The Islamophobic Perussuomalaiset (PS)* party has had a long love affair with Denmark’s anti-Muslim immigration policy, one of the toughest in Europe. With loaded guns in government, the PS must be happy that they can adopt, with the blessings of National Coalition Party (NCP) Prime Minister Petteri Orpo and the two minor coalition partners, the…
Category: Enrique Tessieri
Movies like Agnieszka Holland’s “Green Border” are needed more than ever today
Thanks to Agnieszka Holland’s “Green Border” we can now get a terrific glimpse of the suffering of asylum seekers who were used as political pawns by Belarus and Poland. Since it would have been impossible to film the movie in Belarus or Poland, Holland created a movie with actors to debict these people’s suffering. Writes…
“Mosque” scoop by a tabloid reveals the hostile face of Islamophobia in Finland
If there is a big divide and mistrust between the media and the Muslim community it was exposed by a scoop the tabloid ilta-Sanomat on a secret “mosque” in a Helsinki nursery. Throughout the years, some Muslim imams and other members of the community have expressed apprehension of the Finnish media. For those who may…
Finland is backpedaling to the dark corners of nationalism and xenophobia
The impact of National Coalition Party (NCP) Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s government (Perussuomalaiset PS*, Swedish People’s Party and Christian Democrats) on Finland will be devastating. It will be a regression into the darkest corners of nationalism, xenophobia, chest-thumping, and bravado. With the help of these social ills, there are plans to displace Finland’s liberal roots…
The Finnish government’s migration and economic policy lack credibility and are bound to cause more harm than good
It is concerning for migrants and minorities in Finland that we have a government that is openly hostile to them. As in Juha Sipilä’s (2015-2019) government, there was an agreement that migration policy would be handled by the Perussuomalaiset (PS)* party in exchange for the National Coalition Party (NCP) and Center Partry dictating economic policy….
Government remains silent on the threat of far-right terrorism in Finland
How is it possible that we do not hear a word from the government about three suspects tried on terrorism charges in Lahti. Helsingin Sanomat published an editorial Tuesday about the threat of far-right violence in Finland. Writes Helsingin Sanomat: “However, the case is a fresh reminder that the extreme right is a real threat…
Espoo Perussuomalaiset councilperson reveals his and party’s ignorance of migrants
Hannu Järvinen is a Perussuomalaiset (PS)* councilperson from the city of Espoo. One of his big pastimes is speaking badly of immigrants. Like many of his party, xenophobic and especially Islamophobic opinions are his pet topics. His advice will scare away people from Finland than keep them here. Järvinen’s solution for migrants: “When you move…
Angel Barrientos is one of the kind beacons of Finland’s Chilean community
“Walking, walking, walking I go looking for freedom, hopefully I will find my way, so I can keep on walking.” Victor Jara (1932-73), Caminando, caminando September 11 marks the 50th anniversary of the bloody coup that overthrew Chile’s democratically elected President, Salvador Allende. Finland’s small but active Chilean community has organized a number of events…
Foreign Student: Our last issue after our reporting of a deportation case in 1982
The Foreign Student experienced life across 11 editions, spanning from January 1981 to January 1982. The newsletter, which was put out by the Foreign Student Club ry of Helsinki, was outspoken on immigrant rights issues. The last issue of the newsletter below, got itself in trouble with the newly elected president of the club, Fadi…
Culturally diverse Finland has a history
The story was originally published on Migrant Tales on June 15, 2016. Because migrants and minorities in Finland do not have power, we are taught to believe we are rootless and have no historicity. It is not true: migrant and anti-racism activism in Finland was already very alive in the 1980s. The demonstration in October…