Author: Migrant Tales

Aamulehti rape story: Minister Räsänen speaks out in favor of tougher sentences

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By Enrique Tessieri

The Aamulehti story that was published Wednesday, claiming incorrectly that 34% of all rapes are committed by foreigners, has Christian Democrat Interior Minister Päivi Räsänen now demanding in Iltalehti tougher rape sentences.  Nowhere in the Iltalehti story does Räsänen mention numbers. The only thing we can read in the story is that one third of all rapes are committed by foreigners.

The far-right anti-immigration wing of the Perussuomalaiset (PS) party is attempting to get political mileage from the story. Helena Eronen, the assistant to PS MP James Hirvisaari who created quite a stir when she suggested armbands for foreigners, wrote in her Uusi Suomi blog about the matter.

Nowhere in her blog entry does she mention volumes.

Earlier today Migrant Tales got in touch with Hannu Niemi at the Justice Ministry, who said that as a rule of thumb, around 50% of all rapes by foreigners in Finland are committed by tourists. The rest are committed by permanent residents.

Let’s look at the rape statistics. Over the period from 2006 to 2009 24% — not 34% as claimed by Aamulehti — of rape sentences were given to foreigners. Technically this means that 12% (around 62 out of a total of 262 total cases) of all sentenced rapes in Finland were committed by immigrants who live here.

Aamulehti calculated only one type of rape case in its story. If we use all three types, then they average to 24%.

What is even more revealing are the 2010 and 2011 figures, which show suspected rape cases totalling 141 (foreigners accounted for 27.5% of the total)  and 109 (26%), respectively. If the majority of these cases are dropped and around half of them concern immigrants, then we are speaking of a really small number that is not big enough to start victimizing whole groups.

An honest question: Is this a story? Is it such a big story that Interior Minister Räsänen must come out publicly and add more fuel to the fire of racism in this country or stir the storm in the teacup further?

Räsänen does throw a bone to the immigrant community by asking people not to label all foreigners as a result of the statistics: “But we should not underestimate the problem; the majority of foreigners are well-behaved.”

This story by Aamulehti is a a good example of how immigrants are victimized in Finland.

When I read stories like these it not only makes me feel ashamed of my Finnish background but of some of my colleagues who are sloppy and eager for attention.

Is Aamulehti’s claim of high rape convictions by foreigners in Finland correct?

Posted on by Migrant Tales

By Enrique Tessieri

Thirty-four percent of  convicted rape crimes committed during 2006-09 in Finland were by foreigners, according to Tampere-based Aamulehti. What is surprising, however, is that Aamulehti chose not to mention 2010 and 2011 suspected rape crimes, which totaled 141 (27.5% of all rape cases) and 109 (26%) in 2010 and 2011, respectively, according to Hannu Niemi of the Justice Ministry.

There are a lot of holes and question marks  about Toni Viljanmaa’s story. One of these is if it is a story at all. Or if the story should be that rape convictions have gone down sharply from 2006-09. There were a total of 261 convictions for rape during this three-year period.

If Viljanmaa claims that there were 34% convicted rapes during the period under review, he forgets to tell us that the actual number is 24% for all types of rapes.  If there were 141 and 109 suspected cases in 2010 and 2011 this suggests that convictions would be far less than the 34% claimed by Aamulehti.

Another big hole in Viljanmaa’s story is what types of “foreigners” is he referring to? The statistics he cites include permanent residents as well as tourists, according to Niemi.

Niemi told Migrant Tales that he had no idea why the Tampere daily published the news, which was picked up by Iltalehti. “You’d have to ask the paper [their motives for publishing these statistics],” he said. “This is public information. If a journalist asks us these types of statistics we are obliged to give it to him.”

While we are not playing down a crime like rape, what we should be asking is what does a story like this do to invite open and honest debate about a serious problem in our society and, most importantly, how to address it?

Apart from labeling and giving ammunition to anti-immigration groups to continue their victimization of certain immigrant groups, we should not forget another important legal point: A person is innocent until proven guilty.

On top of these distortions and editorializing by the reporter, he on top of this interviews an Iraqi resident and asks what he thinks about the situation.

This story is a good example of shoddy and lazy journalism.

Is the PS expecting a “catastrophic election result?”

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By Enrique Tessieri

The scandal ridden Perussuomalaiset (PS) is saving up for a rainy day if the party “suffers a catastrophic  election result,” said PS Foundation chairman, Raimo Vistbacka. YLE’s Ajankohtainen kakkonen revealed that the PS Foundation bought a 1.7-million-euro apartment in one of Helsinki’s most expensive neighborhoods for the party’s headquarters.

“The foundation supports as well district and local party boards,” said Vistbacka, “thus if we suffer a catastrophic election [result] we can continue to be active since the foundation has real estate.”

Another matter that raises questions is that many party members are in the dark about the whole deal and the role of the PS Foundation, which has a five-member board that can make decisions independently.

Taking into account the numerous scandals and polls that have marred the party, veteran PS MP Vistbacka comment raises an interesting question: Is the PS getting ready for a catastrophic election result?

PS chairman Timo Soini said recently that he aims to at least win 1,000 seats in the upcoming municipal election of October 28. The PS won 440 councilpersons in the 2008 municipal election.

At the present rate, such a goal suggested by Soini may be more wishful thinking than anything else.

The PS and the municipal election: Vicious campaign against immigrants and minorities

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By Enrique Tessieri

There are already clear signs that the Perussuomalaiset (PS) party has kicked off  its vicious campaign and instigated social-media lynch mobs against immigrants and minorities as the October 28 municipal election nears. The Eronen-Hirvisaari scandal as well as publishing the names of two minors found guilty of rape are some recent examples of  who the PS hopes to boost its depressing poll results.  

Teuvo Hakkarainen even declared war on prison inmates Monday by stating on Iltalehti that Finnish prisons are resorts where people can rest and eat good food.

Some may think that Hakkarainen’s shenanigans may be innocent small-town red-neck fun but there is more than what meets the eyes. The near-constant statements aimed at victimizing certain immigrant groups and minorities are a concerted campaign.

By attacking minors found guilty of rape and claiming that convicted criminals are on holiday in prison, Hakkarainen aims to boost his standings among voters.

Another sore thumb that sticks out is PS MP James Hirvisaari, who made his political career on hate speech and far-right anti-immigration rhetoric. Finland has created its share of social-media political Frankensteins.

In his latest blog entry on Uusi Suomi, Hirvisaari attacks immigrants in Finland by stating that this country was made for  Finns. Finland has no obligation to give social welfare to immigrants and especially refugees.

“Finland is no Red Cross. Finland is for the Finns,” he writes.

When you read blog entries and statements made by some PS MPs, don’t forget that very few things are left to chance in politics. The real motive behind ongoing efforts to victimize immigrants and minorities in Finland is nothing more than a vicious campaign boost the PS’ sagging popularity.

JSN to announce by May or June its ruling on Kirkko&Kaupunki PS cartoon

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By Enrique Tessieri

Remember the cartoon that got some members of the Perussuomalaiset (PS) party so riled that they filed a complaint to the Council for Mass Media in Finland (JSN)? A ruling on the cartoon by Kirkko&Kaupunki, a Helsinki Lutheran Church weekly,  will be made by May or June, a JSN official, told Migrant Tales.

JusticeDemon commented about the PS’ complaint to the JSN: “At least the laughable suggestion of “racism against white Finns by immigrants” is quite literally a non-starter at JSN, as this is not the proper forum to decide on such matters. Tältä osin jätetään tutkimatta is the most likely response, perhaps with a suggestion that it is not too late for the f?a?s?c?i?s?t?s? halla-aholaiset to submit any such complaint to the police.”

Public displays like the one above by the PS show the party’s ignorance and contempt for the media and its role in our society.  Certainly if the media treats the PS like it did before the election, giving it a field day to spread its prejudices and racism of other groups, the party has no complaints to make.

 A Merry Christmas to you all Finnish heterosexuals and conservatives! We wish the rest a shitty Christmas!

The answer to our prejudices and racism in Finland lie in our emigrants

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By Enrique Tessieri

It’s clear that as Finland becomes more culturally diverse this century, it will one day make a startling discovery: we are culturally rich and diverse. Some of those historians and social scientists that have kept us in the dark for now should reread their history over and over again until they get it right. 

One of the most interesting questions about why we don’t acknowledge our cultural diversity enough in Finland is the question itself. Why hasn’t it been acknowledged? In which groups’ interest has it been to not stir things too much on this front?

As a person with a culturally diverse background who is a Finn, I have always been amazed by the simplistic and fictitious ethnic and national view we have of ourselves as Finns.

Today there are officially over 50,000 couples in this country that are bicultural, according to the Population Research Institute (Väestöliitto).

But like all far-reaching discoveries you will most likely find the answer under your nose.

All of those Finnish emigrants that left this country in large numbers from the 1880s not only faced a brave new world but a culturally diverse one as well.  What role did their whiteness play in integration and in shaping attitudes of other groups?

What did the Finns think of blacks in the United States and what were their attitudes towards Amerindians? What did they think about marrying outside the group? What did some members of their community say if their spouse was black?

All these questions that were relevant well over a century ago are topical today in Finland. The only problem, however, is that for some reason we have avoided looking into this question.

It’s clear that some immigrant parents not only want their children to retain their customs but marry within the group. This was an important goal for some parents but became less important for the children never mind grandchildren.

One of the discoveries I made while doing fieldwork on a Finnish colony in Argentina from 1977 was their view of other ethnicities like blacks from Brazil and mestizos, a term used to describe people who have mixed European and Amerindian ancestry.  The darker the person, usually implied greater rejection from the community.

The way they rejected such bicultural marriages was with the help of prejudice and racism. Some actually believed that marrying a mestizo would condemn you to a life of poverty.  All the bad qualities of the white Finnish colonizer were the fault of the mestizo spouse.

Some of these racist attitudes and prejudices that some colonizers had of other groups were not only learned in Argentina but came from Europe.

I have a lot of data gathered through long interviews of how some Finns viewed other groups that were ethnically different. If I have such information I am certain that this type of information can be found among Finns that emigrated to North America, Africa and other parts of the world.

If researchers are serious about studying racism in Finland, they should look under their noses. The information is there waiting to be uncovered.

Family reunification in the UK: ‘Keeping families apart’ – MRN briefing on family migration policy

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Ruth Grove-White

The MRN (Migrants’ Rights Network) campaign on family migration releases a new briefing paper showing that a higher income threshold for family migration could shut out 50% of the UK working population from bringing a spouse or partner here – with ethnic minorities, women and children particularly hit.

Since last summer’s public consultation we have been waiting for the government to announce its final decision on changes to toughen up family migration policy – during which MRN has been producing regular analysis of the proposals which you can access here, here and here.

But a waiting game provides opportunities – until the announcement is made there is still time to have an impact on the final policy announcement. It is likely that, in the coming weeks, the home secretary will make an announcement about her decision on the reforms to family migration. Over the coming weeks, in the run-up to her announcement, MRN will be stepping up our campaigning through a series of meetings and campaign work on the issue of family migration.

We are taking this work forward by releasing today’s briefing paper on the proposed income threshold. This change would prevent up to 50% of the UK working population from bringing foreign family members here as a result of a new, higher income threshold requirement.  If you are interested in organising a public meeting on this issue in your local area, taking part in joint advocacy work or would like to speak out about how you might be affected by this change in policy to the UK, please get in touch.

There are plenty of other issues raised by the family migration proposals, which will also be the focus of MRN activity in coming weeks. Key measures proposed by the government last year included increasing family insecurity by preventing foreign spouses and partners who are in the UK from applying for settlement for an additional 3 years, increasing the bar for language testing at the point of applying for settlement, and introducing tough enforcement measures aimed at tackling ‘sham’ and forced marriages, including a new pre-entry ‘attachment requirement’ and wider in-country enforcement activity.

Many of the proposals put forward by the government, if introduced, could interfere with the right to a family life of many people in the UK. In analysis of the proposals last summer the Brussels-based Migration Policy Group (MPG) reviewed the impacts of new family reunion requirements in the small number of EU states (in particular Denmark and the Netherlands) where similar restrictions to those planned in the UK. An MPG policy briefing on new family reunion tests and requirements in relation to migrant integration concluded:

“These policies have a disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable groups: the elderly, young adults, the less educated, … and to some extent, women. … Making family life harder or even impossible can negatively impact on the well-being and future integration of the entire family”.

A MIPEX analysis of the UK government’s plans exposes the fact that key policy proposals, if enacted, would put the UK among the toughest of European countries on family migration.

So there is plenty of evidence, from policy groups to community organisations, which shows that tough changes to family migration rules in the UK could have the effect of alienating both British citizens and recent arrivals in the UK who have family overseas. Now we need to marshall it into arguments which make the case for a better deal for families in the UK.

Please keep an eye on the website for more info and analysis in the coming weeks – we hope you will get involved.

Kyllä ääntä maailmaan muka mahtuu

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Thomas Elfgren*

Väkivallan ja suvaitsemattomuuden retoriikka kuuluu sananvapauteen. Kauan se sinänsä eläköön. Sananvapaudessa on myös varjopuolensa. Se passivoittaa kuullunymmärtämistä siinä missä Wahlroosin pankkiiriystävien saamat yhteiskuntatuet.

Virtuaalimaailman asiantuntijat valistavat vähemmän valistuneita piirtämällä mustia pilviä taivaalle. Iskulauseilla, populismilla, satiirilla ja helppoheikkimäisillä viesteillä on luotu kuva yhteisestä vihollisesta. Islami-invaasio on oven takana. Homot huohottaa. Lesbot lepattaa. Media mokaa. Mamut maksattaa. 

Nyt nekin muka tietävät, jotka eivät aiemmin ymmärtäneet tietää.  Sallittu suvaitsemattomuus on myös arkipäivää politiikassa. Pelottavat peikot, puolitotuudet ja disinformaatio ei haittaa tahtia eikä vauhtia niin kauan kun se tuo lisää vähemmän asioista perillä olevia kannattajia. Moraalisesta vastuusta ei sen monimutkaisuuden takia tarvitse murehtia. Kyllä kansa muka tietää.

Tänään saimme lukea blogi-kirjoituksen 10 v tytöstä, jonka elämänhalu koulukiusaamisen takia on mennyttä. Se on lapsen hätähuuto koulusta, joka opiskelurauhan ja ilon sijasta tarjoaa helvetin. Edelleen on lupa lyödä ilman seuraamuksia. Näinhän me aikuiset sananvapausvaatimuksillamme opetamme. Sananvapautta kai tuo koulukiusaaminenkin on. Se on kiusatun tyhmyyttä jos hän ei ymmärrä satiiria ja huonoja vitsejä.

* Thomas Elfgren on Keskusrikospoliisin rikosylikomisario. Hän on tullut tunnetuksi psykologisen profiloinnin asiantuntijana, järjestäytyneen rikollisuuden torjuntayksikön päällikkönä sekä sotarikos- ja joukkotuhontatapausten tutkinnanjohtajana.

Translation by Justice Demon offered in good faith:

Thomas Elfgren*
The rhetoric of violence and intolerance is part of freedom of expression. And long may this continue, such as it is. Freedom of expression also has a dark side, deadening comprehension just as much as the subsidies enjoyed by the top banking fraternity.

The gurus of the virtual world are enlightening us ordinary mortals by drawing great dark clouds in the sky, fashioning the image of a common enemy through slogans, populism, satire and all the gimmicks of the snake-oil salesman. The Moslem hordes are at the gates. Gays are breathing down our necks. Lesbians are fluttering all around. The media are screwing things up. Immigrants are costing us money…

Even those formerly lacking in comprehension are supposed to know this now. Licensed intolerance is now part and parcel of politics, and we are not to be distracted or diverted by bogeymen, half-truths or disinformation, as long as they rally more ill-informed supporters to the cause. Nor should we concern ourselves with the complexities of moral responsibility, as we can trust in the wisdom of the people.

Today we were pleased to read a blog entry about a ten year-old girl whose zest for life has been destroyed by bullying at school. It was a child’s cry for help from a school where joy and scholarly serenity have given way to a hellish existence. It is still acceptable to strike without consequence or sanction: this is what we adults are imparting to our children through our demands for freedom of expression. Because, after all, school bullying is merely free expression. Lacking the brains to appreciate satire and sick jokes is merely another of the victim’s many faults.

* Thomas Elfgren is a detective chief inspector at the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation. He is well known as a specialist in psychological profiling, as director of the organised crime prevention unit, and for leading investigations of war crimes and genocide.

More Finns oppose anti-immigration groups and racism than before

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By Enrique Tessieri

Matters have changed for the better with respect to the ongoing debate on immigrants, immigration to Finland and our ever-growing cultural diversity, reports Turun Sanomat, quoting researcher Suvi Keskinen of Turku University. She warns, however, that making strong distinctions between “us Finns” and “them immigrants” can have dire consequences for the person and society. 

Keskinen says that more people than before are speaking out against anti-immigration groups and racism in Finland.

She said that even if the language used to debate immigration in Denmark has been bolder than in Finland, matters are improving there after the anti-immigration Danish People’s Party did poorly in the election.

What Keskinen says is highly revealing. If the Perussuomalaiset (PS) party wouldn’t have won their historic election victory last April, probably debate in Finland wouldn’t be so aggressive and negative towards immigrants and visible minorities.

Migrant Tales is a good example of a blog that has grown rapidly and brought out the fighting spirit of some immigrants and Finns against anti-immigration groups like the PS.

This was not the case before, when certain members of the PS could practically say whatever they pleased and point the accusing finger at any group they wanted amid the near-complacency and silence of the media, politicians and general public.

Another matter that has encouraged people to be more outspoken against anti-immigration groups are the constant gaffes and scandals that have rocked the PS.

Where there is a strong reaction there is certainly a strong counter-reaction.

PS MP Hakkarainen instigates social-media lynch mob from Singapore

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By Enrique Tessieri

Scandal-ridden Perussuomalaliset (PS) party MP, Teuvo Hakkarainen, has stuck his foot in his mouth again. This time  he has taken the law in his hands and instigated a social-media lynch mob against two minors found guilty of rape, according to Keskisuomalainen. The Jyväskylä-based daily reports that Hakkarainen published on his Facebook page a link to court documents that give the accused names, identification numbers, addresses and even their parents’ names.

“The court case can be found by anyone,” he was quoted as saying. “It’s not a problem. The link is there and that’s that. I don’t protect rapists. If someone wants to protect them it’s their business but I don’t protect them.”

A person apparently belonging to a far-right association tried to post the full text of the court case on Migrant Tales, which acted promptly to take them down thanks to our associate editors JusticeDemon and Mark.

Hakkarainen writes on his Facebook page, where all the posts on his wall have been now removed, the following from Singapore:  …I pleasantly  found out [in Singapore] that first and foremost immigrants that come to live here work and respect the local culture and people. It’s unfortunate that not everyone that goes there [to Finland] doesn’t share the same positive attitude, especially those in this case [below he shows a link to the court documents] of gross lack of respect…”

In his shortlived Facebook statement, Hakkarainen defends what he did by publishing the court documents because the media doesn’t do its job. Part of the court documents have been made secret until 2072. In Finland, the names of those that have been accused of crimes that carry over two-year prison sentences are not published by the media.

While a crime like rape must be strongly condemned by society, it is equally unacceptable that a public official like an MP takes justice in his hands.

Hakkarainen’s social-media call to lynch the sentenced minors reveals two disturbing matters: The PS MP from Viitasaari is unrepentant about his many former racist gaffes; by scapegoating people with non-white Finnish backgrounds he tries to absolve his past problematic behavior.

Migrant Tales wrote the previous month how anti-immigration groups like the PS plan a vicious campaign against immigrants and minorities in order to boost their sagging popularity. The Helena Eronen-James Hirvisaari scandal is one recent example as is the present ploy by Hakkarainen to publish hitherto-secret court documents.

Another case is far-right hardline anti-immigration PS MP Olli Immonen, who suggested that East European Roma beggars should be deported from Finland in the same way that the fascist Lapuan liike movement (1929-32) did to its enemies to the former Soviet Union.

Taking into account the recent and present scandals that are rocking the PS, one could ask if its chairman Timo Soini has lost control over the party and what we are seeing in fact is a power struggle between two rival groups: the Rural Party and far-right anti-immigration wing.

A column published by Yrjö Rautio on Apu magazine makes the same conclusion as Migrant Tales. That is exactly what is taking place at this moment.