MO TOURE has opened up on the hurt caused by people telling migrants to go back home.
The Norwich striker is set to lead the line on Saturday in the cauldron atmosphere of Carrow Road for the East Anglian derby against bitter rivals Ipswich.
But while that will be fierce, an uglier conflict has been simmering nationwide.
As small boats continue to cross the Channel, some angry protestors have taken to the streets with a blunt three-word message: “Go back home.”
Yet Toure, 22, — before moving to Australia as a baby — was born on a West African refugee camp after his parents fled the butchery of the Liberian Civil War in 1990.
The striker opened up to SunSport about the squalor of his early months and the 18-day journey his dad made by foot to save his own life.
He said: “It hurts. As an immigrant the videos hurt more when I see people telling migrants to go home — because where we came from was very tough. You can’t let one person’s actions define immigrants.
“There are good people who just want a better, safer life for their kids — especially those fleeing war.”
To understand Toure’s message you have to understand the nightmare his dad Amara escaped.
When the war in Liberia turned his world to ash, he did not have a plane ticket or visa — only his feet.
The Norwich star said: “My dad walked for 18 days to reach the Guinea border and lived in a refugee camp for FOURTEEN years. It was there he met my mum Mawa, who is also from Liberia. It was also where my older brother Al Hassan and I were born.
“We moved to Australia while I was still a baby — so I was never able to fully comprehend how life was for my parents until we went back with my dad to visit 10 years ago.
“He built a mud-hut to live in and every day they had to wake up there. It was crowded, unhygienic, humid and hot.
“The toilet was so close to the kitchen, where you shower, everything was compact. It’s not like in a normal house where you can just walk around and do different things.
“It was an eye-opener and served to motivate me even more. Dad didn’t want us having that life and that’s why he got us out.”
It was during a chance meeting with a charity relief worker called Kristine Galloway that Toure’s parents pursued moving to Australia — after she told them their family would be welcomed Down Under.
They moved to Adelaide and Toure and his brother Al Hassan ended up taking up football and becoming professionals capped by Australia.
But the transition from a camp to immigrants in a new country was not easy.
Toure said: “It’s hard when you move to another country with no connections and have three kids. You don’t get to live the life you planned.
“My dad sacrificed a lot. He went back to school and got an education. He went to university so he could get a better job to take care of his family.
“At that time neither parent had a driving licence so Mum took us to school by bus and then went home by bus too. And if we missed the bus, she’d worry about us being late so would walk.
“Mum made a lot of sacrifices taking care of us as refugees coming into a new country. She couldn’t speak good English so the language barrier was the hardest.”
Australia gave the Toure family an opportunity to live a better life and when he watches anti-immigration videos on TV or social media it hits a nerve.
Yet despite this Toure says he is not angry and even FORGIVES people for holding those views.
He told me: “Although it hurts, I forgive them because they don’t understand.
“You can’t really judge somebody who hasn’t lived a certain life. So it’s not something I’m angry about — I feel like it’s just understanding.
“If you don’t understand something, your opinion can’t really hurt me because you need to know what these immigrants go through.”
African hardship is something close to Toure’s heart. The continent has suffered famines, extreme poverty and wars.
Toure has supported a number of African charity initiatives — particularly in removing financial barriers to help children play sport.
He said: “I feel that people like us who have left the continent should try to give something back.
“Two prime examples are Sadio Mane and N’Golo Kante. They use their wealth and influence to invest back home.
“I’ve always felt if everyone could do something small, it could make a big difference.”
Toure has been brilliant since signing for the Canaries during the January transfer window from Danish club Randers.
He became the first Norwich player to score a hat-trick on his full debut since Laurie Sheffield in 1966 — netting the opener in 51 SECONDS!
The striker had to sit out a month of action after a groin injury but has come off the bench in the last two games and is expected to start in the weekend.
Norwich go into the game on the back of six wins and a draw out of their last eight games under former Monaco and Rangers boss Philippe Clement.
All of that is a far cry from the awful start to the season under ex-boss Liam Manning, who was sacked in November with the club in the relegation zone.
Toure said: “It was a great start. I never imagined I’d make that kind of impact so quickly.
“And the team has been in good form. The management deserve all the credit.
“The manager’s mentality and the demands he makes have been great. He knows how to get us to be the best version of ourselves. He has been the mastermind.”
This summer Toure has a World Cup to look forward to with Australia — as they take on Turkey, USA and Paraguay. And the Norwich star is set to lead the line.
He said: “We’ve already been written off. The USA celebrated when they were drawn against us. I can’t wait to play them!
“But it’s going to be a proud moment to represent a country that gave my family a home and a chance to make a better life.”
