Adaption of migrants in Finland is a one-way (assimilation) process

Posted on by Migrant Tales

What do politicians and public officials in Finland mean when they claim that integration is a two-way process? Is it only political correctness that motivates them to make up such claims or is it code that means one-way adaption, or assimilation?

The first question that I’d like to ask is what does two-way integration mean? How is it put in practice in Finland?

The table above shows the educational background of 15-64-year-old migrants (ulkomaalaistaustainen) and Finns (suomalaistaustainen) who have completed tertiary education (korkea aste), upper secondary school (toinen aste) or comprehensive school (peruskoulu). Source: Survey on work and well-being among people of foreign origin.

In an ideal world, it is supposed to mean – I suspect – when two equal members of society representing different cultures learn from each other and try to find synergies to create a stronger and more dynamic society. For such a thing to happen, however, there must be no institutional racism. And there’s a lot of that in Finland.

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Helsingin Sanomat survey on migrants reveals expectations that adaption in Finland is and will be a one-way process

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Finland’s largest daily, Helsingin Sanomat, published a survey Friday about the minimum requirements that foreigners should adapt to if living here. Seventy-seven percent fully agreed that white Finns should be able to shake hands with both sexes. The survey showed as well that 52% were against women’s-only swimming hours and 37% felt that one should bathe naked in the sauna. 

What surprised me the most, however, was that 32% were against men and women bus drivers using turbans and hijabs. That compared with 40% that said that teachers, the police or other public officials should not use any object to cover their hair.

Migrant Tales reported during 2013-2014 about the long struggle of a Sikh bus driver, Gill Sukhdarshan Singh, who won a landmark case to wear a turban at work.  

While these are interesting expectations of white Finns in the survey they reinforce what we’ve known all along: Adaption of foreigners is a one-way process.  It also reveals that people are reluctant to make room for cultural diversity.

Some findings of the Helsingin Sanomat survey on what Finns expect foreigners to accept about Finland. Read the full story here.

Since racism, bigotry, and exclusion are enforced by the majority’s power and privilege, it’s clear that the survey, the questions, and answers will respond to maintaining the status quo.  The survey reveals as well Helsingin Sanomat’s simplistic view of how migrants should adapt to our society.

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Zaki and Baran are still in a state of shock after they were deported to Afghanistan on Tuesday

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Migrant Tales got an unexpected friend request on Facebook late Tuesday evening. It was Zaki, one of the Afghan asylum seekers who was deported to Kabul on Tuesday with eleven other people. 

Helsingin Sanomat published an extensive article about Zaki’s ordeal.

What makes Zaki’s case so frustrating is that the supreme district court overruled his deportation ruling by the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) on Wednesday, a day after he was deported and escorted by 3-4 police officers to Kabul.

Hussein Kazemian interviewed Zaki by phone today. He said that both Zaki and his friend, Baran, who was also deported, are in shock and full of fear. For their long journey to Finland and months of uncertainty, they were given 200 US dollars*  by the police on the flight for their worries.

Kazemian: What are you thoughts at this moment?

Zaki: I feel threatened and cannot go outside the IOM guest houses. I believe that those people who threatened me are looking for me. I hope I can find a way to return [to Finland].

Kazemian: What do you think about Migri’s decision to deport you?

Zaki: It’s unfair. I had a job [in Finland] and was living with a Finnish family.

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The old and new Perussuomalaiset: Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right…

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After the Perussuomalaiset (PS)* party imploded on June 13 into two factions, there’s been a lot of finger-pointing from members of the old and new PS. This is nothing new coming from a party that has a long track record in scapegoating migrants and minorities.

The old PS and the new PS, called today either New Alternative or Blue Reform, is the only party in Finland after World War 2 that is openly racist and Islamophobic to attract voters.

Don’t believe the new PS. They are the same thing but in different clothing and give justice to Malcolm X’s famous saying, “Racism is like a Cadillac. They bring a new model every year.”

The old and new PS are not just clowns and jokers to the left and right but hazardous to Finland’s political health.

Are we surprised that the deposed PS leader, Timo Soini, blames the far right and Suomen Sisu for the split in the party? What he sowed and reaped for many years ended up destroying him and the party.

Soini writes in his blog: “It’s silly to argue that a coup/job didn’t happen at the Perussuomalaiset party convention. Electing an anti-immigration hardliner [like Halla-aho] was for many too much. The stick that broke the camel’s back was when Suomen Sisu attempted to overtake the party council.”

Electing “an anti-immigration hardliner?!” Why didn’t he sack Jussi Halla-aho from the party in 2012,  when he promised to do so if a party member got convicted for ethnic agitation?

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#RightToLife demonstration holds inconclusive talks Monday with Helsinki city officials and the police

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Nour, one of the organizers of the #RightToLife Helsinki Railway Square demonstration that was closed after 140 days by the police on Friday, is hopeful that a new location will be found soon. 

“We had talks today with Helsinki city officials and the police about a new site,” he told Migrant Tales by phone. “No place or date was given yet by the officials, but we are looking at places like Kiasma and Kamppi.”

Nour of the #RightToLife demonstration. Photo: Enrique Tessieri.

Nour admitted that the Helsinki Railway Square was a perfect place since its location in the heart of the city and a lot of people pass through there.

“I’m not counting my chicks before they’re hatched,” he said. “I’m not either optimistic or pessimistic.”

Nour was, however, adamant: “The demonstration will continue.”

The Finnish police tells three Afghan asylum seekers “we’ll deport you anyway!”

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Three Afghan asylum seekers had an appointment with the police who detain them. Two of them got the second negative decision earlier.

At the police station, a police official told them that they were detaining them because they were going to flee the country. Before locking them up, the police asked them to sign their deportation agreement. They refused.

”We will not sign it,” said one of the Afghan asylum seekers.

”We will deport you anyway [even if you sign it or not],” the police officer said.

Not all Finnish police treat Afghan asylum seekers in this way. Some treat them with respect and fairly.

Deporting people back to Afghanistan, and despite the Finnish Immigration Service’s (Migri) assurances, the country hasn’t been safe for over thirty years.

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Welcome back to “safe” Iraq, let me slash you with a knife

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The Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) continues to insist that countries like Iraq, where Finnish nationals are discouraged from visiting, is a safe country to deport people. Migri deports everyone they don’t give residence permits. You leave either “voluntarily” or by “force.”  

Iraq isn’t a safe country, and sensible people understand that Migri’s tough asylum policy hinges on the Blue Reform, formerly the Perussuomalaiset (PS)*.

Even if the PS split into two parties, both loathe asylum seekers from countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, and Somalia.

Migrant Tales documented two cases last year of two Iraqi asylum seekers who faced violent deaths upon returning from Finland.

The latest story to reach us is of an Iraqi who was “deported voluntarily” to his home country two months ago and attacked by militias on Saturday.

The history of the Iraqi victim is very similar to the many thousands that fled to Finland in 2015.

A fellow asylum seeker from Iraq writes:

The asylum seeker, who alerted us, said that a car had followed him near his home with three people. They cut him with a knife and spared his life. “The next time we see you, we will kill you!” they warned.

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The Finnish police’s lame excuse for disbanding the #RightToLive demonstration in Helsinki

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Let’s go back a day and recall one of the most incredible excuses to shut down the #RighToLive demonstration in downtown Helsinki. Deputy police chief Heikki Kopperaoinen told YLE News Friday that the demonstration could no longer be held in the Helsinki Railway Square after 140 days because of security issues. 

UPDATED at 10:08 pm:

In plain English, “security issues” mean provocations and threats by far-right groups like Finland First.

Instead of giving space to far right groups, racism, and bigotry, we should stand up to such social ills.

Racism, like any other type of violence, must be challenged. Caving into its provocations and violence is not the way fight it. We must send a clear message that we won’t be provoked by such hostility.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHV9Wlt2QFE&feature=youtu.be

Thank you Zimema Mhone of Touch Engage Media for sending this video. Demonstrators marched Friday to the offices of the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) on Friday.

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Finland should stop capitulating to racist far-right groups like Finland First and others

Posted on by Migrant Tales

The police service informed the #RighttoLive camp, which has been demonstrating against the Finnish Immigration Service’s unfair asylum policies and deportations since February, to disband from the Central Railway Square by 7 pm Friday. The order was given five days after the far-right Suomi ensin (Finland First) demonstration was obliged to leave the Central Railway Square on Monday.

Deputy police chief Heikki Kopperaoinen told YLE News that the #RightToLive demonstration was ordered to decamp due to security concerns.

“The decision is based on how the security situation in central Helsinki is developing,” he was quoted as saying in YLE News.

What does the deputy police chief mean by “based on how the security situation is developing?”

They are the police, and it’s their job to guarantee each person’s security, not succumb to far-right racist pressure from groups like Finland First.

Nour Jamal, one of the most active organizers of the #RightToLive demonstration, was confident that they would continue their protest despite the momentary setback.

Read the posting here.

#RightToLive spokesperson Outi Popp was disappointed as well by the decision by the police to end the demonstration in downtown Helsinki.

“The protest did not cause danger of any kind. We have complied with all of the police orders and suggestions all along,” Outi Popp was quoted as saying in YLE News.

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