The recent case of a “youth gang” terrorizing a predominantly white neighborhood in western Helsinki exposes the knee-jerk reaction about how the media and public see suspected crime by brown and black Finns. During the last week of August, a group of youths with covered faces at the Lauttasaari metro station allegedly attempted to rob…
Month: September 2023
Foreign Student: December 1981
The December issue of the Foreign Student gave readers information about the ever-growing immigrant movement, which aims to improve foreigner rights in Finland. A seminar, which took place in Tampere, was attended by different political parties and officials of the interior ministry and religious groups. “In addition to the seminar’s resolutions, the [political] parties received…
Foreign Student: November 1981
Club members had the opportunity to read in the Foreign Student the Foreign Student Club’s newly elected Chairperson Fadi Krikorian’s views on the club’s direction. After thanking the previous board for their good work, Fadi said that the prospects of the club are good. “…tradition programmes such as international evenings will continue, there will be…
Foreign Student: October 1981
Vice Chairperson Alexander Sannemann writes about how the Foreign Students Club is not a political association. The response was a comment by Chairperson Enrique Tessieri earlier who mentioned at a meeting that the club also has a political role. The reaction of some members shows how sensitive some were concerning the type of activism and…
Foreign Student: September 1981
After a three-month summer break, the September issue of the Foreign Student came out and wished all the members welcome back and gave them a heads-up about the Foreign Students Club’s 15th anniversary celebrations in October. Vice chairperson Alexandr Sannemann wrote that in Finland there is a lot of room for improvement concerning foreigner rights….
Foreign Student: January 1982
The January 1982 issue of the Foreign Student was the last newsletter that came out. The newsletter did not shy away from controversy, but the last issue was too much for some. The Foreign Student got itself in trouble with the newly elected president of the club, Fadi Kriokorian, who wanted less controversial stories published. In protest, the…
Foreign Student: Summer 1981
If the April issue was the longest with 12 pages, then the summer issue was the shortest Foreign Student with only four pages. Apart from wishing everyone a good summer and thanking the activism of its members, the Foreign Student expressed disappointed with those who did not speak out. “The past club year has been…
Foreign Student: April 1981
The April 1981 issue of the Foreign Student marks an important turning point where the Foreign Students Club openly calls for better rights for foreigners. The front page picture, with two band-aids covering a Lux commercial woman’s mouth, was Enrique Tessieri’s and Alex Sannemann’s idea. The newsletter did not hide its intention either. On the…
The Finnish youth gang “problem” is a monster concocted by the radical right
What drives the government, particularly Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen of Perussuomalaiset (PS), to give utmost attention and tackle the issue of youth street gangs? Is it a sincere attempt tosolve such a social problem, or an opportunity to further victimize migrants and minorities in Finland? The assertion isn’t far-fetched. The PS is historically…
Foreign Student: May 1981
In the May 1981 issue, the Foreign Student continued to mirror the activism of some of the Foreign Students Club’s members against Finland’s arbitrary and unjust treatment of foreigners. The newsletter reported on the Mayday petition, which received over 500 signatures demanding basic human rights for foreigners. “If unity creates strength, don’t whisper anymore,” wrote…