Russia is not unpredictable. In its operations against Finland, it exploits racism because Finland is a racist country.
The observation by writer Sofi Oksnanen is the only one I have read that reveals the government’s pushbacks and their draconian immigration and asylum policy. The government’s knee-jerk reaction to closing the Finnish-Russian border shows how Finnish politicians and the media have jumped on the populist-racist bandwagon.
Oksanen is a sharp writer and observer, especially of governments with autocratic intentions. It is surprising that the Finnish media, never mind politicians, have not dared to question the government’s policies but bowed instead to them.
Prime Minister Petteri Orpo can claim with a poker face its immigration policy isn’t racist because it is a copy of what is being done in other Nordic countries. Would it be fair to say that the immigration policy of all Nordic countries is then racist?
President Sauli Niinistö and the populist right-wing government have led us to a dead-end on the eastern border. Only tough talk and bravado are the main messages, which are intended for internal consumption.
Apart from threats by Prime Minister Orpo that the human rights of asylum seekers will be forfeited since Russia is a “safe country,” there is the whole question of how the present government’s policies will impact the rule of law and future implementation of human rights in Finland.
Finland is on a perilous path since its leaders only like to talk tough and about war. There is no mention of peace or how we could de-escalate the situation.
2024 would be a good time to look at different strategies.
