Pigeon Creek, on Ovet B. Wilson’s plantation, on Persimmon Creek, and on the farm of H.C. Smith.

     From Butler County some of the later Stewards moved north to Montgomery, Alexander City, and Piedmont.

Piedmont, Alabama

     The city of Piedmont is located in Calhoun County in north Alabama.    Calhoun County was created by the legislature on December 18, 1832, from land ceded by the Treaty of Cusseta. It was first called Benton County in honor of Col. Thomas Hart Benton, a Southern slave owner and senator from Missouri. When Benton had a change of heart and decided that slavery was wrong, the county was renamed Calhoun for Benton’s political ally, John C. Calhoun, another slave owner and senator from South Carolina.

     The community of Piedmont began in the early 1840’s and was located at the crossroads of two early post roads. The story goes that a hollow stump at this point was used to deposit and pick up mail. It was named the “Hollow Stump.”  Later a post office was established there called “Griffen’s Creek.” On September 22, 1851, the name was changed to “Cross Plains.” On July 30, 1880, the postal department renamed the post office “Piedmont” meaning “Foot of the Mountains.”

     Piedmont is noted for its scenic beauty nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. It is also the home of the Chief Ladiga Trail where the former seaboard CSX Railroad was converted into a recreational bike and walking trail. Chief Ladiga was a Muscogee chief who gave up his tribe’s land when he signed the Treaty of Cusseta in 1832 as part of President Jackson’s Indian removal policy. The Chief Ladiga Trail and the Silver Comet Trail stretch nearly 100 miles from Piedmont, Alabama to Atlanta, Georgia. It is the longest paved trail in the United States, and one can enjoy the beautiful scenery such as wetlands, streams, forest, farmland, and mountains all along the trail.

On March 27, 1994, an F4 tornado struck the city killing twenty people and severely damaging the Goshen United Methodist Church and many homes in the Piedmont area and surrounding communities.

      Piedmont recently gained regional attention for its award winning school system. Piedmont City High School was recognized in 2008 by U.S. News & World Report as one of “America’s Best High Schools.”

      Notable citizens of Piedmont are Desmond Doss, World War II Medal of Honor recipient, Rick Bragg, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, and Rufus Milton Steward, local merchant and citizen, who spent several years on the Piedmont Board of Education and served in several capacities in city government as well as in his church. He served as deacon and treasurer of First Baptist Church of Piedmont for many years.

Rufus Milton Steward

     Rufus Milton Steward was born November 11, 1903, in Georgiana, Butler County, Alabama. His parents were farmers, and his father worked also at the saw mill, and he made shoes on the side. There were no local schools there, so when Rufus reached school age, he was sent to a boarding school near Troy, Alabama. He would speak later of how lonely he was, a small boy away from home with no family or friends close by. He would also speak of the times when he would return to Georgiana, he would stay at a boarding house run by Hank Williams’ mother.

     Rufus attended Troy College (now Troy University), and taught in a one-room school near Troy in south Alabama. After one year, he decided that teaching was not his calling. He wanted to be a business man. He went to work for Kress and moved to Nashville, Tennessee.  He married Inez Pruitt, the daughter of Eugene Pruitt and Aby Pitman, in Gadsden, Alabama. He was then transferred to Hopkinsville, Kentucky, where he was manager of the local Kress store. Their sons, Milton and George, were born in Hopkinsville. Leaving Kress to open his own business; he moved his family to Piedmont and opened Stewards 10¢ Store. Their daughter, Ann, was born in Piedmont. Inez died June 21, 1944, from complications of childbirth and is buried in Forrest Cemetery, Gadsden, Alabama.   Rufus then married Alice Edna Minton the daughter of Fred Oris Minton and Venice Lenora Graham in Piedmont, Alabama, and they had five children.

     Rufus was very active in his church, and for many years he held the position of treasurer of First Baptist Church of Piedmont. He was also active in local government serving several years on the Piedmont City School Board. Even though Rufus left the farm to be a business man, he still loved the soil. Each year, as long as he was able, he had a beautiful garden where he grew all sorts of vegetables such as peanuts, potatoes, corn, beans, peas, squash, watermelons, and tomatoes. In addition, he had several apple and peach trees. He never forgot his roots.  Rufus died January 3, 2001, and is buried next to his daughter, Patricia Alice Steward, in Highland Cemetery in Piedmont, Alabama.

  Famous Relatives

     Most families can name one or two famous relatives, but Rufus Milton Steward has a long list. Most of these famous people are from the Williams family line, ancestors of Olive Leona Williams, the mother of Rufus Milton Steward.

Thomas Moore (1478-1535) was an English author who wrote “Utopia.” He was known as a humanist, and he was executed by King Henry VIII for refusing to recognize the king as head of the Church of England. He is Rufus’ 12th Great Grandfather.

Francis Lightfoot Lee (1734-1797) was an American patriot during the Revolution. He worked with Patrick Henry to oppose the Stamp Act, and he later signed the Declaration of Independence. He is Rufus’ 2nd cousin 8 times removed.

Richard Lovelace (1619-1657) was an English nobleman and poet. He is Rufus’ 11th Great Grand Uncle.

Benjamin Harrison (1726-1791) served in the Continental Congress and was also governor of Virginia. His great-grandson became president. He is Rufus’ 3rd cousin 7 times removed.

Richard Allen (1760-1831) was an ex-slave and an African American pastor. He was the founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He is Rufus’ 6th cousin 2 times removed.

William Henry Harrison (1773-1841) was the 9th President of the United States. He is famous for having the longest inauguration speech and the shortest term of any president. He died of pneumonia after only 30 days in office. He is Rufus’ 4th cousin 6 times removed.

Zachary Taylor (1784-1850) was the 12th President of the United States. He was the second president to died in office. He is Rufus’ 5th cousin 4 times removed.

John Locke (1632-1704) was an English philosopher. He is Rufus’ 5th cousin 5 times removed.

Lucy Ware Webb Hayes (1831-1889) convinced her husband, Rutherford B. Hayes, to fight in the Union army and to oppose slavery. She is Rufus’ 5th cousin 5 times removed.

Benjamin Harrison (1833-1901) was the 23rd President of the United States. He is Rufus’ 6th cousin 4 times removed.

Nancy Astor (1879-1964) was Viscountess of Britain and the first woman to serve in the Bristish House of Commons. She is Rufus’ 7th cousin 2 times removed.

John Browning (1855-1926) was a firearms designer who developed a variety of weapons, cartridges, and gun mechanics. He is Rufus’ 7th cousin 2 times removed.

Geoffrey Chaucer (1343-1400) was an English author known for his “Canterbury Tales.” He is Rufus’ 17th Great Grandfather.

Helen Adams Keller (1880-1968) was an American author and activist. She is Rufus’ 6th cousin 2 times removed.

Ty Cobb (1886-1961) was a famous American baseball player. Tyrus Raymond Cobb was one of the first five inductees into the baseball hall of fame. He was a native of Georgia. He is Rufus’ 6th cousin 2 times removed.

Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973) was the 36th President of the United States. He launced the Medicare Program and saw the beginnings of the Vietnam War. He is Rufus’ 6th cousin 2 times removed.

Mae West (1893-1980) was an American actress, screenwriter, and playwright. Her full name was Mary Jane West. She is Rufus’ 7th cousin 3 times removed.

Judy Garland (1922-1969) was an American actress famous for her role in “The Wizard of Oz.” Her full name was Frances Ethyl Gumm. She is Rufus’ 8th cousin 1 time removed.

Mary Harrison McKee (1858-1930) was the First Lady to her father, Benjamin Harrison, when her mother passed away. She is Rufus’ 7th cousin 3 times removed.

Carter Braxton (1736-1797) was a member of the Continental Congress and signed the Declaration. He is Rufus’ 5th cousin 7 times removed.

Butch Cassidy (1866-1908) was a train and bank robber, whose real name was Robert LeRoy Parker. He is Rufus’ 7th cousin 4 times removed.

Elizabeth Virginia Wallace Truman (1885-1982) was First Lady known as “Bess Truman.” She is Rufus’ 7th cousin 4 times removed.

Edward “Ned” Kelly (1854-1880) was a famous Australian cattle rustler and bank robber. He is Rufus’ 6th cousin 6 times removed.

Richard M. Nixon (1913-1994) was the 37th President of the United States. He is Rufus’ 7th cousin 4 times removed.

Angleica Van Buren (1818-1877) was First Lady to her father-in-law, President Van Buren when his wife passed away. She is Rufus’ 7th cousin 4 times removed.

William Lamb was 2nd Viscount Melbourne and served as prime minister in 1834 and 1835-1841. He was a mentor to Queen Victoria. He is Rufus’ 8th cousin 3 times removed.

Lillian Gish (1893-1993) was known the the “first lady of the silent screen.” She is Rufus’ 8th cousin 3 times removed.

John Glenn (1921-) was the third American to fly in space and the first American to orbit the earth. He is Rufus’ 8th cousin 3 times removed.

John C. Fremont (1813-1890) was an American explorer who led several surveying expeditions through the western United States. He is Rufus’ 7th cousin 5 times removed.

Sam Walton (1918-1992) founded Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club. He is Rufus’ 8th cousin 4 times removed.

Hillary Rodhm Clinton (1947-) is the wife of Presiden Bill Clinton and the first First Lady to be elected to public office. She is Rufus’ 9th cousin 2 times removed.

Virginia Woolf (1882-1941) was an English author. She is Rufus’ 10th cousin 1 time removed.

George Eliot (1819-1880) was the pan name for Mary Ann Evans. She was an English author. She is Rufus’ 8th cousin 6 times removed.

Elizabeth Browning (1806-1861) was an English author and poet. She is Rufus’ 12th cousin 1 time removed.

Button Gwinnett (1735-1777) signed the Declaration of Independence and has a Georgia county named for him. He is Rufus’ 9th cousin 8 times removed.                                                                  

The reason for migration is generally a response to the fact that there are differences in the world. In the USA, for example, people migrated from Europe and elsewhere because they thought they would have better opportunities, either in terms of escape from persecution or escape from want and, once they had reached the country, many migrated further to the western states in search of gold, jobs, good weather and space. This latter kind of migration is linked to the concept of ‘first nature’ – that is, the idea of nature in its pristine state, untouched by the hand of mankind. In first nature conditions, people tend to migrate towards the presence of resources which offer income and occupation and, also, urban facilities that tended to centre on the presence of those resources.

However, most of the world, a vast majority of the world in fact, has now reached ‘second nature’ (and maybe even ‘third nature,’ although that is an issue for another article), in which physical infrastructure has made the physical location of resources largely irrelevant. Oranges might grow in California still but it is not necessary to live there to eat them – instead, trains, lorries and aeroplanes bring them (and indeed everything else) to markets where we live. Consequently, concentrations of urban facilities tend to be relocated to wherever it is convenient to place them. Those places hold most jobs and so people tend to migrate towards them.

Additional reasons for migration include family and behavioural issues (e.g. searching for a spouse or being reunited with family members) or simply from a sense of adventure. Migration need not be a permanent phenomenon. Some people move to a number of different countries over the course of years for a variety of reasons (the author is included in this category) and some may oscillate between a home and an overseas job location on a regular basis. People make decisions based on the circumstances facing them and life is often complex.

One of the major problems that face the countries of the world today is that of illegal immigration. In fact, illegal immigration poses one of the most serious threats to a country’s progress and stability. Not only does it threaten the security of the country with the possibility of criminals and terrorists sneaking in but also it makes the country support more mouths than necessary. Most of the illegal immigrants are unskilled workers who do not contribute much to the progress of the country. Canada and United States too face a lot of problems from the infiltration of illegal immigrants. In fact in 2008 the Canadian authorities had admitted to have lost track of around 41,000 people who were supposed to be deported.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) had estimated in 2010 that around 25.5 to 32.1 million people of the 214 total international immigrants were illegal immigrants in the world. In the US, there are supposed to be around 11 million illegal immigrants according to a research carried out by Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) in 2008. In Canada, there is a dearth of any credible refugee screening process, and people continue to ignore deportation orders which have thus resulted in Canada having a high number of illegal immigrants, the number of which is even difficult to estimate. Another major problem Canada has to deal with is the influx of illegal immigrants from Mexico. The law and order situation in Mexico is not one to be proud of and Canada has a tough time warding off illegal weapons, drugs and terrorists from that country.

Illegal immigrants also do not get benefits which a normal citizen of the country gets and thus is forced to live his or her life in seclusion from the rest of the people. The problem of illegal immigration to one country is faced by most countries of the world and it is one area where countries need to sit and decide on ways to curb it, as uncontrolled immigration may have serious effects on a country’s economy.

Despite all these trials, still Israel managed a fairly secured existence: they have a robust economy, a super mighty ally, the U.S.A., and a superbly equipped military, the envy in the Arab world.

Just decades ago, those who are itching to leave Israel, were persecuted to death by holocausts in EU places like Poland and Germany. Now, these country’s have granted their requests and tens of thousands have received the citizenship they need. With an EU passport, they can travel freely and work in the unions 27 nations giving them access to quality and subsidized government education.

In between some Israeli thinkers hovers some fear for the future. One shrewd Israeli student observed and said that “it is better to devise an escape route” if anything happens to them at their adopted homeland and where decades back, their relatives where subjected to a shameful and macabre gassing. Moti Albertstein, a 36 years old doctoral student in biochemistry who has just received his citizenship from Poland continued “that life in Poland entails so much uncertainty that there is need to have some security”.

Generally, Israelis are favored to have access to foreign passports because a majority of them and their parents were once citizens of countries in EU before Hitler almost extinguished them.

This phenomenon which we can call a diaspora began between 2004 and 2007. Until now, Israelis accession to EU nations are continuing for millions of them have roots in east Europe. The biggest is Poland where a whooping 3 million Jews were executed and gassed. Romania is second with almost one million killed.

Granting of citizenship to Israelis by the countries involved in a crime committed against them is some form of making amends and for the Israelis to overcome their excruciating history.

Migrants brought ideas and also took ideas from the early civilizations that they came into contact with. Migration was caused by the need to find more resources, or to grab a share of the wealth held by the early civilizations. 1

Invasion also played a highly important role in the history and the changing of early civilization. The main early civilizations carried out invasions of their surrounding regions, and during times of weakness or extreme migration pressures were themselves subjected to invasions. Early civilizations tended to have greater military power than the peoples that surrounded them yet proved vulnerable to invaders with superior weapons do, or during times of internal weakness and division. Invasion changed the forms of early civilizations breaking up old empires, and frequently leading to the creation of new empires. Some invasions meant the overhaul of the early civilization, whilst others lead to the invaders assimilating the culture and the attitudes of the conquered.2

Cultural borrowing certainly played a role in early civilization, as it raised levels of development and spread any advances further afield than might have been expected without it. Examples of cultural borrowing include art, building designs, knowledge, religions, technology, and writing. The development of art, languages, and writing were arguably essential for cultural borrowing to take place in the first place. The use of literacy and numerical systems led to early civilizations that had basic forms of administrations to run states or empires. Migration, invasion, and long distance trade all played parts in promoting cultural in relation to the early civilizations. 3

Long distance trade played a role in advancing early civilizations as it created between cultures, and peoples that were not in close proximity to each other. Early civilizations used long distance trade to exchange goods and materials for their mutual benefits. Long distance trade meant that early civilizations were able to achieve could achieve more than relying on limited nearby resources or materials.4

1 Visualizing the Past: Mapping the Rise of Civilizations

2 Visualizing the Past: Mapping the Rise of Civilizations

3 Visualizing the Past: Mapping the Rise of Civilizations

4 Visualizing the Past: Mapping the Rise of Civilizations

The Acholi are part of the Nilotic-Luo  groups that trace their origin to Rumbek in Southern Sudan. Physically, they are tall, fierce and generally dark people. It is believed that the major group of the Luo moved southwards from Rumbek area of the Southern Sudan, conquering other tribes along the way. They were led by their Chief Olum and settled temporarily in present day Pubungu near Pakwach. Some of these Luo groups moved North East wards from Pubungu to the present day Acholiland.

Luo Legend

According Acholi Legend, Luo was the first man with no human parents-he is said to have sprouted from the ground, but many believed Luo was fathered by God and that his mother was the earth. Legend further asserts that Luo had two sons, Labongo and Gipir. Labongo was born with bells around his wrists and ankles and he had feathers in his hair. There were definitely magical elements in Labongo. It is said that he was fond of dancing and whenever he danced, bells jingled.

When Labongo grew up, he became the first in the line of the Rwots (chiefs) of Payera of Acholi. The same Labongo later moved to present Bunyoro and became the first Bito King with a new title was Isingoma Nyabongo Rukidi.  He is said to have been the  brother of Kato-Kimera who is remembered in some quarters as one the earlier line of the  Kings of Buganda. The Babiito of Bunyoro also extended their dominion west and conquered Toro Kingdom and established a Luo dynasty there. In Busoga, one of the sons of Labongo from Bunyoro who was embroiled in a bitter power rivalry was flashed out of Bunyoro-he moved over to Busoga with his men and became the Kyabzinga or the King of Busoga. The only tribal kingdom the Luo did not infiltrate in the interlacutrine region of Uganda was Ankole.

By all accounts of this legend, the Luo were natural leaders. Where-ever they conquered, they would readily be accepted as leaders. A section of the Luo group moved to Western Kenya-that also happened to be the cradle land of Barrack Obama, whose father Obama Senior was himself a Luo. Today, Barrack Obama, a Luo, is the President of the most powerful democracy in the world-this puts some kind of pride in us the Luo.

One of the sons, my friend, learned how to ditch the college and doing nasty things around. The younger boy has decided to end his journey of class-room education, in spite of being a merit student, and join some industrial unit to earn an income. The mother was able to guide her daughters, as most of the time they spend is at home only. And she was also able to convince her younger son, to take care of his home, showing his brother as an example of becoming rotten! Of all their children, the only person they could depend upon is the younger son. Gradually, the elder son has realized his worth to his home, but it was too late for him to be useful. Now, his income is lesser than his younger brother’s!

This story belongs to a family from a region of Andhra Pradesh in India, the State known for its greenery, and increasing industrialization. Their family does not belong to agriculture. More or less, it belongs to the successful service sector in India. In the above story, how many generations does it take for a generation of children to have a complete and good school education? And, the answers can only be started with “if”.

If the agriculture is gradually losing its substance in the Indian economy, and majority of the agrarians are slowly shifting to the other sectors and the rural people are going for urbanization, where the money flow is high, how many generations of those families should survive without even basic school education? And, the answers can only begin with an “if”.

The number of families in backwardness which does not have agriculture as their occupation, since the last 20 years, is low in India, compared to the everyday growing number of people that are converting from being agrarians to industrial labourers’ or any other such occupation different from agriculture, and people that are migrating to urban areas from rural. The main solution is the management of these migrants, treating their finances, and corroborating the constitutional rights for them.

For a while, let us get into the stats. According to the Human Development report of UN, out of 1.1 billion population of India, 34.5% are still surviving on less than $1 a day. These people, in what God’s way can they manage to open a bank account for their savings, let their children have a decent school education, obtain the medical facilities in times of need; after incurring their daily expenditure. Adding to the earlier mentioned problems faced by the agricultural sector is the changing climatic conditions due to Global Warming; many experts say there is going to be a drastic change in the seasonal monsoons in the near future, gradually. In agriculture, only 35% of the net cropped is fully or partially irrigated; 65% directly depends only on monsoon rains. The share of agriculture in GDP has fallen from 55% in 1950-51 to less than 18% in 2007-08. Meanwhile, the share of service sector has increased from 30% in 1950-55 to 55% in 2007-08, at an accelerating pace.

So, the migration is true. But, where are the boons for supporting this migration, if the migration has been willingly facilitated? There are no readily available schools and colleges for the migrated youth. There are no financial avenues for the migrated to double their savings! There is no common platform for an equal distribution of opportunities and facilities! The migrants neither are able to get any scheme sanctioned in their rural area, nor is anything like that available in urban area.

At least for now, the effect of the shift from being an agrarian economy to a mixed economy has been recognized and some measures have also been implemented in a large scale viz., financial inclusion, micro-finance, employment schemes and such other. Out of which, very few of them in very less places are fruitful to their objectives. The corruption, money laundering and scams for which India is very famous, are hindering these schemes before they reach their end users. And thus, are becoming a big boon in impeding the progress of Indian economy as a whole.

Image Courtesy:

2.       data.un.org

By Gianni Galioto

1. Why did Mussolini side with the Nazi Siefried?

Mussolini joined with the Nazi’s for greed, fear and ambition.

2. Describe the situation in Europe after WW2?

Throughout Europe there was immense destruction, human suffering, social dislocation and physical uprooting and the tragedy of the Holocaust.

3.How did history repeat itself? What happened in 1494?

In 1494 Italy was invaded for the first time by the French armies of Charles VIII and Italy was yet again invaded from the north by Germans and South by Allies.

4.What happened to Mussolini in April 1945?

In 1945 he was captured by Italian Partisans while trying to reach the Swiss Border in a German Uniform and he was shot and hung with his mistress in the piazza of Milan.

5. In 1945 when Italian soldiers returned from the POW camps in Australia and Canada how did they find Italy’s conditions?

They returned to find that Italy was in ruins.

6. What were the names of the two blocks of opposing ideologies during cold War?

The two names that were opposing ideologies were the Soviet-controlled East and Western Europe. The two ideologies they were fighting for was democracy and Communism.

7.Many people during this terrible period of time where forced to seek refuge in other countries. Explain Why?

They were forced to seek refuge in other countries because half of Europe was dominated by Western Europe and the other half by the Soviet Union.

8. How did Australia’s seven and a half million people learn that their country was not an invincible defence line?

They learnt there country was not invincible buy the bombing of Darwin and the midget submarine in Sydney Harbour.

9. What did Australia have to do to expand its industrial and agricultural economy?

Australia had to increase their population to expand its industrial and agricultural economy

10. In 1947, the Minister of Immigration Arthur Augustus Calwell opened Australia’s doors to European migration. Originally he preferred British as oppose to Europeans. Why?

11.

12. What did the Assisted Migration Agreement consist of?

The Assisted Migration Agreement consisted of the process of Australia and Italy signing an agreement which means that the US government starting financing the Italian migrants.

13. How many Italians arrived in Australians from the end of WW2 until 1973?

350,000 Italians arrived in Australia at the end of WW2.

14. Why were the Southern Italians not permitted to migrate unless they had a close family member in Australian?

Southern Italians were not permitted to migrate unless they had a close family member in Australia because Northern Italians didn’t like Southern Italians.

15. When did the Italians start to receive some sort of assistance?

Italians received some sort of assistance in 1969.

16. Why was it a cultural shock for the Italians when they arrived in Australia?

It was a cultural shock because there was different food, work and climate. 

17. Was the Australian government prepared for the influx of the Italians arriving in Australia?

Australia’s government was not prepared for the influx for the Italian immigrants because Australia had no translators.

18. Write 7 areas in Australian Society where the government had no catered for Italian immigrants?

·        Police

·        Welfare

·        Trade Unions

·        Government Offices.

·        Hospitals

·        Accommodation

·        Schools

19. Write down the 4 Internment camps and army camps in which Italians arrive?

·        Greta

·        Liverpool

·        Villawood

·        Bonegilla

20. Why did two thousand Italians riot in July 1952?

Thousands of Italians rioted in Bonegilla because of the lack of jobs and the y had no assistance to find any work.

21. Write down in detail Mr. Valentino Sartoral’s description of Bonegilla?

Mr Valentino Sartoral’s description of Bonegilla was that is was hell there were 10 thousand people complaining every day that we want the job or repartition.

22.Why did a young man hang himself at Bonegilla?

The young man hanged himself because he was depressed and he couldn’t pay off his debts left behind in Italy.

23. What happened in October 1952 in Sydney?

In October 1952 another riot took place in Sydney where hundreds of unemployed Italians marched in protest in the city from the migrant hostels of Matraville and Villawood.

24. Explain the term assimilate in detail?

Assimilate- to bring into conformity with the customs, attitudes, etc., of a group, nation, or the like; adapt or adjust: to assimilate the new immigrants.

25. Describe the problems adult migrants faced when going to school to learn English?

The problems adults faced with learning English was that they expected people with fewer than elementary level education to learn English after long hours in a factory.

26. Why activity bodies like “Good Neighbour Council and “New settler Association” fail to help migrants culture shock during the early stages of settlement?

These places didn’t help the culture shock because they were only exclusively directed at Anglo-Celtic migrants and Italians were not assisted.

27. Explain how the Italian children were at times victims of vicious discrimination at school?

Italian children were treated as inferior and were discriminated by teachers and other pupils and were often put into intellectually inferior classes because the teacher couldn’t deal with them not be able to speak English and there different working habits.

28. Why was it very hard for Italian women to learn English?

It was hard for Italian women to learn English because they were isolated in the environment and other Italian older women were secluded and alienated by people.

29.Write down the 2 categories of Italian workers?

·        Tradesmen

·        Labourers

30. Write down at least 15 workplaces where Italians had experience working?

·        Tradesmen

·        Shopkeeper

·        Building

·        Construction

·        Vineyards

·        Cane fields

·        Orchids

·        Dams

·        Bridges

·        Harbours

·        Mines

·        Powerlines

·         Fruit

·        Milk bars/cafes

31. What was Franca Arena’s profession?

 Franca Arena was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council.

32. What was one of the main reasons for the Italians to keep going despite hard conditions they faced?

The main reason for Italians to keep going was so there Children would have a better future.

33. Over the years the Italian community in Australia have opened sporting associations, religious festivals, Italian newspaper, clubs etc.

Why have they had the need to do this?

Italians did this so that they still have image of there home country and what there lifestyle was like back in Italy.

34.Why did the Italian migration stop in the seventies?

Italian migration stopped in the seventies because the economic situation and living conditions in Italy dramatically improved and ramp ant industrialisation.

35. Write down the names of two V.I.P who came to Australia in 1967 and 1970?

Italian President- Giuseppe Saragat 1967.

Pope Paul VI in 1970.

36. Why was Ignazio Salemi deported from the Fraser Government?

He was deported for political activities carried out as a leader of the pro-communist Italian Federation of Migrant Workers.

37. Describe John O’Gradys novel called ‘They’re a weird mob”

John O’Grady’s novel was about the new comers to Australia still living like there in there home country who mix with people from there own country and speak there language and use there own customs.

38. How did the Italians recreate for themselves an identity, a dignity and a way of living in a foreign society?

Italians worked and took many sacrifices to create a new identity for themselves in a foreign country.

39. How does the Italian heritage enhance Australia’s culture?

Italian heritage enhances Australia’s culture because only when your fully aware of your Italian heritage it enhances Australia making it a multicultural country.

40. Study all the photo’s and pictures and from your readings write one paragraph?

My Impression of Italian Migration was that this was a very hard and tough time for many Italian families trying to leave the home country in search for a new life and prosperous opportunities. It would’ve been very difficult to learn a new language and live in a foreign country but you can only move forward when you know your past and I think the most important thing is now where you came from to move forward and to never forget that.

Immigration, Mobility, In-migration

Ireland’s immigration system was friendlier than most other countries since it did not concentrate on quotas or points based systems.  Ireland relied more on “a system based on job offers in skills shortage areas”[4] which was split into five different categories:  1) Green Card Permit Scheme; 2) Work Permit Scheme; 3) Intra-Company Transfer Permit Scheme; 4) Spouse / Dependent Permit Scheme; and 5) Third Level Graduate Scheme.  “In 1996 for the first time more people entered the country than left it and since then immigration always outstripped net emigration.”[5]  Migration matters more today than it did ever before is due to its sheer numbers.  There are many reasons for migrants to move from their homelands to developed countries. “In fact, one of every 35 people in the world toady is an international migrant. Today almost every country in the world fulfills all three roles – migrants leave them, pass through them, and head for them… Reasons for the recent rise in international migration … the factors include growing global disparities in development, democracy, and demography; in some parts of the world, job shortages that will be exacerbated by current economic downturn; the segmentation of labor markets in high-income economics, a situation that attracts migrant workers to the ‘3D’ jobs (dirty, difficult, or dangerous); revolutions in communications and transportation, which result in more people than ever knowing about life elsewhere and have the ability to travel there; migration networks that allow existing migrant and ethic communities to act as magnets for further migration; and a robust migration industry, including migrant smugglers and human traffickers, that profits from international migration ”[6]  In essence, people left their homelands to work in Ireland in order to better their lives, escape prosecution, or they were coerced / deceived. “Since 1995, Ireland has been receiving about 100 thousand short-term workers each year, which contributed to reduction of imbalance on Irish labour market in the beginning of 21st century.”[7] Most migrants prefer to move to Ireland as opposed to other lands after studying their options under the “Push and Pull factors”.[8] The Pull influences are composed of Ireland’s reputation, life experience, education, promotion, culture, or family reasons, while the Push factors are forced economic migration or aversive social reasons in their homeland.

The main migrants from the former eastern block of Europe into Ireland was tallied between May 2004 – April 2005 as follows:  1) Poland 40,973; 2) Lithuania 18,064; 3) Latvia 9,207; 4) Slovakia 7,190; 5) Czech Republic 4,447; 6) Hungary 2,693; 7) Estonia 2,260; 6) Malta 166; 7) Slovenia 85; and Cyprus 80.[9]  Due to increased immigration into Ireland,  its government “introduced restrictions on access to welfare benefits by imposing a two-year ‘habitual residence’ rule … it moved to restrict immigration from outside the EU, restricting certain categories of work for which it was previously possibly to apply for a work permit.”[10] Terminology referring to migration was redefined as ‘mobility’ when it relates to intra-EU migration.[11]  “The largest group of emigrants (is) (Polish) people with secondary, secondary-technical, vocational, and elementary education.  (Polish) people who can find a high-paid job in Poland are less willing to emigrate.”[12] Immigrates have been known to work in jobs which do not require high qualifications, “usually those out of interest of Irish workers.”[13] Common culture diasporas in Ireland help foreigners find employment and other needs.  “…(R)espondents stressed it was the presence of other Poles in Ireland which was most helpful to them.  They said that it was easy to find advertisements in Polish even on street lights or pillars. It also happens there are Polish-speaking employees in offices… It is not surprising that Poles often use the opportunity to communicate and arrange matters in Polish… (The) advantage of this situation is … a greater feeling of safety when there is consciousness of being not alone in a foreign country.”[14] There are drawbacks to having foreigners visibly grouping together: “Irishmen may be endangered. The inflow of people from other countries may undoubtedly stimulate intolerate attitudes.”  Several incidents of hate and discrimination had been inflicted by the Irish upon the national minorities throughout the years.  The inability or reluctance of the Poles “to integrate with other environments (Irish or of other minorities) and isolating themselves in Polish ‘ghettos’, which in turn may contribute to development of hostile attitudes among Poles and Irishmen”[15] Too often rights, such as health care and access to justice, are denied.  According to the article “Immigrant Population Doubles to 420,000” published on October 22, 2007 in the National News,[16] Poles and Lithuanians prefer to live in the rural areas as opposed to the urban sectors. “Apart from Oldcastle, smaller towns in Monaghan are most likely to have a high proportion of Lithuanians living there; while Poles are living in Cork, Carlow, Kerry and Monaghan… (Lithuanians) are mostly working in industry, bedding and flooring… They’ve been very successful because the building trade is good, but they’re also working for farmers, in factories and for local entrepreneurs.”[17]  The president of Ireland, needing more migrants to fill vacant jobs, initiated a tour to promote Ireland’s job opportunities and needs.  Two of her stops were Latvia and Lithuania who campaigned against their masses leaving their homelands: “(Ireland) discussed the large Latvian community in Ireland, largely seen as helping to boost Ireland’s ‘Celtic Tiger’ economy. Latvia has been campaigning recently for Latvians to return home and fill empty jobs.  Wages in Latvia have been increasing due to Latvia’s steadily growing economy, although inflation, cost of living and housing prices are considered a subject of worry.  Lithuania has also recently been trying to encourage their sons and daughters to return home.  In the small populations of the Baltic countries, the loss of several tens of thousands of young, string workers, many of them with excellent educations, has been felt sharply.”[18]

Ireland has been an attractive destination to many Africans, especially the Nigerians. “… Nigerian migration became noticeable in 1981.  At the time, the number of migrants was relatively small. By 1996, there were significant changes in the inflow of Nigerians migrants. The Nigerians who came to Ireland prior to 1981tended to study, to undergo various kinds of training and to visit … The population includes those who migrate to Ireland to extend their visa, those who migrate to seek legal residence…who were attracted by the Irish economic boom, refuge-seeking migrants, employment-seeking migrates and providence-seeking migrants… Moreover, Nigerian single migrants see the city area as the starting point for success and personal advancement.”[19]  It is well-known that the Africans esteem the Irish as the Irish followed the British acquisitions as missionaries.  Many streets, schools, colleges, hospitals, and churches are called after said missionaries in Africa as a sign of respect and admiration.  There has been an increase of the top ten nationalities seeking asylums in Ireland whereas the applications peaked in the year 2002: Nigeria (34.8%), Romania (14.4%), Moldova (4.6%), Zimbabwe (3.1%), Ukraine (3%) and Poland (2.7%).  “Somewhat like Africa, the Irish colonial dilemma also reflected in the bitter and painful struggles in politics and literature for liberation for liberation from colonial control. In the economic sector, Ireland’s ties with Africa are strong. Apart from bilateral economic relations between Ireland and African countries, Irish private investments in the region are significant. Africans consume about one-third of Guinness’s total world production.  The Irish government and non-government organizations (NGOs) contribute financial aid, medical, and humanitarian initiatives, voluntary and church missionary work to different African countries.”[20]  Irish nationals, however, have recently turned hostile towards the African migrants saying they are lazy and might spread HIV throughout the lands.

As far as irregular immigrants are concerned, “If little is known about the extent of irregular migration in Ireland even less is known about the circumstances and realities of living with an irregular status.  Generally, these migrant workers are not in a position to give voice to their treatment and experiences or explain the factors that led them to be in this position. Raising awareness of their difficulties could bring them to the attention of the authorities and thus increase the possibility of being deported.  For many it is safer to stay silent and therefore the lived experiences of these migrant workers are largely invisible and unheard.”[21]  Irregular immigration can involve overstaying the limitations of their visas; entering the country without the required documentation; working outside the terms of residency permits; working under false papers; etc.  They work in mostly low-paid and unstable occupations, such as restaurants, domestic service, mushroom harvesting; cleaning, hotels, construction, security, meat processing, circus, self-employed, odd jobs, and the like. The contributing factors leading to irregular migration can be traced to the impact of globalization: “This process of globalization can be clearly seen in Ireland where we have experienced a decline in manufacturing and a dramatic expansion of the service sector.  Although the current regulation provide for sanctions against employers who employ irregular workers, these penalties do not seem to discourage employers searching for ‘low-cost’ labour, frequently nor available on the domestic market.”[22] Other factors for irregular migration fall under financial pressure (financial commitments to pay back loans), fear of failure (shame and embarrassment), and changes in personal circumstances (made possible by education which in turn expanded the individual’s “intellectual and social horizon” thus making returning to their old lifestyle unattractive). 

                                 “(An argument exists) that immigration is being used by Ireland to mask the defects in its education and training systems, which are the real causes of the skills shortage.” Instead of addressing the problems that exist in education and training, Ireland is becoming increasingly dependent on immigration to resolve its skills shortages.”[23] There is really no shortage of potential workers, but a skills shortage.  Ireland’s labor market is not working at maximum capacity.  “Taking the Irish education and training system first, it is clear that the Irish population are not one of the best educated in Europe.. Why bother training your existing workforce when it is possible to import foreign workers who already possess the skills the company needs?”  It seems that fewer and fewer Irish students are studying computer science or its related courses as females are turning to nursing and males are switching to business studies instead. Those Irish students who remain in computer-related studies focus more on the management-oriented positions, such as management information systems or project management, instead of programming.      

Emigration, Mobility, Out-Migration

                                 There has been an influx of emigration recently due to the global financial crisis.  The Herald newspaper has reported that “another 30,000 join exodus to Australia as the recession hits.”[24]  Since people living in Ireland cannot find work, they are looking towards moving to Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. “Ireland’s recession is encouraging eastern Europeans to leave.”[25]  They are now searching on internet sites, such as migrationabroad.com, Irishjobs.ie, RecruitGulf.com, and CaribbeanJobs.com.  

[1] “Ireland Immigration” from http://www.workpermit.com/ireland/ireland.htm

[2] http://www.iom.int/jahia/Jahia/pid/833 

[3] Page 7, “Immigration and Citizenship: African Immigrants in Ireland” by Theophilus Ejorh

[4] “Ireland Immigration” from http://www.workpermit.com/ireland/ireland.htm

[5] Page 191,  Review Essay: “Labour Migration to Ireland” from Translocations: The Irish Migration, Race and Social Transformation Review … http://www.imrstr.dcu.ie

[6] “Why Migration Matters” by Khalid Koser from Current History: April 2009

[7] Page 11, “Economic Emigration of Poles to Ireland: Report From a Survey” by Jacek Bielinski, Anna Radiukiewicz, Magdalena Larkowska

[8] “Life in the Shadows: An Exploration of Irregular Migration in Ireland” published by Migrant Rights Centra Ireland

[9] Page 5, “Ireland” by Piaras Mac Einri from Current Immigration Debates in Europe: A Publication of the European Migration Dialogue, Brussels/Dublin, September 2005

[10] Page 4, “Ireland” by Piaras Mac Einri from Current Immigration Debates in Europe: A Publication of the European Migration Dialogue, Brussels/Dublin, September 2005

[11] Page 5, “Ireland” by Piaras Mac Einri from Current Immigration Debates in Europe: A Publication of the European Migration Dialogue, Brussels/Dublin, September 2005

[12] Page 10, “Economic Emigration of Poles to Ireland: Report From a Survey” by Jacek Bielinski, Anna Radiukiewicz, Magdalena Larkowska, Warsaw, November 2006

[13] Page 13, “Economic Emigration of Poles to Ireland: Report From a Survey” by Jacek Bielinski, Anna Radiukiewicz, Magdalena Larkowska

[14] Page 24, “Economic Emigration of Poles to Ireland: Report From a Survey” by Jacek Bielinski, Anna Radiukiewicz, Magdalena Larkowska

[15] Page 25, “Economic Emigration of Poles to Ireland: Report From a Survey” by Jacek Bielinski, Anna Radiukiewicz, Magdalena Larkowska

[16] “Immigrant Population Doubles to 420,000” by Paul Melia from http://independent.ie/national-news/immigration-population—doubles-to-420000-1200879.html

[17] “Immigrant Population Doubles to 420,000” by Paul Melia from http://independent.ie/national-news/immigration-population—doubles-to-420000-1200879.html

[18] “President of Ireland Visits Latvia, Discusses Immigrant Communities (dated May 22, 2007) from http://www.workpermit.com/news/2007-05-22/eu/irish-visit-latvia-migration.htm

[19] “Searching for Fortune: The Geographical Process of Nigerian Migration to Dublin, Ireland” by Julius Komolafe (Doctoral Student at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland) … from http://www.africamigration.com/archive_01/j_komolafe_searching.htm

[20] “Immigration and Citizenship: African Immigrants in Ireland” by Theophilus Ejorh

[21] Page 13, “Life in the Shadows: An Exploration of Irregular Migration in Ireland” published by Migrant Rights Centra Ireland

[22] Page 29, “Life in the Shadows: An Exploration of Irregular Migration in Ireland” published by Migrant Rights Centra Ireland

[23] Page 3, “The Role of I.T. Migrants Working in Ireland: The Uneasy and Unstable Relationship Between Skills Shortages and Careers Choices” by Ian Bruff  (Dated May 2007)

[24] “Another 30,000 join exodus to Australia as recession hits” by Geraldine Gitten (dated January 22, 2009) from http://www.herald.ie/national-news

[25] http://migration.ucdavis.edu/mn

After a raging battle for the achieving the right for democracy and freedom, a judgment was passed upon. At the end of a dramatic day, Egypt’s willful protests finally took a turn as the powerful army promised to give them all they were fighting for. This raised high hopes as the people waited with baited breaths to hear the final verdict, that the president would end his 30 year rule. Instead, what met the ears of the people was not entirely good news. Mr. Mubarak instead said on television again that he would stay on till September.

This betrayal enraged protesters more and brought up protests from foreign powers, with the United States increasing international pressure on Mr. Mubarak to quit.

After the president’s speech, Barack Obama released a statement demanding an “unequivocal path toward genuine democracy” in Egypt, which has long been supported by massive US aid.

“The Egyptian people have been told that there was a transition of authority, but it is not yet clear that this transition is immediate, meaningful or sufficient,” he said.

“Too many Egyptians remain unconvinced that the government is serious about a genuine transition to democracy, and it is the responsibility of the government to speak clearly to the Egyptian people and the world.”