Russian strongman Vladimir Putin’s plans of breathing new life into a second take of the Soviet empire by invading Ukraine have backfired and produced the opposite effect. Far-right parties like the Perussuomnalaiset (PS)* are collateral damage in Putin’s miscalculation.
It’s been a wretched start for Putin:
– Plans to carry out a rapid invasion and victory of Ukraine have hardened and emboldened Ukrainian resistence;
– Putin’s war of aggression has mobilized the strongest international outrage since 9/11
– Hopes that the Russians would be greeted as “liberators” in Ukraine was nothing more than the wishful thinking of an autocrat;
– Aims to divide Nato and the EU have produced the opposite effect and strengthened and united these bodies;
– Intimidating Finland and Sweden not to join Nato have encouraged and brought them closer to seek membership;
– Close far-right ties with Putin by parties like Lega Nord and Front National Party of France have put them in an awkward position;
– The PS’ racist broken record against asylum seekers and refugees changed instantly when the EU decided unanimously to permit Ukrainians to move to the EU for up to three years without applying for asylum.
In the backdrop of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, some politicians, especially from the far-right Perussuomalaiset (PS)*, have changed their tune. Don’t be fooled by them, and such moves are nothing more than an opportunistic move to prop up their sinking popularity.
Their shift in opinions about the Russians is so reprehensible that it resembles Adolf Hitler rising from the grave and claiming he is a changed person who renounces anti-Semitism.
It’s not going to fly because Halla-aho lacks credibility.
Disagree? Check out the PS’ close ideological ties with former President Donald Trump. He stated that Putin’s invasion of Ukraine was “genius and savvy” and that he was an intelligent person.
In the quote below, the late social commentator James Baldwin warns us not to trust politicians and parties based on their questionable record.
As everyone knows, the PS has a dirty history of racism and populism with numerous ethnic agitation convictions like Halla-aho’s in 2012.
Is the tweet below credible?
Tweets Halla-aho: “People of Russia, Russian soldiers, politicians, officials! Stop the criminal who dishonors you and your country before humanity. History will not only condemn him but will judge you too.” Source: Twitter
Why doesn’t he and the PS directly condemn Vladimir Putin for the invasion of Ukraine? Just say it loud and clear without wavering: We condemn Putin for his military aggression in Ukraine.
A study published in fall 2021 by the Finnish Business and Policy Forum, showed that the most favorable attitudes towards Russia were Movement Now (67%), PS (48%), and Center Party (47%).
In light of the Russian invasion and bloodshed in Ukraine, Finland has expressed its readiness to take in “tens of thousands” of “refugees” from that country, according to Yle. Remember last year, when Poland closed its border with Belarus over mostly Iraqis seeking asylum in the EU?
Remember the calls to keep out such asylum seekers by building a fence between Finland and Russia? Remember how parties like the Perussuomalaiset (PS)* and National Coalition Party (Kokoomus) demanded that Finland draft new laws that would temporarily exclude asylum seekers from seeking refuge?
Former Kokoomus MP and minister Kimmo Sasi said that Finland use violence to repel asylum seekers from entering Finland.
The narrative may have now changed, and it’s good news, somewhat.
A Yle news commentator said on Friday that “Finland can take in if needed tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees. Finland has the resources even if Ukrainians have fled to neighboring countries.”
White Finnish privilege #82
In an opinion piece (in Finnish) by Reija Härkonen, she pointed out how the narrative has changed when those seeking asylum are white and Christian.
“Now, the situation is better since Ukraine is in distress, as sad as this may be. Conservative politicians, including Petteri Orpo, speaking before parliament on behalf of Ukraine, [are now] crying and showing an outpouring of sympathy. I have never heard, for example, such understanding for Iraqi and Syrian children.”
Here’s the question with an obvious answer: Why isn’t anyone speaking about building fences and even using violence against Ukrainian refugees? Why are refugees from outside the EU, mainly Muslims and Africans, called illegal immigrants?
The answer is clear. Where you are from and your religious background are crucial whether you will be accepted or scorned publicly.
Sad but true, but a lot of hypocrisy stains our present-day politics.
While the far-right Perussuomalaiset (PS)* are scrambling to prop up their dismal poll numbers, they are also changing their tune on Vladimir Putin and Russia. One of the best ways to understand the PS’ admiration of Putin and the tragedy in Ukraine is through former President Donald Trump.
We can cite Jussi Halla-aho’s praise of Trump in a tweet, where he claims that the former president is the best thing that happened to the United States and the Western world, to Veikko “Tramperen Trump” Vallin posing with Vilhelm Junnila with MAGA caps on May Day.
And how could we forget former parliamentary foreign affairs committee chairperson Mika Niikko, who suggested that a Western leader should assure Putin that Ukraine will not join Nato?
Writes historian Ahti Tolvanen, who sits on the Migrant Tales editorial board: “It is interesting to note that when Niikko presented an idea for a compromise in the Ukraine conflict, there was a vast outcry demanding his resignation right away. When his replacement Halla-aho suggested Finland should send arms to the Ukrainian military and scrap Finland´s traditional role as peacemaker and non-aligned country- there were no calls for his resignation. Since the last war, Finland’s keystone political position was denounced by the new foreign affairs chairman in parliament, and even President Niinistö has said nothing so far!”
There is a long list of other PS politicians that have been more direct about their admiration of Putin, like PS MEP Laura Huhtasaari.
Matteo Salvini is one of many far-right politicians who praise Vladimir Putin. On the right, Salvini and Huhtasaari.
Apart from all the expressions of admiration and support of Trump, who is under multiple investigations for attempting a coup, the PS are members of the far-right EU group Identity and Democracy, where they are in “good” Putin buddy company with leaders like Marine Le Pen.
Suomen rasistisella kansalla on suuria vaikeuksia sanojen kanssa. Yle vaihtoi jo kauan sitten termin ”pakolainen” termiin ”siirtolainen”. Tällä pyritään etäännyttämään kansalaisia ihmisten hädästä ja ajattelemaan, niin kuin korkein valtionjohto toivoo: heillä saattaa olla ”pahat mielessä” tai niin kuin tasavallan presidentti puheessaan valtiopäivien avajaisissa ilmaisi:
”Viime vuosina turvallisuusympäristössä on nähty uusia ilmiöitä, jotka antavat aihetta valmiutemme tarkasteluun. Laajamittainen, vihamielisten ulkopuolisten tahojen organisoima maahantulo on tästä yksi esimerkki.”
Olen vuodesta toiseen odottanut, että presidenttimme joskus sanoisi hyvän sanan maassamme turvapaikan saaneille pakolaisille. Sitä ei ole kuulunut. Sen sijaa saamme useaan kertaan vuodessa tuollaisia pieniä heittoja, jotka pahantahtoiset ihmiset tulkitsevat siten, että maassa oleskelevat, valtaväestöstä ulkonäöltään poikkeavat ihmiset ovat vaarallista väkeä.
Tästäkö mahtaa johtua sekin, että kuusi vuotta maassamme eläneet, paperittomiksi ja oikeudettomiksi jääneet ihmiset, jotka eivät uskalla palata entisiin kotimaihinsa, eivät saa mitään ratkaisua tilanteeseensa? Hyvin suuri osa kansasta, ehkä jopa niin suuri, joka on Niinistöä presidentiksi äänestänyt, ei oikein tahdo tuntea myötätuntoa kaiken menettäneitä kanssaihmisiä kohtaan.
Nyt näyttää kuitenkin paremmalta, kun Ukraina on ahdingossa, niin surullista kuin se onkin. Konservatiivipoliitikot Petteri Orpoa myöten pitävät eduskunnassa puheita Ukrainan puolesta, itku kurkussa ja suurta myötätuntoa osoittaen. En ole koskaan kuullut moista intohimoa vaikkapa Irakin tai Syyrian lasten puolesta.
The Helsinki court of appeal* has increased Miro Pesonen’s involuntary manslaughter conviction to a nine-year prison term from five years previously and pay to the parents 10,000 euros for their suffering, according to Yle. Pesonen is a white Finn who stabbed Keyse Abdifatah Maalesh at Kannelmäki Helsinki railway station in April 2020.
The mother of the victim told Migrant Tales in December that she was not happy with Pesonen’s five-year prison sentence and that she had appealed the sentence.
Keyse Abdifatah Maalesh was stabbed and killed on April 26, 2020 at the Kanneläki train station of Helsinki. The police did not consider the death a hate crime. Source: Facebook
Two important questions remain unanswered from the case: Why the district court had sentenced Pesonen to five years, and what role did the police have in this.
Was it a hate crime?
The victim’s mother said that her son’s killer was intimidated by his dark skin and because he was tall physically.
“If a foreigner did something small [crime] at an R-Kiosk, a big commotion would emerge,” she said in December. “If a foreigner would have done what happened to my son, he’d receive a tough sentence and be deported from the country.
*Correction in the original story should read court of appeal, not district court.Thank you Ambrosius Wollstén.
It finally happened. Russia launched a full-scale invasion of a sovereign country like Ukraine. Apart from former President Donald Trump, who admires Vladimir Putin like many of the far-right Republicans, in Europe, we have racists and populists who are rooting for Russian aggression openly and silently.
Source: Twitter
Caught with their hypocrisy and political pants down, populist parties like the Perussuomalaiset, and even conservative ones like the National Coalition Party (Kokoomus), are now quiet about building a fence on our border with Russia to keep out asylum seekers.
What will we do if tens of thousands of Ukrainians seek asylum in Finland?
Should we suspend temporarily their right to seek asylum?
Jussi Halla-aho, ulkoasiainvaliokunnan puheenjohtaja
Vuonna 2019 ihmeteltiin, miksi perussuomalaiset ovat europarlamentissa liittoutumassa Venäjä-mielisten äärioikeistopuolueiden kanssa. Isänmaallisuus, joka persuilla on arkihokema, on Suomessa tavannut tarkoittaa melko nihkeää suhtautumista itäiseen naapuriin. Jopa perussuomalaisten veljespuolue Ruotsissa, Sverige Demokrater, piti persuvalintoja kummallisina.
Aihetta käsittelevässä artikkelissaan Ilta-Sanomissa 16.5.2019 toimittaja Arja Paananen kuvasi perussuomalaisten ”joustavaa valmiutta hyväksyä Venäjän tapa selittää omaa toimintaansa – olivatpa nämä toimet länsimaisen demokratian tai kansanvälisen yhteisön säätöjen näkökulmasta kuinka ristiriitaisia tai aggressiivisia tahansa”. Tämän kaltainen Venäjän nuoleskelu ja suoranainen ihailu on ollut hyvin näkyvää useissa perussuomalaisissa poliitikoissa ja myös kannattajissa. Hommaforumilla kävi ennen ”jytkyä” selväksi, että Venäjää ihannoidaan etenkin siksi, että siellä on muslimit laitettu kunnolla kyykkyyn eikä turvapaikanhakijoita ”hyysätä”.
Tästä rintamasta hiukan erillään on ollut puolueen entinen puheenjohtaja, jonka salarakas on Ukraina, oma entinen asuin-, työ- ja opiskelumaa, jossa hän on oppinut kielenkin ja kenties saanut janoamaansa tunnustusta ja ihailua.
Tästä rakkaudesta luultavasti johtui sekin, että Halla-aho riensi kirjoittamaan koko eduskunnan nimissä tweetin Ukrainan suurlähettiläälle, kun ulkoasiainvaliokunnan puheenjohtaja Mika Niikko joutui eroamaan ulkopoliittisesti arveluttavan lausuntonsa vuoksi. Hän halusi jonkun merkittävän eurooppalaisen johtajan ilmoittavan Ukrainalle, että maalla ei ole asiaa Natoon. Näin Niikko ilmeisesti ajatteli hyvittelevänsä sotaisan Venäjän ja saattavansa Euroopan jälleen rauhan tilaan. Niinhän se on ennenkin mennyt, pienet maat sulkekoot suunsa ja antakoot suurvalloille sen mikä suurvalloille kuuluu. Niikko, tuon Venäjän ystävä, puhui niin kuin suomettuneessa Suomessa tavattiin puhua.
Se, että Halla-aho, rivikansanedustaja, oitis tweettasi Ukrainalle viestin: ”Eduskunta, mukaan lukien perussuomalaiset, tukee yksiselitteisesti a) Ukrainan alueellista eheyttä ja itsenäisyyttä; b) Ukrainan oikeutta itsepuolustukseen sisäisiä ja ulkoisia hyökkääjiä vastaan; c) sen oikeutta päättää liittyäkö tai olla liittymättä kansainvälisiin järjestöihin” olikin sitten mielenkiintoinen toimi. Näinhän Suomi varmasti ajattelee, mutta ajatelkaapa, jos vaikkapa pääministeri Sanna Marin olisi tällaisen tempun tehnyt! Jopa olisi äläkkä noussut: menee ohittamaan presidentin valtioiden välisessä diplomatiassa! Nyt nousi vain ihaileva huokailu: ”Ooo, Halla-aho kirjoitti ukrainan kielellä, ihmeellinen mies!”
An article in Yle News brings us back again to one of the biggest challenges for multilingual children at Finnish schools: How the Finnish education system treats cultural diversity.
Language and cultural interpreter and early childhood educator Nadezda Kärmeniemi admitted that multilingual children are caught between differing attitudes at schools.
She is saying that there is no uniform system on how Finnish children, who speak more than one language, are treated at schools.
“Unfortunately, there are instance in our society where speaking oner’s mother tongue is not allowed,” she said. “When a child goes to school, the multilingual ‘coat’ may be left at home, with only Finnish used at school, as there is a sense that the language used at home does not belong there.”
Cultural diversity means for me two-way adaption. All cultural and ethnic groups in society have space to express and be themselves. The glue that holds them together with other groups is building respect through learning from each other.
This picture was taken from the former Urpola School of Mikkeli. It tells multilingual children that they should speak Finnish and that they are mamus, a derogatory term no longer used to mean migrants. Photo: Enrique Tessieri
Having taught and worked at a folk high school with multicultural backgrounds for thirteen years, I have noticed the following challenges:
Yle’s Ykkösamu talk show exposed to a tee what the parliament’s new foreign affairs committee chairperson thinks of Human Rights. The first question by the host forced Perussuomalaiset (PS)* Jussi Halla-aho, who was convicted in 2012 for ethnic agitation and breaching the sanctity of religion, to reinforce his contempt of Human Rights.
The interview was done after Halla-aho began his mandate as chairperson of parliament’s foreign affairs committee.
“The Perussuomalaisets’ view [on human rights] is that the right to move to Finland and remain here is not a human right but a privilege,” he told the host, adding that Finns’ human rights, like the right to security and wellbeing, should be taken into account.
We have only to visit his past statements and the aim of the PS to end all asylum seekers from coming to Finland, especially from Africa and Muslim-majority countries.
In plain English, Halla-aho loathes asylum seekers.
Let’s give Halla-aho a few pointers on Human Rights and cut through the chase.
Source: Twitter
Yes, there is another point that Halla-aho made about the human rights of Finns. He states this with a poker face even if his past writings have encouraged foreigners to rape politicians like Eva Biaudet and Tarja Filatov.
