Author: Migrant Tales

A disgraceful era we should never repeat in Finland

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By Enrique Tessieri

If there was a disgraceful period on how Finland treated foreigners, that period would be the cold war era. Even though Russian troops never took control of Finland such as countries like Poland, Hungary and others, the shadow of the for former Soviet Union hung deep in Finland. This period, 1945 to the early or mid-1990s, should never be allowed to happen again.

Apart from outright censorship and self-censorship of the mainstream media on Finland’s foreign policy, human rights was seen by some officials in this country as synonymous with anti-Soviet propaganda. Did Helsingin Sanomat ever write an editorial on the 1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia? Did Suomen Kuvalehti ever denounce in an editorial the treatment of Soviet dissidents by Finnish Frontier Guards? What role did Alien’s Office head Eila Kännö have in these detentions and their speedy return to the Soviet Union?

Looking at some old files I have from the days I was Financial Times correspondent in Finland, I found one that has never received an answer never mind an apology from the government. On the Amnesty International list dating from the 1980s, there are 12 Soviet citizens who were captured in Finland while attempting to flee “a workers’ paradise” called the former USSR.

If anyone knows of any other cases of former Soviet citizens trying to flee successfully or unsuccessfully through Finland, it would be neat to hear your story.

Here is a short account of what is on the four pages of the AI report:

With respect to the case of each of the USSR citizens named below Amnesty International has received information indicating that the individual was imprisoned in the USSR after having entered Finland and subsequently having been sent back to the USSR by Finnish authorities…

AUGUST 1982: HILLAR PRUUNSILD was arrested by Finnish frontier guards and returned to the USSR, where he was convicted of “illegal exit abroad” under the Estonian equivalent of Article 83 of the RSFSR Criminal Code. This charge carries a maximum sentnece of three-years imprisonment but the term given to Pruunsild is unknown.

JULY 1980: VYACHESLAV N. CHERAPANOV was arrested in Hattuvaara and forcibly returned to the USSR two days later, after he had allegedly been beaten by Finnish police in Ilomantsi. He is currently serving the first part of this sentence in a corrective labour colony for political prisoners in the Perm region, and will not be due to be released before 1996.

1975 VLADIMIR KORFIDOV was arrested and returned to the USSR where he was sentenced to three years imprisonment… Since spring 1980 he is reported to have been confined against his will in a maximum security psychiatric hospital in Kazan.

Other ones include ALEKSANDR SHATRAVKA, MIKHAIL SHATRAVKA, BORIS SIVKOV and ANATOLY ROMANCHUK were arrested in Kuusamo… Their request to speak with officials from the US Embassy in Finland was rejected, as was their request to cross to Sweden…They were driven back to the border in handcuffs and handed over to the Soviet guards.

1973 HEIGO JOQESMA was arrested by Finnish police and forcibly returned to the USSR where he was committed to a psychiatric hospital…

There is also MR RULEV, whose first name is not known, arrested in September 1968 by Finnish frontier guards at Parikkala. After some questioning, he was returned to the USSR… GEORGY IVANOV is another one that did not make it to freedom in July 1967.

Apart from CHEREPANOV, another tragic tale is that of VILHO FORSELL and PEKKA TUPITSYN who were arrested in JUNE 1959 by Finnish frontier guards in the Joensuu region. They were taken to Helsinki prison and questioned for one week, during which their request for asylum was rejected. An official from the Soviet Embassy visited them and urged them to return home. They were transferred back to Joensuu where Finnish guards allegedly threatened to shoot them if they fled. They were handed over to Soviet guards. Each was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment…

Both men were from the Karelian Autonomous Republic. Forsell, born 1932, graduated from Petrozavodsk University in 1957 and worked as a translator. HIS PARENTS WERE OF FINNISH ORIGIN and had immigrated to Karelia from Canada in 1931. Tupitsyn, also a graduate from Petrozavodsk University, was a teacher.

 

Foreigners in Finland: Integration or conversation?

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I recently had a very interesting chat with a colleague of mine over how much foreigners should integrate or assimilate into Finnish society. He felt that it was definitely not a matter of assimilation and that integration should only apply to the workplace. “Integration is important if you want to take part in the Finnish labor market,” he said. “Anything else, should be conversation.”

Some of the readers of this blog have very strong opinions about the matter. They believe that tax-paying foreigners who live in Finland have no other choice but to give up their identity and adapt 100% to Finnish values. This model of integration is not only impossible but ends up destroying the person’s identity and self-esteem.

In my opinion, one of the biggest setbacks of modern-day Finnish culture is in its definition of what is a Finn. It is too narrow and exclusive. If we are fair, there is a historical case for such a narrow definition. Finns are still in the process of molding a sense of national identity 91 years after the country´s independence. While it has been successful at building a strong sense of “us” and “them,” its drawback is that it has little tolerance for diversity. This is why some Finns believe that the only way for foreigners and their children can be accepted as Finns is by throwing away their identity.

One of the biggest setbacks of the present identity model is that by excluding others from being “Finns,” it has made the Finnish cultural field much smaller. One group that has suffered from this type of national identity model are Finnish expatriates and their children and grandchildren. In sum, all those who despite their diverse cultural background continue to have a sentimental bond with this country.

Finnish culture does not only include our mainland culture but a very diverse and rich group of people that were brought up in diverse cultural backgrounds in foreign lands as well as in Finland.

If there is work to do in improving our perception of ourselves as Finns it is in this area. Widen the definition to include all those who may wish to embrace this culture.

I for one hope that in the future Finns will start to look at their identity in a more open fashion that will include diverse groups irrespective of their background. This can only strengthen not weaken Finland.

The Anti-Finland League in Canada

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This is a funny story I read in The Hammer, a Canadian satirical magazine that tells about how the Finns have taken over the maritime provinces.

It writes: “Oh, he’s right, the Finnish are taking over. Nowadays, you can’t even get a job pumping gas round these parts if you don’t speak Finnish,” insisted McJones. “And the way those Finnish tourists come here every summer and flaunt their wealth with their flashy trousers and gold plated bracelets and strut about town as if they own the place, talking loudly into their cell phones and complaining about the quality of our sauna baths and how the kalakukko is too salty, I tell ya, it’s enough to make a Swede blush……

Click on the link to read the full story.

The building of Finnish national identity within a multicultural society

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One of the matters that some Finns who read the many comments in this blog should try to understand is that cultural diversity or multiculturalism should not be perceived as a threat but as an opportunity.

For some Finns, who see foreigners as a threat to our culture, this fear can be best explained through two historical factors: 1) Finns are still building a national identity since independence in 1917 from Russia; and 2) the Winter and Continuous War that put in grave jeopardy that identity- and nation-building process.

Finns have gone to great lengths to forge a sense of national identity. In the 1920s, for example, Finns were encouraged to change their “foreign” surnames for Finnish ones.

It may seem odd, however, to some that even to this date the process of building a national identity appears to be as strong and as imperative as it was after 1917. Even so, facts like globalization, European Union membership, and the fact that more foreigners living in Finland of diverse backgrounds, have brought in question how we define Finns and how foreigners should be perceived within that national identity-building process.

Since mutual respect is one of the golden rules of living in a successful society that has diverse backgrounds, it has to be a two-way street. Finns have a right to be Finns and be proud of their identity in the same way as other groups that may not fit the general definition of what is a Finn have the right to be proud of their heritage. It is a healthy matter that cultures can grow together in synergy and retain a sense of “us” and “them.” The strong healthy sense of “us” should not mean excluding others from being a part of this society.

What is pathological, however, is discrimination, racism and the lack of respect for other cultures. That is something unacceptable in any society, especially in a country such as Finland.

Why is it unacceptable? Because it runs against our sense of justice and undermines those very values that keep our society from falling into a state of moral disarray.

What does Obama’s victory mean for Finland?

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I have a dream that my four little children

will one day live in a nation where they will

not be judged by the color of their skin but

by the content of their character.

Martin Luther King

One of the surprising matters of the US presidential elections was not that a black American was elected to the highest office of the land, but the way Barak Obama conducted his campaign and won convincingly. But as the fanfare dies and life returns back to normal, there are a number of important challenges that the US’ 44th president will have to tackle: Iraq and the global financial crisis.

What does Obama’s victory mean for Finland? I believe it sends a strong message of hope that people of different backgrounds have the right and can aspire to change unacceptable matters such as discrimination.

That is why I hope that the Obama effect rubs off those Finns who still believe that racism and insulting people of different backgrounds is acceptable. The day will dawn on Finland when some Finns will no longer judge people because of their color or national background but for their character.

A Muslim for president of the United States

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Whenever a country because of war is gripped by hysteria, we should always be careful about jumping on bandwagons that fuel hatred for other faiths and people.

Real leadership, like being a good parent, does not always mean saying yes or agreeing with everything. Sometimes you have to make difficult decisions because you consider it in the best interest of the child. That is what we call leadership.

Collin Powell, who disgraced himself in 2003 in the UN when he attempted to drive a case for war by holding up a vial that could contain anthrax, showed that type of leadership on Sunday.

“Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer is ‘No. That’s not America.’ Is there something wrong with some 7-year-old Muslim-American kid believing that he or she can be president? Yet I have heard senior members of my own party drop the suggestion he’s a Muslim and he might be associated with terrorists. This is not the way we should be doing it in America.”

A question was asked to John McCain, the Republican contender for the White House, if he would vote for a Muslim candidate for president.

His reply: “I just have to say in all candor that since this nation was founded primarily on Christian principles, personally, I prefer someone who has a grounding in my faith.” He took back a few days later what he said: “I would vote for a Muslim if he or she was the candidate best able to lead the country and defend our political values.”

(I think it is funny when the US media or anyone claims that McCain is a maverick because he stood up against torture, climate change and other issues. Isn’t it a NORMAL thing that a politician should speak out against such matters?)

Let’s drive the question now to Finland: Could a Muslim child born in Finland ever aspire to become president?

The answer to that question, I believe, reveals a lot about our society and how we see ourselves and others.

A futuristic solution to the integration of foreigners in Finland

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Owing to the recalcitrant attitude of some readers of this blog that foreigners are a threat to Finland and that they should throw away their culture and embrace Finnish ways and life, for them I would like to propose a futuristic model of integration.

Finnish technology firms should start thinking about investing time in building the “language-and-culture chip” that can be implanted in a person’s brain and resolve all those sticky cultural and language issues.

With the help of this  chip, which he can switch on and off at will, can be purchased for an extra cost to fit your specific regional language needs (Helsinki, Turku slang or Rauma dialect) wherever and whenever you want. You do not need to take those boring language courses because the chip will help you speak Finnish in a jiffy.

But perfectly fluent Finnish in regional variations is not enough without the culture adapter.It works like any electric adapter at an extra-extra price, giving you cultural spice and meaning to your Finnish language. You will know exactly when to laugh, cry, smile or simply shut up with the help of the adapter.

Who said that learning and acting Finnish is difficult! With the language-and-culture chip Finland will be able to eat and have its cake when it comes to foreigners!

Global financial turmoil and the United States

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Owing to the financial turmoil that has unsettled global markets and put a squeeze on credit, a valid question arises: who will be the winners and the losers?

I do not believe that we are going to head for a 1930-type depression. However, I cannot fail to recognize a parallel with what happened with the demise of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s and the United States today. Certainly both are two different cases but they share something in common: their fall from grace as the strongest economic (USA) and military power (USA/USSR) in the world.

You do not have to be an economist to understand that a debt of $10 trillion is untenable to keep financing costly war efforts abroad. Iraq alone is costing the US taxpayers close to $1 trillion.

So what does this all mean? It means that the economic power of the US will shift to Asia (China) and to Europe at the cost of the former. So, President George W. Bush is not only responsible for plundering the country into a war in Iraq, but causing the demise of the Untied States as the strongest economic power on Earth.

The November 4 presidential elections will be a watershed for the future of the United States. It can chose the same path (McCain) or a new one (Obama). Probably one of the scariest things about the new path is that we do not know what it is.

Does Finland and Europe need a civil rights movement?

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One of the things that has surprised me about this blog are the overtly racist comments. These types of opinions resemble how some whites saw blacks in the United States before the civil rights movement. I do not think it has anything to do with expressing one’s opinions freely nor that some Finns and Europeans are too blunt or sincere.

Even when we deal with people from our same national group, we do not go around insulting them because we know that it is counterproductive and only creates conflict. Would you want to integrate and embrace the values of a society if it is openly hostile to you?

If we want good relations, we have to know how to moderate our thoughts and take the other person into consideration. It is that easy, folks. It does not need political correctness or any magic tricks — only consideration for others.

Some people in Finland and Europe think that it is still “politically correct” to openly insult other national groups with their racist opinions. Here is an example of a comment I picked up recently from another blog:

Certainly there is discrimination in Finland, hatred for the Russians, chauvinism as well as other things – but what of it? Couldn’t we point out that these things are part of Finnish culture? Since they are a part of our official culture, we could make a point that they have to be protected from immigrants. It could certainly work that way – or maybe not?

Taking into account the racial cleansing we saw in the former Yugoslavia and horrors like the Holocaust, Europe can learn a lot from the United States and Canada about how to resolve long blistering race issues. Possibly a civil rights movement in Europe would help wipe out much of the overt racism that exists mostly unscathed.

The day will come when a blacks, Muslims, people from all religions, dark and white people from any nation will be able to walk the streets of Finland and Europe as equals. Certainly the most important step in this direction is accepting and respecting each others diversity.

Sarah Palin fought with empty soundbites against Joe Biden

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Both vice presidential candidates, Joe Biden and Sarah Palin, sqared off their only debate on Thursday night. If you were expecting Palin to cave in and cry you were going to be disappointed. However, even though the Republican candidate held her own against Biden, her answers were without substance.

She used an old trick when debating: do not answer the question.

One of the matters that worried me were Palin’s answers on climate change: “I’m not one to attribute every activity of man to the changes in the climate,” she said. “There is something to be said, also, for man’s activities, but also for the cyclical temperature changes on our planet. But there are real changes going on in our climate, and I don’t want to argue about the causes.”

Biden hit back with a: “I think it is man-made,” he said. “I think it’s clearly man-made.”

If you want to read about the debate check the New York Times or reader’s reaction at the Washington Post.

Biden said it well. He felt that the United States is at a crossroads. We can follow the same path as the Bush administration or erase those ruinous years by electing Barak Obama.

I think he is right. This will be a very important election.