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Keskisuomalainen’s incredulous editorial on immigration

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Here is a good example of an editorial (in Finnish) in Jyäskylä-based Keskisuomalainen that shows how little the top editors of a Finnish newspaper understand immigration. If the editorial were written in the Washington Post, Financial Times or El País of Madrid, the editor would probably get the boot from the readers for making negligent statements and for practicing lazy opinionated journalism.

The editorial enlightens us by stating that there are three types of immigration: Finland’s humanitarian role in accepting refugees, labor immigrants and multicultural marriages between immigrants and Finns (they favor this).

Incredulously, the editors say that while a rich country like Finland should offer humanitarian help to people fleeing countries as refugees, the most effective way (now get ready for this!) is to help these people in their home countries! Moreover, the editors claim without showing us any credible studies that cultural differences are so great, that it is good not to bring refugees to the county because it would take two to three generations for them to adapt to our society.

Do the editors know what a refugee is? A refugee cannot live in his home country because there is political strife. They are fleeing their country because it is not safe to live there. And then the icing on the cake: “Laws against accepting refugees in Finland are the strictest (in Europe). That is why we don’t suffer from the problems that multiculturalism has brought to other European countries.”

Who says that immigration hasn’t brought problems like any other social phenomenon? But take a look at all the things it has brought in the way of economic growth, dynamism and innovation. The editors believe that a society made up of different cultures and immigrants is essentially a bad matter. They haven’t even taken the time to study Finnish history to understand that we were, are and will be a multicultural country.

With respect to labor immigrants, the editorial states point black that Finland should not be too enthusiastic about taking this road. It writes: “Highly educated people are certainly welcome to Finland but we should not do this too enthusiastically because it isn’t morally right. Highly educated people who are lured from developing nations impoverish their countries’ opportunities.”

In my opinion, the last affirmation is a diplomatic way of saying that we don’t even want highly educated immigrants to come here.

At the end the editorial it affirms that even if Finland should not take the multicultural road, it does not mean that we should close ourselves from the outside world.

Do you want any further explanations why the debate on immigration in Finland is lopsided and totally off the wal?

Racism is a silent ogre

Posted on by Migrant Tales

I have been an exchange student living in Finland from Belgium since February. One of the matters that caught my eye in Mikkeli is racism. I have met many immigrants and foreign students who have told me about their experiences. 

Racism isn’t inherited but learned. This means that people can change. In some of us prejudice is such a problem that it bursts out as a destructive force. There are too many sad examples in Mikkeli of how this silent ogre has harassed its victims.

A young man asks a bus to stop but the driver ignores him. A woman who is sitting inside the bus speaks out and the driver responds: “I don’t take black people on my bus.”  

Another incident involves two foreign students who live in an apartment flat. A gang of alleged skinheads attacked their home in March and started knocking at their door at around midnight in a hostile fashion.  Since the two did not open the door, the attackers broke the kitchen window with a wooden club.

The police were called and they are still investigating the matter.

Why does this happen? The answer remains a mystery.

Racist violence takes place in Mikkeli and Finland too often. Society should not even tolerate one such act.

Fortunately, there are strong laws against this type of violence. The Finnish Constitution grants all people the following right: “Everyone is equal before the law. No one shall, without an acceptable reason, be treated differently from other persons on the ground of sex, age, origin, language, religion, conviction, opinion, health, disability or other reason that concerns his or her person.”

There is hope despite these crimes in Mikkeli. People can change and given the right information matters can improve. Meeting people from other cultures could be an important first step in this direction.

Meanwhile, society should not tolerate but  take action and openly condemn this type of violence.

Uschi Neefs

Finnish Social Democrats explain controversial immigration stance

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Finnish Social Democratic Party (SDP) chairperson Jutta Urpilainen explained (in Finnish) in an MTV3 blog what she meant on March 20 that immigrants must abide by Finnish laws (“maassa maan tavalla” policy).

There are many good reasons why SDP’s immigration policy has the appearance of what the anti-immigration True Finns have been driving home all the time. For one, the leadership of the party believes that voters want a tough line on immigration and, especially, against Muslim groups.  The party’s new immigration policy must be inspired by former hardline interior minister, Kari Rajamäki.

The SDP believes that populism will help  lure voters from the True Finns camp in next year’s parliamentary elections.

Urpilainen tells us incredulously in her blog that when people come to Finland they must live under Finnish laws and norms. The statement reeks of populism. Is she stating that immigrants are potential criminals and therefore must be told to live under our laws and norms? Has she forgotten about our values on equality and diversity enshrined in our Constitution and Non-Discrimination Act?

Most of her comments are full of hollow catchwords that have been heard before. What happens in practice is a totally different story. The Social Democrats have not shown much leadership in the past to resolve social inequalities and high unemployment among the immigrant community in Finland.

Too many immigrants in Finland live marginalized from society due to high unemployment and an integration policy that is a failure. The laws of the land are not applied equally to the immigrant community when it comes to discrimination and equality.

Instead of asking future immigrants to follow the laws of the land, which is important, Urpilainen should ensure that those laws are applied fairly to everyone as well.

Should immigrants in Finland commission a poll?

Posted on by Migrant Tales

It seems a bit tragic-comic that we have had two important polls published in Helsingin Sanomat on Finnish attitudes of immigrants. The latest one published by Finland’s leading daily was commissioned by anti-immigrant website Hommaforum. The first one shows that Finns don’t want more immigrants while the second one shows that the majority (88%) were not against labor immigrants but nearly half wanted to make it more difficult for refugees and asylum seekers to enter the country. However, 59% considered the country’s immigration policy too or somewhat lax.

Since the Finnish camp has had its say, why doesn’t the immigrant and refugee community commission a poll from Taloustutkimus or Gallup? We could load the questions in a no-brainer way to ensure we get the responses we wish. Seriously, how many countries in the world — and especially those in a recession — state they want more immigrants?

The poll commissioned by immigrants could show what they think about living in Finland. Do they believe that they are targets (very often, often, sometimes, rarely, never) of discrimination. How does racism show itself? Which political parties are the most obnoxious in this sense? Do immigration authorities treat them fairly and handle their cases swiftly? Are Finns xenophobic or tolerant?

The problem with the last two surveys published by Helsingin Sanomat is that they offer a narrow view. The questions fuel and confirm how much some Finns dislike immigrants never mind refugees.  Is this true? I don’t think so.

Let’s get a collection going and commission our own opinion survey.

The results, I am certain, would not only be novel but revealing!

Obama’s mother had the right idea about cultures

Posted on by Migrant Tales

President Barack Obama remembered his mother, Stanley Ann Dunham Soetoro, as “the most generous spirit I have ever known.” In a touching article in The New York Times, we get a view of this remarkable woman who understood the beauty and strength of diversity. Having been raised in Kansas, her first husband was from Kenya and the second one from Indonesia.

Multicultural marriages are in many respects the pacesetters and molders of new cultures.  It was no easy matter for a woman from Kansas to be wed to a black man in the 1960s.  In many states, marriages between blacks and whites where forbidden until these laws were overturned in 1967. She died of ovarian cancer in 1995 at the age of 53.

From the article I would like to share a quote by Obama’s half-sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, about her mother:

She felt that somehow, wandering through uncharted territory, we might stumble upon something that will, in an instant, seem to represent who we are at the core. That was very much her philosophy of life – to not be limited by fear or narrow definitions, to not build walls around ourselves and to do our best to find kinship and beauty in unexpected places.

PÄÄKIRJOITUS: Onko rasismi vallannut Suomen?

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Enrique Tessieri

Ottaen huomioon maamme pienen maahanmuuttajien ja pakolaisten luvun, mitä olemme tehneet väärin ansaitaksemme tulla opportunisten politikoiden ja heidän puolueidensa päivittäisistä maallikko-solvauksista, rasismista ja herjauksista? Jopa sosiaalidemokraatit, puolue, joka on taistellut työläisten ja vähävaraisten etuuksista, näyttää lähestyneen perussuomalaisten maahanmuuttopolitiikkaa.

Esitin äskettäin kaksi kysymystä kokoomuksen nettisivulla: onko Suomi monikulttuurinen yhteiskunta ja onko puolueella virallista maahanmuuttopolitiikkaa? En saanut vastausta ensimmäiseen kysymykseeni, mutta toiseen he vastasivat lähettämällä linkin, josta pääsin lukemaan viime marraskuussa julkaistun raportin maahanmuutosta. Kysyin heiltä uudestaan, onko kokoomuksella virallista maahanmuuttopolitiikkaa. En saanut vastausta.

Totuus on ettei yhdelläkään poliittisella puolueella ole Suomessa kunnollista ja virallista maahanmuuttopolitiikan suuntaa. Ilman virallista linjaa, on mahdollista, että puoleiden sisällä on monenlaisia mielipiteitä ja kannanottoja: ksenofobisesta maahanmuuton puolesta.

Sosiaalidemokraattien uusi maahanmuuttopolitiikka, “maassa maan tavalla,” jota SDP:n puheenjohtaja Jutta Urpilainen ehdotti, on uudenveroinen, sillä se asettaisi kyseisen puolueen ensimmäiseksi, jolla olisi virallinen maahanmuuttopolitiikka. Onko puolueen maahanmuuton kanta oikea ja tuleeko se menestymään, on toinen kysymys. Monet maat ovat ehdottaneet kannan samanlaiseen nationalistiseen ratkaisuun, pakottamalla maahanmuuttajat allekirjoittamaan sopimuksen, että he noudattaisivat uuden kotimaansa sääntöjä.

SDP:n maahanmuuttopolitiikka tulee epäonnistumaan, ei vain siksi, että se on etnokeskeinen, vaan koska se on perustuslain vastainen. Kuinka voisimmekaan pakottaa toiset ihmiset hyväksymään niin suppean näkemyksen suomalaisuudesta (mitä on suomalaisuus?) jos perustuslaki ja yhdenvertaisuuslaki antavat tilaa kunnioitukselle, erilaisuudelle ja oikeudet mm. harjoittaa omaa uskontoaan.

Nykyinen maahanmuuttokeskustelu ei ole pelkästään muodostanut farssin, mutta se on ennen kaikkea loukkaus kaikkia maahanmuuttajia ja pakolaisia kohtaan, jotka asuvat Suomessa.

Ei olisi ollenkaan huono ajatus jos he menisivät lakkoon samalla tavalla kuin tuhannet Italiassa ja Ranskassa. Viesti olisi päättäjille selvä: emme ole poliittista tykkiruokaa.

The sad case of Somalis in Finland

Posted on by Migrant Tales

By Enrique Tessieri

Below is a good example of how a public official’s comments helps  strengthen racism and stereotypes of certain ethnic groups living in Finland. One of the biggest flaws in the arguments of anti-immigrant groups is that they incorrectly believe that cultures don’t change and therefore different groups are incompatible. I hope that the same stance as these far-right groups hasn’t overtaken the Finnish Immigration Service when we speak of the Somalis.

Does the Finnsh Immigration Service have a special grudge against the Somalians? Is this the reason why it likes to feed these types of stories in order to fuel xenophobia to new heights?

The warning is, however, clear: We don’t want Somalis in Finland because they will never adapt to our country. Up to 90% who want to move to Finland through family reunification are illiterate.

Phony bolony!

UPDATE (31.3.10): Here is a good example (in Finnish) of the hysteria that the Finnish Immigration Service and the media fuel with a percentage. The headline of the Tampere-based Aamulehti article says it all: Finland is not prepared for an avalanche of illiterate immigrants (Suomi ei ole valmistautunut lukutaidottomien maahanmuuttajien vyöryyn). The term “avalanche” is not only misleading it gives the impression that Finland is being invaded by “thousands of illiterate immigrants.”

It is odd that some Finnish policy-makers and politicians never ask if the problem of high unemployment among Somalians has to do with the hostility and bigotry they face daily in our society. Is it due to their outdated views of cultures and outright prejudice?

Finnish anti-immigrant and anti-Somalian critics forget to tell us that the majority of Italian, Spanish, Eastern European and other immigrants that moved to the Americas in the late-eighteenth and early nineteenth century were illiterate. Even though they faced racism and discrimination in their new countries, some of these groups ended up adapting very well and succeeding.

Even blacks from Africa that were forced to come to the United States as slaves from 1619 suffered tremendously from an oppressive system but later, through centuries of struggle, ended up finding a prominant place in US society. Most of these blacks, as well as their future relatives, were once illiterate.

Jussi Halla-aho, who appears to take joy and pride in bashing Somalis and Muslims for fun and personal gain, quoted Jorma Vuorio of the Finnish Immigration Service by stating that “90% of Somalis coming to Finland are illiterate.”

According to the Finnish Immigration Service, Vuorio mentioned that “85%-90%” of Somalians seeking residence permits in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, are illiterate. Fine. But how many? According to the Finnish Immigration Service, we are speaking of 2,260 residence-permit applicants in 2009 compared with 1,855 in the previous year. “We expect the figure to rise to 4,000 this year,” said a Finnish Immigration Service official.

Seriously, can a few thousand Somalis force our social system to implode and did all of the applicants receive a permit to come to Finland? Are they a walking social time bomb as Hallo-aho warns in his usual populist style?

The social bomb that some warn us of will be instigated by our suspicion and prejudices – not by a handful of Somalians who can learn to read and write with our help.

EDITORIAL: Has racism inflicted Finland?

Posted on by Migrant Tales

By Enrique Tessieri

Taking into account the underwhelming size of the immigrant and refugee community, what have we done wrong and why are we the target of daily insults, racism and abuse by opportunistic politicians and their parties? Even the Social Democrats, the party that has championed for the rights of the working man, appears to have aligned itself close to the True Finns on immigration.

I recently asked in a Kokoomus blog two questions: Is Finland a multicultural society and if Kokoomus had an official immigration policy? I never got a response for the first question. For the second one, Kokoomus gave me a link to a report published in November. When I asked them the second question again, if the party had an official immigration policy, I got no response.

The truth is that no political party in Finland has an official policy on immigration. Without such an official stance, it leaves the political playing field inside a party to a wide range of contradicting views: from xenophobic to pro-immigration.

In this sense, the immigration policy, “in Rome do as the Romans do,” suggested by Social Democratic Party chairwoman Jutta Urpilainen, is novel since the SDP will become the first party in Finland with an official immigration policy.  Whether the party’s stance on immigration is the right one or if it will be successful is another question, however. Many countries have suggested this nationalistic approach by forcing immigrants to sign contracts that they will follow the laws of their new homeland.

SDP’s immigration policy will fail not only because it is ethnocentric, but because it is unconstitutional. How can you force people to comply to a narrow view of Finnishness (whatever that is) if the Constitution and Non-Discrimination Act permit diversity and other matters such as freedom of worship?

The one-sided ongoing immigration debate has turned into a farce and an insult to all immigrants and refugees living in Finland.

It would not be a bad idea if immigrants went on strike like thousands did in Italy and France to drive home the point that we are not anyone’s pet political fodder.

(Another) Finnish Border Guard scare-tactic story

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Here is another scare-tactic story by the Finnish Border Guard to reinforce our fears of the “uncontrolled hordes” of immigrants that are attempting to enter Finland illegally. It is a bit like a recent story by YLE that aims to fuel refugee and immigrant hysteria among the population.

Let’s dissect this story with tweezers and see its flaws. In the first place, it speaks of “about 20,000 illegal immigrants” attempting to enter the European Union through Finland from Russia. Note, the article speaks of immigrants as opposed to refugees from Asia, Africa and Palestine. If they are real refugees, shouldn’t they have a right to apply for asylum?

Another matter that should be pointed out about the story is that the figures  are only rough estimates.

These types of stories serve the Finnish Border Guard very well. It reinforces the unsubstantiated notion that we are under constant attack by hordes of foreigners (immigrants and refugees) and therefore it is a good matter that the police are handling immigrant affairs in the country. If I wanted more funds from the state, these types of stories would serve me well.

Some Finnish politicians and the police have used these types of scare tactics in the past. During the cold war, there was no discussion about our foreign policy because it was an issue of national security. Hysteria was also fuelled by people such as the Keijo Korhonen, who around 1990 warned Finns in a populist fashion about unonctrolled masses of Russian refugees overtaking Finland.

If the Finnish Border Guard wants to talk about illegal immigration seriously, they should study the US-Mexican border or travel to Spain and Italy. An estimate of 20,000 is a drop in the bucket with what the latter countries have to deal with.

PÄÄKIRJOITUS: Suomen maahanmuuttokeskustelu

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Enrique Tessieri

Voiko intohimoinen maahanmuuttokeskustelu muuttua vielä rumemmaksi? Ulkoministeri Alexander Subb toi vähän järkeä maahanmuuttokeskustelun, kun hän sanoi, että ”siinä haiskahtaa rasismi, nationalismi, populismi ja ksenofobia (muukalaisviha).”

Keskustelun itsepäinen ja piittaamaton reitti on jopa pelästyttänyt yhden sen tärkeimmistä luojista: (sit.) perussuomalaisen Jussi Halla-ahon. Luultavasti hän on huolissaan keskustelun sävystä, joka voi olla takaisku kaikille maahanmuuttajille Suomessa. Hän sanoi kirjoituksessaan Helsingin Sanomien mielipidesivulla, ettei enemmistö suomalaisista vastusta maahanmuuttoa kuten HS-gallupin kysymys oli osoittanut. Halla-ahon mielestä kyseinen mielipidemittaus olisi pitänyt tehdä kysymällä pitäisikö Suomen myöntää enemmän oleskelulupia Somalista ja Irakista tuleville turvapaikanhakijoille.

Halla-ahon lausuma ja HS-gallupin kysymys ei kerro meille mitään uutta tietoa. Kuinka monessa maassa sen kansalaiset kannattavat maahanmuuton lisäämistä? Kuinka monet uskovat, että heillä on maassaan liian vähän maahanmuuttajia?

Mielipide- ja asennetutkimukset maahanmuuttajista Suomessa heijastavat samanlaisia holhoavaa kannanottoa kuin nykyinen yksipuolinen keskustelu maahanmuuttajista. Tämä selittää sen, miksi lähes olematon maahanmuuttopolitiikka on epäonnistunut ja miksi hälyttävän suuri määrä maahanmuuttajista elää syrjäytyneinä suomalaisesta yhteiskunnasta.

Sosialidemokraatti Puolueen (SDP) puheenjohtaja, Jutta Urpilainen, kiihdytti maahanmuuttokeskustelun intohimot, kun hän syytti viikonlopulla nykyistä hallitusta ja maahanmuuttajia syypäiksi ongelmasta.

Ottaen huomioon työpaikkojen niukkuuden Suomessa ja maahanmuuttajien korkean työttömyyden, Urpilainen sanoi, että Sdp:n uusi maahanmuutto- ohjelma ei vain pakottaisi ihmisiä oppimaan suomen tai ruotsinkieltä, mutta heidän pitäisi etsiä työtä. Hän ei selittänyt sitä, että olisivatko maahanmuuttajat omasta tahdostaan työttöminä käyttäen näin sosiaaliturvaa väärin tai eivät halua oppia suomea tai ruotsia.

Nykyisillä keskustelutasoilla, he jotka vastustavat maahanmuuttoa Suomessa, voivat olla tyytyväisiä. Nykyinen yksipuolinen keskustelu ei pelkästään anna aihetta maahanmuuttajille muuttoa maastamme, se myös pelottaa heidät pois, jotka haluaisivat muuttaa Suomeen.

Kuka haluaisi muuttaa niin vihamieliseen maahan, jossa maahanmuuttokeskustelu on yksipuolista ja jossa ”haiskahtaa rasismi, nationalismi, populismi ja ksenofobia?”