Month: March 2019

Kemi is a good example of Finland’s hostile environment against asylum seekers and migrants

Posted on by Migrant Tales

The small 50-70 strong Iraqi community of the northern Finnish city of Kemi (pop. 21,256 in 2017) is feeling the brunt of the Islamophobic reaction of the highly publicized sexual assault cases of Oulu, located just 106 km from the city. 

Even before the sexual assault cases became public at the end of last year, the situation of the small Iraqi community of Kemi was problematic.

One Iraqi resident of Kemi alleged in 2017 that the Red Cross advised Muslim asylum seekers not leave their homes after eight pm on Saturdays because it was too dangerous.

Apart from the hostile environment against asylum seekers and presence of far-right vigilante groups like the Soldiers of Odin, one asylum seeker was shot at in 2016 and another one had his middle finger broken by a member of the vigilante group.

And let’s not forget Islamophobic Kemi city counsellors like Harri Tauriainen of the Perussuomalaiset* party.

“Matters are now worse [in Kemi] than before because of what happened in Oulu,” said a former asylum seeker, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Kemi is a city located 106 km from Oulu and 711 km north from Helsinki. Source: MTV.

According to the Kemi resident,  Iraqis fear going out of their homes at night. One asylum seeker who went to Lidl, called the source at 8.30 pm because he feared walking back home at night.

Continue reading “Kemi is a good example of Finland’s hostile environment against asylum seekers and migrants”

A deportation that broke a family of three (or four) in Kemi, Finland

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Migrant Tales understands that the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) ordered on Wednesday the detention of three asylum seekers living in the northern Finnish city of Kemi. Two of them, the father and son, were deported Thursday at 12:30 from Helsinki to Lebanon. The wife, who experienced the loss of her son in 2015 due to cancer, has gone into hiding after she escaped from the hospital. 

The woman was interned after she fainted and fell ill when the authorities came to detain her, the husband and son in Kemi.

The Red Cross identification cards of the Lebanese-Syrian asylum seekers.

 

“The son is buried in Kemi and even if Migri wants to deport the women, she refuses to leave the country because she does not want to be far from her deceased son,” said a source who spoke on condition of anonymity. “The family is from Lebanon but they have lived many years in Syria and are naturalized citizens of that country.”

THIS STORY WILL BE UPDATED.

 

Abdirahim Husu Hussein: It’s time for change

Posted on by Migrant Tales

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Have you applied for hundreds of jobs without even getting invited to an interview? Positions that are suddenly filled, once you contact them and they hear your name? Jobs, that are being given to people with half your qualifications… but with a Finnish background?

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Have you had your dreams of higher education slashed by your guidance counsellor and other authorities; been told that you wouldn’t make it and should instead apply to ammattikoulu? Have you worked hard towards becoming a doctor, professor, engineer and so on, only to be recommended you become a lähihoitaja?

Have you been disrespected, called names, abused (verbally, physically, online…) and made to feat that sort of treatment simply because of your name, religion, colour of your skin or the language you were heard talking?

Continue reading “Abdirahim Husu Hussein: It’s time for change”

One step forward for Islamophobes and two steps back for the Finnish media

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Perussuomalaiset (PS)* MP Teuvo Hakkarainen, convicted for ethnic agitation and sexual harassment, is on the roll with the media again. This time, the PS MP has taped on his car anti-immigration slogans like “stop refugee terrorism – out of this country every [asylum seeker] man.” 

These type of racist slogans are in special bad taste after what happened in New Zealand, where a white supremacist murdered in cold blood 50 Muslims.

While Hakkarainen is getting free advertisement and laughing all the way to the bank, few if any media is openly condemning this type of Islamophobia. At least not Helsingin Sanomat..

The Helsingin Sanomat article makes no mention about Hakkarainen’s criminal record or even questions his claim that asylum seekers cost Finland 3.2 billion euros a year. Hakkarainen’s source is a tabloid, Iltalehti, of a blogger that belongs to the same party as the PS MP and who is staunchly Islamophobic.

Read the full story (in Finnish) here.

Considering that the PS was in government (2015-2017) and that its chairperson, Jussi Halla-aho played down what happened in New Zealand and that one of its youth leaders condoned what happened by blaming it on “multiculturalism,” it is clear why there is a hostile environment in Finland against Muslims and migrants.

Such type of weak reporting happens a lot because the media somehow agrees with politicians like Hakkarainen.

The media is one clear culprit in Finland’s hostile environment.

Continue reading “One step forward for Islamophobes and two steps back for the Finnish media”

Statement Islamic Society of Northern Finland: Leadership is needed

Posted on by Migrant Tales

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POHJOIS – SUOMEN ISLAMILAINEN YHDYSKUNTA

ISLAMIC SOCEITY OF NORTHERN FINLAND

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         We on behalf of Islamic Society of Northern Finland would like to state the following with reference to the atrocities and masacar happened in New Zealand.

Atrocities such as what happened in New Zealand Friday not only instilled fear in the Muslim community of Finland but is a warning that this will happen again until the media and politicians take a tough stand against all forms of hatred like Islamophobia. We need such leadership in Finland today.

The mosque of Oulu has been attacked nine times since 2017, with the last one taking place on February 26. The suspect was caught on our video camera smashing the window at 5:10 am with a bike rack and throwing a smoke grenade into the premises.

Finland is a country that functions on the rule of law where religious freedom is guaranteed. Another important right that everyone, irrespective of his or her background, is to live in a country where one feels secure.

Despite the nine attacks against our mosque, the police have not turned up one suspect so far unfortunately.

It is saddening that the response of the media and politicians to hate speech and victimization of groups like Muslims in Finland goes generally unheeded. Almost every single day in Finland, Muslims are the subject to media onslaught and suspicious scrutiny. We are placed in a negative public light by people who should know better and who have influence over public opinion.

The situation is serious and we need leadership to tackle this problem, which, if not addressed, will lead to other attacks, even atrocities.

We are confident that Finland has the means to tackle this problem.

Moreover as per Finland Constitution Article No 1 and 10 all have rights to be secured. So the security of Muslim Community is important as per law.

As per law everyone should be allowed to practice their religion peacefully. Disturbing by any means is not allowed as per law.

 

Dr. Abdul Mannan

President and the Executive Board

Islamic Society of Northern Finland.

0500582371

 

 

Tiedote Pohjois – Suomen Islamilainen Yhdyskunta: Suomi tarvitse johtajutta

Posted on by Migrant Tales

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POHJOIS – SUOMEN ISLAMILAINEN YHDYSKUNTA

ISLAMIC SOCEITY OF NORTHERN FINLAND

??????? ????????? ????? ??????

 

         Pohjois-Suomen Islamilaisen yhdyskunnan puolesta haluamme antaa lausuntomme liittyen Uuden-Seelannissa tapahtuneeseen verilöylyyn ja julmuuteen.

Julmuudet Uudessa-Seelannissa ei vain istuttanut pelkoa muslimiyhteisöön suomessa, vaan myös varoitti meitä, että tällaista tulee tapahtumaan uudestaan niin kauan kunnes media ja poliitikot ottavat voimakkaan kannan vastustaa kaikenlaista vihaa ja islamofobiaa. Me tarvitsemme sellaista johtajuutta Suomessa tänä päivänä.

Oulun Moskeijaan on hyökätty yhdeksän kertaa sitten vuoden 2017, näistä viimeisin tapahtui kahdeskymmeneskuudes helmikuuta. Epäilty näkyy videovalvonnasta kuinka hän hajottaa ikkunoita pyörätelineellä ja heittää savukranaatin meidän tiloihin aamulla kymmenen yli viisi.

Suomi on maa, jossa on taattu uskonnonvapaus. Toinen oikeus, joka on jokaisella riippumatta hänen taustastaan, on elää rauhassa.

Yhdeksästä hyökkäyksestä huolimatta, poliisi ei ole ottanut kiinni valitettavasti ainuttakaan epäiltyä.

Olemme pahoillamme, että median ja poliitikkojen reaktio vihapuheeseen ja esimerkiksi tiettyjen ryhmien kuten muslimien uhriksi joutumiseen on yleensä ollut huomiotta jättämistä. Lähes päivittäin muslimit joutuvat median hyökkäyksen kohteeksi ja ovat myös epäilevän valvonnan alla. Meidät asetetaan kielteiseen julkiseen valoon niiden ihmisten toimesta, joiden pitäisi tietää paremmin ja joilla on vaikutus yleiseen mielipiteeseen.

Ensimmäinen perustuslaki sanoo: Valtio turvaa ihmisarvonloukkaamattomuuden ja yksilön vapauden ja oikeudet sekä edistää oikeudenmukaisuutta yhteiskunnassa.

Kymmenes perustuslaki sanoo: Jokaisen yksityiselämä, kunnia ja kotirauha on turvattu.

Näiden perustuslakien perusteella kaikilla on oikeus olla turvassa. Joten lain mukaan meidän turvallisuus on erittäin tärkeää. Lisäksi kaikilla pitäisi olla oikeus harjoittaa uskontoaan rauhassa. Uskonnon häirintää ei pitäisi missään muotoa sallia.

Tilanne on hyvin vakava ja me tarvitsemme johtajuutta tarttumaan tähän ongelmaan, joka ilman puuttumista johtaa muihin hyökkäyksiin ja julmuuksiin.

Me olemme varmoja, että Suomella on työkalut tarttua tähän haasteeseen.

Oulu 18.3.2019

Dr. Abdul Mannan

Puheenjohtaja ja

Pohjois-Suomen Islamilaisen yhdyskunnan johtokunta     

Osoite: Linnankatu 23-25, 90100 Oulu                                                               Puh: 0500582371

The Perussuomalaiset of Finland try to play down New Zealand atrocities but fail

Posted on by Migrant Tales

In Finland, the Perussuomalaiset (PS)* is an extremist far-right party that fear-mongers about Muslims and migrants. For many PS politicians, the Oulu sexual abuse cases came as an election lifesaver until Friday, when an Australian white supremacist murdered in cold blood 49 Muslims in Christchurch, New Zealand. 

The future for the PS looks bleak. Different stories about the party speculate that some 200,000 voters are going to ditch the PS in the April 14 parliamentary elections.

From the reactions of some PS members to the atrocities in New Zealand, show a sense of dread.

What do extremists do when a murderous killing happens by people who are ideologically in the same ballpark? They find excuses to justify what happened, play it down or change the story completely.

Here is a PS Youth leader of Lapland who condones what happened.

 

What did Johannes Sipola say in the tweet?

“The New Zealand case show ever-convincingly that multicultural society does not work. When other people [of other backgrounds] rape and kill enough [people], it is only a question of time when there will be a reaction from the opposite side. First and foremost, everyone defends their own.”

Continue reading “The Perussuomalaiset of Finland try to play down New Zealand atrocities but fail”

Once again politicians and the media show no leadership about the terrorist attack in New Zealand

Posted on by Migrant Tales

THIS STORY WAS UPDATED

…everything we say to try to tear people apart, demonizing particular groups, set them against each other…that all has consequences.

Waleed, a news presenter from TheProjectTV

The atrocity we witnessed through the media of the cold-blooded and calculated killings that left so far 49 dead and many wounded in New Zealand were not mentioned once by some ministers on Facebook. These ministers are the ones who have fueled and nurtured Finland’s hostile environment against Muslims and migrants. Moreover, how many editorials did you find in the Finnish media about what happened in New Zealand and how it is a warning to us too? 

Certainly, many politicians and government ministers were quick to show their moral outrage at the sexual abuse cases of Oulu by “people of foreign origin,” which is code for asylum seeker, Muslim and non-EU citizen.

The head of the National Coalition Party, Economy Minister Petteri Orpo, and Interior Minister Kai Mykkänen, were quick to pin the blame on the Muslim community for what some 20 suspects did. Mykkänen suggested that nationality laws would change and that a naturalized person’s citizenship could be revoked.

In one ad you can hear the voice of Minister for European Affairs, Culture and Sports Sampo Terho, who heads Blue Reform,* one of the three members of the government, stating the “accomplishments” of his party. These are: “residence permits are no longer issued on permanent bases, the asylum process is faster and appeal times shorter for refugees, and tighter family reunification laws.”

Everything that Terho states and which Prime Minister Juha Sipilä approves with his silence, is stoking and fueling the fires of hatred and Islamophobia in Finland.

Last but not least is Foreign Minister Timo Soini, who with his crafty opportunism gave far-right extremist Islamophobes a platform and voice. In the end, Soini got his fingers burned badly because of those forces that h aimed to keep on a short leash. He got bit back by them and brough his political future to tailspin in flames.

Soini’s office did shed a few crocodile tears for the victims in New Zealand by stating that what happened was “a cowardly attack of terrorism.”

Cowardly? I would point to the cowardice of the Sipilä’s government on challenging Islamophobia and anti-migration hatred.

It is clear that National Coalition Party Justice Minister Antti Häkkänen doesn’t like Muslims but is ready to capitalize on such hatred for his political means. He’s all for tougher laws and warns us about Sharia law when that is not even on the table in Finland.

What is lacking in Finland before and today is the moral courage to speak out against racism and fascism.

Disagree? Exaggerating matters?

What about the tweet below by Johannes Sipola, a Perussuomalaiset (PS)* Youth leader of the Northern Finnish region of Lapland?

What did Sipola say about the terrorist attack in New Zealand?

“The New Zealand case show ever-convincingly that multicultural society does not work. When other people [of other backgrounds] rape and kill enough [people], it is only a question of time when there will be a reaction from the opposite side. First and foremost, everyone defends their own.

The tweet above and the lack of condemnation [which Sipola would love to get] speaks volumes about the present situation.

I hope that what happened in New Zealand is a wake-up call to all of us and a warning that matters are spinning rapidly out of control. Will the Islamophobic PS, its silent supporters for its anti-Muslim rhetoric in government do well in the April parliamentary elections?

Let’s see what April 14 reveals.

* The far-right Perussuomalaiset (PS) party imploded on June 13, 2017, into two factions, the PS and New Alternative, which is now called Blue Reform. Despite the name changes, we believe that it is the same party in different clothing. Both factions are hostile to cultural diversity never mind Muslims and other visible minorities. One is more open about it while the other says it in a different way.

A direct translation of Perussuomalaiset in English would be something like “basic” or “fundamental Finn.” Official translations of the Finnish name of the party, such as Finns Party or True Finns, promote in our opinion nativist nationalism and racism. We, therefore, at Migrant Tales prefer to use in our postings the Finnish name of the party once and after that the acronym PS.

Twitter: Perussuomalaiset Youth leader condones terrorist attack in New Zealand

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Johannes Sipola is a Perussuomalaiset (PS)* Youth leader of the Northern Finnish region of Lapland. He makes provocative statements like wishing only white men a nice father’s day but in the latest one, he condones the terrorist attack in New Zealand.

So what did Sipola say?

In the tweet below, he states: “The New Zealand case show ever-convincingly that multicultural society does not work. When other people [of other backgrounds] rape and kill enough [people], it is only a question of time when there will be a reaction from the opposite side. First and foremost, everyone defends their own kind.”

This statement is by a member of a party that was in government and has 17 MPs. The PS is participating in the upcoming parliamentary elections of April 14 and hopes to capitalize on anti-immigration sentiment as it did in the 2011 and 2015 elections.

* The far-right Perussuomalaiset (PS) party imploded on June 13, 2017, into two factions, th e PS and New Alternative, which is now called Blue Reform. Despite the name changes, we believe that it is the same party in different clothing. Both factions are hostile to cultural diversity never mind Muslims and other visible minorities. One is more open about it while the other says it in a different way.

A direct translation of Perussuomalaiset in English would be something like “basic” or “fundamental Finn.” Official translations of the Finnish name of the party, such as Finns Party or True Finns, promote in our opinion nativist nationalism and racism. We, therefore, at Migrant Tales prefer to use in our postings the Finnish name of the party once and after that the acronym PS.