Category: Roble Bashir

Roble Bashir: Why does the Perussuomalaiset party of Finland back vigilante gangs?

Posted on by Migrant Tales

THIS STORY WAS UPDATED

What’s in it for the Perussuomalaiset (PS)* party when they back these notorious vigilante gangs? The whole concept of vigilante gangs emerged due to fear of immigrants by some Finns. These gangs have spread instead fear among immigrants.

Some of my Somali and African friends asked me how is this possible that there are now vigilante gangs in Finland. 

It may be a politicized issue but when we see how some ministers came out with wishy-washy statements about the whole affair some of us started to worry.

What’s in it for the PS and why do they support this notorious idea? Is it because they need desperately an issue to raise their poll standings, which have plummeted recently? 

These vigilante gangs are the stuff of lawless states and weak governments that exist in insecure and violent countries but not of modern and peaceful ones like Finland.

The PS is the only party that mostly support anti-immigrant issues. In the last elections, the PS promised their followers that they will run a tight ship when it comes to immigration. Even so, refugees have flooded Finland during their watch in government.

Continue reading “Roble Bashir: Why does the Perussuomalaiset party of Finland back vigilante gangs?”

Roble Bashir: Do we need vigilante gangs in Finland?

Posted on by Migrant Tales

THIS STORY WAS UPDATED

When I read the news about the vigilante gangs whose aim is to “protect” civilians from asylum seekers, I was naturally shocked. What surprised me, even more, was that the police hasn’t done much to discourage these types of street patrols.

These streets patrols by groups like the Soldiers of Odin do more harm than good because they are dangerous and the real culprits.

Their presence in public and the media is an act of violence, especially if you’re not a white Finn. Whatever their name may be, Soldiers of Odin or Asikkala-Turva, what they are promoting is white supremacist crimes never mind hindering the police in offering security.

Apart from the potential of harassing asylum seekers and migrants in Finland, they are a risk to people like myself and are a threat. 

The other matter that surprised me was how the rise of racism in Finland has provoked attacks against asylum seekers and migrants. I wouldn’t be surprised if these types of groups would be behind some of recent and future arson attacks against asylum reception centers.

Discrimination and prejudice will not go away but worsen in Finland as long as these groups are allowed to roam our streets freely and take, even if they claim not to, the law in their hands.

Apart from fuelling more insecurity, there is no security crisis in Finland or the need for such vigilante gangs.

So a PS councilman of Lieksa, Finland, wants a “Somali-free” room…

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Roble Bashir

We need a Somali-free meeting room today in the eastern Finnish town of Lieksa, according to a Perussuomalaiset (PS) councilman Esko Saastamoinen. Somali-free town tomorrow or Somali- free country after tomorrow?  Why do they hate us so much?

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Illustration by Sebastian L. Jackson for Migrant Tales.

Many times I wonder what is wrong with the PS? Why do they make near-constant ludicrous comments to the media about Somalis in Finland? It makes me sad to read what they say but it gives me power and awareness at the same time.

The PS has put a large sign over its head: We hate everything about you Somalis, your skin color and the fact that you live in this Finland.

Why do they hate us so much if we don’t hold any grudges against them? What’s wrong? Are we invaders to this land? Actually not, because some of us were not only born here but grew up in this country as well. Despite this fact, we’re treated like strangers, even as outcasts.

How can immigrants integrate into Finland if politicians create a climate of intolerance and hatred with their racist speeches to the public and sound bites to the media?

It’s a pretty normal day in Finland when you wake up in a morning, read a newspaper or start surfing the internet, when you eventually read about a politician saying something negative and hostile about immigrants. It’s extremely sad that an MP, who represents this country, uses his power for fear-mongering.

One of these MPs is Jussi Halla-aho of the PS, who visited the town of Lieksa over the weekend.  If he gets elected to the European Parliament in May, he will do everything possible to make our lives more difficult in Europe.

Even so, I’m certain he won’t succeed.

 

Is this bus going to Africa?

Posted on by Migrant Tales

By Roble Bashir

Immigrant bus drivers sometimes feel unsafe during their work in Finland. They face many challenges especially when they work at night.

Some white Finnish passengers try to take advantage of bus drivers with immigrant backgrounds. They may, for example, show an expired ticket and argue with the driver that it is valid. Others may show a ticket bought with their cell phone that is not valid on most buses. They may get into an argument with the driver and claim that he doesn’t know the rules or his job properly even if he has over fifteen years experience on the job.

On other occasions, a passenger may start to drink on the bus. Some passengers may even disobey the driver’s request for them to stop drinking alcohol inside the bus. If the driver insists, some passengers may start to hurl  abusive insults at him like the n-word. Sometimes bus drivers can even be assaulted while at work.

One such driver that was assaulted was from Somalia. He asked a group of passengers to stop smoking and drinking inside the bus. Instead of cooperating, they grabbed a fire extinguisher and used it to spray the driver.

Some white Finns often ask the driver if the bus is going to Africa. Not only are these passengers disrespectful, but they show their arrogance and racism.

It’s easy to understand why some bus drivers feel apprehensive about their jobs.

What makes one language better than the other?

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Roble Bashir 

Two official languages are spoken in Finland: Finnish and Swedish. This means, at least theoretically, that immigrants can choose between two languages and which is best-suited for them.  

An ever-growing number of immigrants want to study the Swedish language. One important reason is that Swedish is easier for some to learn than Finnish.

What makes one language better than the other?

Government organisations that provide integration and language courses to immigrants, offer too few Swedish-language courses.

Since there are more Finnish-language courses offered to immigrants than Swedish, the situation leaves the newcomer in between a rock and a hard place. In the worst of cases, it may mean that the immigrant has to pay for private lessons if he wants to learn Swedish.

More Swedish-language courses should be offered in Finland today. The low number of such courses not only undermines the role of Swedish in Finland, but robs the immigrant of an opportunity to learn a language and integrate rapidly.

A letter to Jussi Halla-aho from Bashir Roble

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Perussuomalaiset MP Jussi Halla-aho,

Have you ever visited Somalia? Do you have any Somali friends? I know that both answers are negative because of the way you speak about my people and my country. MPs like you and others who think the same way, like Interior Minister Päivi Räsänen, belong to the same group. You spread hatred and prejudices about us while Räsänen makes certain that we live separated from our loved ones indefinitely.

Weren’t you recently fined by the Finnish Supreme Court for defaming our religion and inciting ethnic hatred?

Due to much tougher immigration rules, one must apply from abroad if they want to be reunited with their family in Finland. This is a very expensive and time-consuming process. Even those who live in this country, and who want their families to move Finland, are struggling to get a job in order to help their loved ones in war-ravaged Somalia.

Is Mogadishu a safe place to visit?

Mogadishu is a large coastal city and two times bigger than Helsinki. African Union Mission in Somalia  (AMISOM) troops control twelve districts of the capital while Al-shabaab still unfortunately controls four. Those places you saw on the news are districts controlled by AMISOM troops and which are heavily guarded by military tanks. One of them is Lido Beach, where people go swimming on Fridays or other evenings to relax.

You made a parliamentary question suggesting that our refugee status and rights of Somalis in Finland should be lifted in light of the YLE news story. True, after almost two decades of civil war, our city is slowly learning to stand on its feet again because of peace. Everything is evolving rapidly but peace is still a long way off and the situation in my country is still fragile. Everything could change overnight.

Do you know what it feels like to see your loved ones after a decade or two? Do you know what it feels like for your children, who never visited Somalia, to see their relatives for the first time? Such a moment of happiness is impossible to describe in words.

I am certain that many Somalis who live abroad would move back to our country and help in reconstruction. Somalis in Finland are no different. But you overlook an important point when you talk about Somalia and Somalis in Finland: We already have a large community of Somali-Finns who were born and raised in this country. Finland is as much their home as is Somalia and you never can deprive us of that right.

Everyone has the human right to live in a country, especially if that person is being persecuted politically or fleeing war. What about the 1.2 million Finns that moved to other countries from here between 1860-1999? Shouldn’t they be forced to return to Finland?

Where the person lives is a personal choice – not yours to make.

Bahir Roble

Espoo-Leppävaara young man sentenced six years for manslaughter

Posted on by Migrant Tales

An Espoo District Court sentenced Monday an eighteen-year-old man for six years in jail for the manslaughter of Abdisalam Mohamed Abulah, 18.  The father of the victim, Mursal Abdulah, told Migrant Tales that he will appeal the decision. 

Abdulah is one of three victims who lost his life in a span of about three weeks in January-February. Related to one of the killings in Finland’s “black February” was a suicide and a Perussuomalaiset (PS) councilor, who offered to give a medal to a white Finn for killing one of the Muslims in Oulu.

Abdisalam Mohamed Abdulah had plans to study medicine. He was a Manchester United fan. 

Helsingin Sanomat reports that the victim, who attended the same high school as the sentenced young man, went to sleep at his home because he had lost the keys to his home.

Migrant Tales understands that the young man sentenced for manslaughter admitted consuming 16 bottles of beer and drugs when he killed Abdulah.

The fight erupted at the parent’s home of the young man, who slept in a room in the basement. He asked Abdulah if he was a Muslim, who responded that he was. He then asked Abdulah what he thought about Jesus.

Abdulah didn’t answer the question and told him that he did not want to talk about religion. There was silence between the two and soon a fight erupted, according to the sentenced man, who claimed that he feared Abdulah.

Abdulah lost his life when the assailant assaulted him on the head with a metal bar for weights.

Racist coupons were found in mid-July at the trial.

Reporting by Roble Bashir.