Finland has become in a short time a country that has lost its way. The police service, public officials like politicians and even ministers, who should know better, don’t. The most shameful matter that exposes these wretched times is that we’ve allowed xenophobia and nationalist populism to not only enter through the back door but through the main and wide one as well.
Month: February 2016
How “safe and reliable” is the Finnish police towards asylum seekers?
How are asylum seekers treated in Finland by the police? One would hope that it would be in a humane and respectful manner. Migrant Tales has published two stories about asylum seekers being handcuffed and locked up in a police cell for many hours for what we’d consider minor offenses.
Our image of Finland to asylum seekers is too rosy and full of myths that expose ethnocentrism and hypocrisy
As a sociologist, it’s interesting to note how Finland portrays itself to outsiders. One of these presentations is a three-volume Beginners guide to Finland published by the Finnish Immigration Service (FIS). Just like the populist catchphrase maassa maan tavalla, in Rome do as the Romans do, asylum seekers and migrants are being fed myths about ourselves.
Asylum seekers have exposed Europe’s schizophrenia and bigotry
Nothing could depict better Europe’s schizophrenia and hypocrisy concerning asylum seekers than what happened recently in eastern Germany, where a building that was going to house them was ablaze and cheered by some onlookers, according to the BBC.
Defining white Finnish privilege #27: White versus Other media
On occasions Migrant Tales, the Other media, does investigative journalism. When we do such type of investigative reporting it’s because there is a big story that needs to be told. One of these big stories that we scooped was on Luona, a private company that treats asylum seekers badly and makes money off them.
Racism Review: Debunking white supremacy
The United States has always been a white supremacy that masquerades as a democracy. For white racists those are fighting words. How dare anyone cast aspersions on the motives of America’s founding fathers? For shame.
Luona claims that it has zero tolerance for racism but can you teach a racist dog new tricks?
General manager Milja Saksi of Luona, a private company that operates seven asylum reception centers in Helsinki, Espoo, and Vantaa, claims to have taken necessary steps to address the racist treatment of its asylum seekers, according to YLE.
Police study on immigration paints a threatening and bleak picture of Finland’s ever-growing culturally diverse society
Weird things happen when an anti-immigration party like the Perussuomalaiset (PS)* get power and partner with two other mainstream parties, the Center Party and National Coalition Party (NCP), which have done too little to tackle racism and discrimination in Finland. One of the many things that can happen is a study, “Immigration, Security and Foresight,” published with the blessings of the council of state.
Never underestimate – even in Finland – the power of the word and fearless investigative journalism
The power of the word and fearless investigative journalism does pay off even in countries like Finland. Today YLE published a big story about the abuses and poor treatment that asylum seekers get at the reception centers run by Luona, a private company.
Tighter family reunification laws spearheaded by the PS with the government’s blessing are an example of the Denmarkization of Finland
It’s a good matter that government plans to tighten family reunification guidelines have met a stormy reception. We all know that the Perussuomalasiet (PS)*, who base their popularity on anti-immigration rhetoric, are spearheading new tighter guidelines that will make family reunification much harder.