The reason why politicians like President Aleksander Stubb, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, Interior Minister Mari Rantanen, Finance Minister Riikka Purra, and a long list of others hold Human Rights in such low esteem is because they believe, incorrectly, that they will never become refugees.
I have written about my illegal detention in Argentina during the dirty war (1976-83), when I was thrown in a police cell for not having my ID card with me. It was an awakening for me concerning the importance of Human Rights. Yes, having lived under Argentina’s most oppressive regime, not only taught me the importance of Human Rights, but how such rights became a rallying cry that brought the military regime down.
Just like Prime Minister Petter Orpo, Interior Minister Mari Rantanen, and constitutional committee chairperson Heikki Vestman speak of “national security,” the same argument was used by Argentina’s military régime to justify their war crimes.
Surprise, surprise! Vestman and the government use the same arguments and secrecy to push through the pushback law, which effectively trashes our record on defending Human Rights, Constitutional rights, and international agreements.
If you look at Vestman’s record on migration, you will conclude that he is one of the National Coalition Party’s xenophobes who has pushed the party to the radical right.
While I like all of the 30 articles of the Human Rights Declaration, my favorite is #30, MP Heikki Vestman:
