Month: April 2011

Demari: Syrjinnällä ei sijaa hallituspolitiikassa

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Comment:An editorial in Demari states that the Social Democratic Party should not form part of a government that supports exclusion and hostility towards   immigrants, refugees and  lowering development aid. The editorial of the daily of the Social Democratic Party is like a whiff of fresh air after the PS scored its historical election victory on Sunday. 

Like all of the traditional political parties in Finland, the Social Democrats have a lot of sensible veteran politicians among their ranks. Didn’t the party play an important role in building Finland’s welfare state?

The Social Democrats are divided along two camps concerning immigration: Eero Heinäluoma-Jutta Urpilainen, the current leadership that brought us maassa maan tavala, and those who disagree. Former foreign minister Erkki Tuomioja belongs to the latter camp. 

Tuomioja is interviewed in a separate article in Demari on his views on the ongoing talks to form government with Kokoomus and PS.

As we know, there are anti-immigration representatives in all Finnish parties but not as many and as outspoken as among the PS. 

Caving in to xenophobia and ultra-conservative values that encourage gender and social inequality in our society is not the path that Finland should take. Fortunately Kokoomus and the Social Democrats are not in favor of building a PS romantic problem-free all-white Finland that never existed and where post-modern art is scorned.

The threat to the PS will not come from abroad but from the political monster that Soini has created.  Feeding that monster will be its simplistic and hostile views of minorities, women and the outside world.

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Eduskuntavaalien tulos huolestuttaa suurta osaa kansaa. Perussuomalaisten suurvoiton pelätään muuttavan Suomen maaksi, jossa suvaitsevaisuutta, kansainvälisyyttä ja monikulttuurisuutta arvostavat eivät tunne oloaan kotoiseksi. Monet uhkaavat muuttaa muualle.

Read whole story.

Suomen Kuvalehti.fi: Arvovaalit? Päinvastoin

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Comment: This column by Hanna Leivonniemi shows how the Finnish media and the politicians avoided debating during the campaign issues like the role of tolerance of minorities in our society. You guessed it: the media and politicians failed miserably on this front. 

True Finns’ chairman Timo Soini was even asked at an TV election debate what he thought about Jussi Halla-aho, a candidate of the True Finns and a member of the far-right Suomen Sisu association. Soini not only said Halla-aho did a good job as a Helsinki city councilman but the rest of the candidates didn’t even bother to question Soini’s remark.  

Silence is another form of tacit approval of the role of racism in our society. The Finnish media has played a role in this silence.    

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Hanna Leivonniemi

Kun maahanmuuttovastaisuudestaan tunnetut ruotsidemokraatit viime syksynä näyttivät tuplaavan äänimääränsä Ruotsin valtiopäivillä, ruotsalainen yhteiskunta, media sen mukana, ryhtyi vastarintaan.

Read whole story.

True Finns’ Soini lashes out at the foreign media

Posted on by Migrant Tales

By Enrique Tessieri

While True Finns’ chairman Timo Soini tries to calm Finns and the outside world that “we’re not extremists, so you can sleep safely,” an eerie lull prevails over Finland as talks begin on forming a coalition government with Kokoomus, Social Democrats and the True Finns. Soini’s most recent outbreak was with the Swedish media, whom he branded on MTV3 as “unbelievable.”

One of the interesting debates going on between people in Finland is figuring out a suitable adjective to describe the True Finns.

Is it a racist party, xenophobic, protest, nationalistic, euroskeptic, ultra-conservative/conservative, populist, far-right or all or none of the above? Probably the answer to that question lies in the following query: What do the True Finns support, according to their election manifesto and blog writings of some of their newly elected MPs?

Would we call the True Finns a party that has spoken out against racism in Finland? Has it championed for women’s rights and gender equality? What about its views on pollution and its relationship with the outside world and Russia? Should Finland ditch the European Monetary Union and eventually the European Union? Do they approve and encourage cultural diversity? If so how is it realized? What about same-sex marriages? What do they think about Islam?

The BBC reports: “They (True Finns) believe that a low birth rate is not solved by immigration, as that results in problems and foreigners do not fit into Finnish culture. Instead, young women should study less and spend more time giving birth to pure Finnish children. That is like a faint echo of Nazi ideology.”

If Soini disagrees with these types of descriptions of his party, he should come out and condemn forcefully those in the True Finns who preach such things indirectly or directly.

If we look at Europe’s right-wing populist parties that have grown in recent years, their popularity is based on three contentions: hostility to Brussels, immigration and Islam. In many respects, the True Finns are no different in their “critical stance” of these three matters.

Some elected True Finns like Jussi Halla-aho, a member of the far-right Suomen Sisu association, said on election eve that the election victory was attributable to its anti-immigration and anti-EU stance.

In a cat-and-mouse game trying not to reveal the true face of the party, Soini has said that only 10% of the support that the True Finns got comes from anti-immigration. Whom do you believe?

I am certain that electing a party like the True Finns will not undermine xenophobia, racism and inequality in this country because the party indirectly gives its blessing to people who support these types of social illnesses.

Thanks to the independent media in Finland and abroad we can rest assured that politicians like Soini, True Finns and other parties won’t be able to mold their own comfortable image of themselves to the public.

There is a lot of concern in Finland as well as abroad about what the rise of a populist, anti-immigration and euroskeptic party implies for our country and Europe. That is why so much has been written about the True Finns as of late.

HS: Perussuomalaisten ohjelmajohtaja haluaa puolueet päättämään taiteesta

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Comment: I once sat next to True Finns elected MP Vesa-Matti Saarakkala at a panel last year and was disappointed that such a young man had his head stuck stuck so deep in prejudice. Saarakkala, who is vice chairman of the True Finns, was one of the thirteen who signed last year the Nuiva immigration proposal,  which was drafted by the far-right Suomen Sisu wing of the True Finns.

Helsingin Sanomat recently reported that some of the books that Suomen Sisu has on its shelves are by Nazi war criminal Alfred Rosenberg and David Duke, the former head of the Klu Klux Klan.

Another “threat” that Saarakkala sees Finland facing is art. In an interview in Helsingin Sanomat below, he reiterates that the state should stop funding post-modern art. He feels that more funds should be earmarked for art that strengthens Finnish identity. These include the Kalevala and artists like Edelfelt, Gallen-Kallela and Sibelius, which he felt are losing ground in Finland.

Thanks to Saarakkala and the True Finns, this blog has never seen such a growth in daily hits. Thousands have visited us recently, even publications like Time magazine have cited Migrant Tales. 

The aim of this blog “is to debate some of the salient issues facing the immigrant and minority community in Finland. It aims to be a voice for those whose views and situation are understood poorly and heard faintly by the media, politicians and public.”

With the True Finns having entered the political landscape now, that voice is needed more than ever.

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Teemu Luukka

Perussuomalaisten eduskuntavaaliohjelmassa on poliittiseksi ohjelmaksi harvinaisen pitkä kulttuuripoliittinen osio. Kulttuuri on 14-osaisen ohjelman alussa heti aatelinjausten jälkeen – siis paljon ennen talous- tai sosiaalipoliittisia osioita. Kulttuurista kirjassa kirjoitetaan yhtä paljon kuin veropolitiikasta.

Read whole story.

Finland election: Where are the True Finns heading?

Posted on by Migrant Tales

By Enrique Tessieri

After the fanfare dies down a Herculean task awaits the True Finns after their Sunday election victory: Which direction should Finland be heading if it sits in a coalition government with Kokoomus and the Social Democrats?

One of the first biggest challenges that True Finns’ chairman Timo Soini now faces is the political inexperience of most of his 39 MPs. Such inexperience may lead to infighting, serious undercurrents and intrigue which the tabloids and media will exploit to the fullest.

True Finns parodies have already emerged. Thank you Paavo for this link (in Finnish).

Even though it is difficult to find e suitable adjective to describe Soini’s party, it is a hodge podge of far-right elements, Islamophobists, small businessmen, nationalists and even socialists.

Probably a suitable description is “protest” party.  Swedish researcher Liisa Bjurwald, who published on Monday Europas skam – rasister på frammarsch (Europe’s shame – the rise of racism), sees the True Finns as an “anti-immigration right-wing populist” party.

An analyst I spoke to Monday said: “The True Finns have their work cut out for them. Their inexperienced MPs are no match for the veteran politicians of Kokoomus and Social Democratic parties. Keeping all these political currents in the party flowing in same direction will prove difficult (for Soini).”

If we look at the far-right wing of the True Finns led by Suomen Sisu members like Jussi Halla-aho, their problem will be Finland’s underwhelming immigrant and refugee population. Even if they are obsessed by Somalians, there aren’t enough of them to exploit indefinitely.

Halla-aho’s future as a politician paradoxically depends on how many Muslims and Somalians move to Finland. With the present negative climate, I doubt that many immigrants in general will want to bring their skills to this country.

Another factor that voters will be watching closely during the next four years will be if the True Finns can play ball with the other parties. As mentioned, group unity and inexperience will weigh heavily on the party.

Another factor we must keep in mind it that despite the fact that about 20% voted for the True Finns in the election, 80% voted for traditional parties. Xenophobic groups like Muutos2011 and Vapauspuolue did miserably in the election.

Time will tell as many things about the True Finns and their policies. What it may reveal at the end of the day may be very different from our present expectations and fears.

guardian.co.uk: Attack on ‘blasphemous’ art work fires debate on role of religion in France

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Comment: In the 1960s in the United States there was a TV show called To Tell the Truth where you were supposed to figure out during 20 minutes who was the correct person out of three guests with the same name. At the end of the show the commentator stated: “Will the real Mr. X please stand up.” Figuring out how secular countries like France are is a bit of a retake of that famous show.

If the True Finns used their anti-immigration stand to lure votes in Sunday’s election, the same shameful opportunism is being used elsewhere by French President Nicolas Sarkozy to improve his election bid in 2012.

The article below shows how religion and politics don’t mix.

Controversy has followed artist Andres Serrano ever since he placed in 1987 a crucifix in his own urine (Piss Christ) and photographed it. His work has been the target of attacks by Catholic fundamentalist.

Serrano states that Piss Christ is a statement on the misuse of religion.

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By Angelique Chrisafis

• Intruders vandalise photo day after Christian protest
• Exhibitor blames Sarkozy speech for inflaming issue

When New York artist Andres Serrano plunged a plastic crucifix into a glass of his own urine and photographed it in 1987 under the title Piss Christ, he said he was making a statement on the misuse of religion.

Read whole story.

CNN: Burqa ban turns a right into a crime

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Comment: Below is a well-balanced opinion-piece on the Burqa ban in France that some True Finns’ Islamophobists should take the time to read before they decide to go on a similar path in Finland. 

The following statement summarizes well the “problem” in France:  “The full force of the state is coming down on fewer than 2,000 Muslim women out of a population of 6.5 million French Muslim citizens. For what purpose? We are told it is for security, the preservation of “French values” and to alleviate the oppression of women.”

I personally believe in a secular society but I respect those that may disagree with that view. Our liberal, democratic and Western society permits us to make lifestyle choices that are exclusively our own. 

Banning dress or other forms of cultural expression should never be the role of the state except for in exceptional circumstances.  

Moreover, undermining civil liberties is an attack on our own values and usually ends up becoming a Pyrrhic argument.

Do you agree?

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Sarah Joseph*

London, England (CNN) — The ban imposed by French President Sarkozy on wearing a face-covering veil, or niqab, is simply dangerous gesture politics, representing little more than pandering to the far right in France.

Read whole story.

*Sarah Joseph OBE is the CEO and editor of emel Media. She is a regular contributor to public and governmental discussions pertaining to Islam and was listed by Washington’s Georgetown University as one of the world’s 500 most influential Muslims.

Soini’s probable hello-goodbye-thank-you-ma’m kiss to xenophobia

Posted on by Migrant Tales

By Enrique Tessieri

Will we see in the comming weeks a gentle hello-goodype-thank-you-ma’m kiss from True Finns chairman Timo Soini to the xenophobic wing of the party? A total of six people who signed the xenophobic Nuiva manifest last year got elected to parliament. The best-known of these are Jussi Halla-aho and former Finnish State Railways (VR) employee James Hirvisaari.

I personally would be pretty surprised if Soini allowed these far-right crusaders get a dominant position in the party. They could be the very ones that can challenge Soini’s leadership and force the party to implode.

We’ll know the answer to what kind of kiss Soini will give these far-right representatives if the True Finns form part of the next coalition government.

The other four “Nuiva gang” members that got elected are Vesa-Matti Saarakkala, Juho Erola, Olli Immonen and Maria Lohela, who isn’t too fond of Muslims.

Finland 2011 election: A perilous watershed

Posted on by Migrant Tales

By Enrique Tessieri

Sunday’s election in Finland was historic for many reasons. For one it ushered in a populist party with far-right and xenophobic elements to the Eduskunta (Parliament). In order to comprehend the new political landscape of Finland, we must use hindsight to understand what has happened.

While some like the Social Democrats blame ever-growing social inequality in welfare state Finland and globalization for the convincing victory of the True Finns, I believe it has its roots deep in the cold war period. Even if Finland paid a high price for allying itself with Nazi Germany in the Continuation War (1941-44) and for waging war against the former Soviet Union, far-right nationalism in this country was never challenged.

This type of nationalism was maintained with the help of our hatred of the Russians and our general perceptions of other cultures based unfortunately on myths and racism.

One has only to look at the number of immigrants during the cold war era and the foreign investment laws to understand that at least in the laws Finland was an off-limits country for outsiders.

Apart from passing its first Aliens Act in 1983, or 65 years after we gained independence in 1917, Finland kept foreign investment on a very short leash through the Restricting Act of 1939. With the help of the law, equity ownership was capped at 20% and, with special permission up to 40%.  Foreigners could not own land and weren’t allowed to establish companies in the following sectors: forestry, mining, shipping, refining and securities trading.

If you were a so-called alien before 1983, you did not even have the right to habeas corpus. Soviet refugees were returned back to the USSR as well to face long-term imprisonment in asylums.

Is the True Finns’ victory a return to the cold war preiod or a twenty-first version of it?

One of the first statements on television by the anti-immigration wing of the Perussuomalsiet (PS)* led by Jussi Halla-aho, who got elected in Helsinki, was on immigration. He interpreted the True Finns’ victory as a vote against Finland’s immigration policy and the European Union.

It is kind of odd that while 2.9% of the population of Finland are non-Finns, Halla-aho and his followers are steadfast on tightening immigration policy. Is this a first preview of Denmark a la Danish People’s Party? We don’t know.

In neighboring Sweden, where 14% of its population consist of non-Swedes,  the xenophobic Sweden Democrats got 5.3% of the vote.

Even though Sunday’s election is a clear indication that about 20% of the Finns are fed up with the government’s EU policy, immigration and the weakening of the comprehensive social welfare state, it does not mean that the majority of the Finns are on a protest-vote warpath. The majority gave their support to the traditional parties and their values of our society.

The election will stand out as a dangerous watershed for Finland. As Finland finds it more difficult to finance its social welfare state with the help of borrowed money, thus fuelling social inequality, matters will get worse before they improve.

Far-right populism is an illness inflicting Europe at present and it now has a beachhead in Finland.

* The Finnish name of the Finns Party is the Perussuomalaiset (PS). The names adopted by the PS, like True Finns or Finns Party, promote in our opinion nativist nationalism and xenophobia. We therefore prefer to use the Finnish name of the party on our postings.

Finland election: True Finns score big but Kokoomus wins

Posted on by Migrant Tales

By Enrique Tessieri

The True Finns should thank their historic victory on troubled countries like Greece, Ireland, Portugal as well as those embattled immigrants, refugees and their children that have had to put with the hostility of such parties. Maybe Timo Soini should thank globalization as well and the ever-increasing social inequality in our country for his victory.

When I started this blog in May 2007 I started to write about immigration and prejudice. The first critics that swarmed on my blog were steadfast about one matter: There was no racism or it was only a minor problem in Finland. These bloggers should take a look at Sunday’s result and what it means.

My hunch in 2007 was correct but it does not make me happy. I would have wanted to have been proven wrong: bigotry and far-right populism are an issue in this country.

With 100% of the votes counted here are the final results: Kokoomus (20.4%/44 seats), Social Democrats (19.1%/42), True Finns (19.0%/39), Center Party (15.8%/35), Leftwing Alliance (8.1%/14), Greens (7.2%/10), Swedish People’s Party (4.3%/9), Christian Democrats (4.0%/6), and ÅS  (0.4%/1).

In Finland the party that wins the election forms government. In this case it is Kokoomus.