The Stockholm riots reveal in the raw our prejudices and loathing for cultural diversity

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Apart from being a wake-up call to ever-growing social exclusion, discrimination and outright intolerance that is alive and kicking in Sweden, the riots in the northern suburb of Stockholm have revealed in Finland our prejudices and loathing for cultural diversity. 

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The Local writes: “Stockholm is not on fire. Let’s get that clear immediately.” Read full story here.

The riots in Husby even encouraged anti-immigration commentators on Migrant Tales to radicalize and step up their attacks on those who defend the good name of this blog.

Since riots are a desperate call for attention, reaction to such turmoil can reveal our deepest fears, prejudices and shameless doses of political opportunism as we have seen by Perussuomalaiset party politicians.

For me, the riots in Sweden are a sad reminder that a part of our society is still incapable of coming to terms with cultural diversity. Their response is defensive instead of proactive.

What does all of this reveal to us? That the lives of certain immigrant groups in this country are going to get far worse in the future.

By ”far worse” I mean greater social exclusion, prejudice and discrimination.  Instead of finding proactive solutions, our prejudices will continue to cripple and impair our good judgement.

Another unsettling fact emerges from the Stockholm riots: Finland has serious issues of its own in accepting its ever-growing cultural diversity.

What will all of this lead to?  The answer is simple: Similar riots in Finland in the future as in Sweden.

If the riots in Husby show that that a model Nordic welfare state like Sweden has issues concerning cultural diversity, it suggests that matters in Finland are in far worse shape.

It’s not too late, however. A lot can be done to avoid the mistakes of  Sweden on the integration of immigrants front.

The most important of these is to live up to the spirit of our laws, which promotion of acceptance, opportunities and social equality for all.

City of Helsinki shouldn’t contract companies exploiting foreign workers

Posted on by Migrant Tales

By Zuzeeko Tegha Abeng

Foreign workers in the cleaning services sector in Finland face exploitation and abuse from employers and sometimes from customers. The authorities, including city councils that award cleaning contracts to companies that violate employment rules and collective agreements share the blame.

cleanersImage: The Copenhagen Post

According to a Yle report, work safety inspections conducted in about 20 cleaning companies that employ foreign workers revealed problems at every company inspected, and the City of Helsinki is considering contracting the services of one of the companies.

Violations uncovered by inspections carried out this year include irregularities in registering work hours, payment irregularities and employment of workers without work permits.

As a foreign national with experience and connections in Finland’s cleaning sector, I am not surprised by news that inspections turned up problems in every cleaning company inspected. What is surprising to me is that the City of  Helsinki is considering contracting a company that violates employment standards.

In my view, companies that do not register work hours exploit workers – intentionally or unintentionally – by not remunerating all work hours since some hours “slip through the cracks”. Payment irregularities could mean workers are not paid as per their work contracts and collective agreements. For instance, some foreign employees work without a fixed payment date, hence they can’t plan payment of bills, rents and other living expenses because they don’t know when they’ll be paid.

Workers employed without work permits, in my opinion are vulnerable and subject to exploitation and abuse since they mostly work in hiding and cannot take legal action against exploitation and abuse. Employers take advantage of undocumented workers.

Background checks

The City of Helsinki and all other authorities in Finland, including private sector businesses requesting bids should ensure that bidding companies respect labor laws and collective agreements before contracting their services. This can be done by working closely with labor inspectors and trade unions.

Service suppliers should be subjected to background checks before bid contracts are accepted.

In 2009 I wrote a complaint to the City of Espoo about the exploitation of workers (mostly Africans and Chinese) by a cleaning company operating in Espoo. In reply to my complaint a lawyer at the City of Espoo said, that before contracting companies the city ensures that the companies comply with labor laws and collective agreements. It was hard to believe the lawyer because the company in question, in my assessment, violated many labor standards and collective agreements in the cleaning services sector, including the obligation to register hours spent on the job by all employees. (Read my story, in Finnish, on PAM-lehti).

Exploitative companies that disregard labor regulations, collective agreements and workers’ rights should not be given contracts. Contracting such companies sends a wrong message that exploitation of foreign workers is acceptable in Finland.

Read original blog entry here.

This piece was reprinted by Migrant Tales with permission.

The riots in Stockholm could happen in Finland sooner rather than later

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Center Party municipal politician Abdirahim “Husu” Hussein told the Finnish media that the riots we are seeing in the Stockholm suburb of Husby could well happen in Finland in 10-15 years if we commit the same mistakes. The ugly face of intolerance, which is raising its head in Finland conspicuously, reinforces Hussein’s claim. 

By “mistakes” I mean lack of opportunities, little acceptance, intolerance and social exclusion.

A good example that the riots in Husby will happen in Finland is Perussuomalaiset (PS) MP Vesa-Matti Saarakkala, who suggested that immigrants with “behavior disorders” should be interned for a half a year at a camp to learn how to behave in our society.

PS chairman Timo Soini’s constant denials that intolerance isn’t an issue in our society and especially in his anti-immigration party together with the silent acceptance of such outrageous claims by other politicians, assure us as well that the future will be here sooner than we expect.

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In Saarakkala’s black-and-white racist world, he would be more than happy that immigrants would act in the way that he insults them. It would offer proof that his outrageous claims are true and assure him a steady stream of voters who are as well multiculturally challenged.

Instead of speaking about sending immigrants to camps, it wouldn’t be a bad idea for a number of Finnish politicians like Saarakkala to be sent to a camp on how to “behave” in a culturally diverse society. They need guidance on this front.

When reading about the riots in neighboring Sweden we should pay close attention to how the problem is being reported by the media and what politicians are saying.

In Finland, it shouldn’t surprise us that openly anti-immigration politicians are trying to get the most political mileage from what is happening there.

Since a riot and burning cars are considered anti-social behavior, only immigrants, or those “with immigrant backgrounds,” are the troublemakers.

We’re missing the point: The issue in Sweden is inclusion and equal opportunities.

The riots there show us that this model society has issues with intolerance as well.

 

Fighting racism in Finland the Ricky Ghansah way

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Ricky Ghansah is a young African who was being harassed by a “super racist”at a Helsinki bus stop. On entering the bus, Ghansah noticed that the man had forgotten at home his wallet and bus pass. He went to the bus driver and paid the man’s ticket. 

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Read Facebook thread here.

The man, who had called Ghansah racist names, came up to him and thanked him for buying the ticket. He told the  man that his show of gratitude doesn’t mean much to him but if he apologized that would.

The man then apologized for his behavior. Ghansah asked if he could apologize a little louder so the whole bus could hear him. He did and the bus passengers clapped their hands in approval at what had happened.

It was a very effective way to handle such a horrible situation. A woman passenger who sat next to Ghansah said that he had handled the situation very well.

Possibly the man who insulted Ghansah is a racist manner will think twice the next time he opens his mouth.

Migrant Tales Literary: If you are a Finn

Posted on by Mark

 

If you are a Finn, what is a Fonn?

Was your flag blue and white, or was it lilac and yellow?

Sorry, what was that again? Sano säki mua suks?

Or was it san snää mnuu snuuks?

So who hates who in this mnuu snuu, I wonder?

 

So, I am the maahanmuuttaja.

There is only one of us, after all.  — Ha, you wish!

I am a mover of countries, apparently!

I see that my country certainly moved with me!

Was I a ulkomaalainen! Or was I a tulokaslaji?

 

A Finn…

sweats to get clean

swims in ice to get warm

drinks vodka to get thirsty

stays silent to communicate

 

Still, it’s not all contradictions.

Finns sleep. Finns clean their teeth. Finns talk (yes they do!).

Finns laugh. Finns smile. Finns walk (oh, and Finns pooh!).

 

Finns.

You know, people from Finland (or was that Funland?).

Finns.

You know, where the cocks crow a bit funny, like “cock-a-coockle-coo”

Finns.

You know, not Swedes. Oh, but wait, some of them speak Swedish, too!

Finns.

Tree lovers. True lovers. Nature lovers. Lake lovers. Because love is quite unique to Finland, don’t you know!

Finns.

Because F comes before G, and I comes after H, and N comes after M and oh, that, once again, and then S comes before T. And then, finally, we’re done.

Finns.

Because there is something extra special about Suomi.

Sacred, even!

 

So if you are a Finn. What am I, then? What am I to you?

Someone else, not a Finn, not so lucky, perhaps?

Not kin, to a Finn. But born into a dustbin. Just, someone “…from somewhere else!”

 

Do the birds in Finland know that they are Finnish?

That they are special?

Why not? – someone should tell them. Hey, suomalainen lintu – kuuntele!

Sä oot erityinen!

Every one of you! And the worms you eat, too.

All special. Loveable. Valuable.

Cos your Finnish.

 

I’m not a Finn.

I guess that means I’m finished.

…

..

.

Calling Timo Soini’s bluff

Posted on by Migrant Tales

The Perussuomalaiset (PS) is a desperate party and Timo Soini’s claim over the weekend, that the Social Democrats had abandoned working-class men, is another example of how this populist anti-immigration party bluffs at the political poker table. The type of attack by Soini on the Social Democratic Party is in line with how the party has victimized and labelled immigrants and visible minorities. 

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Soini made his chauvinistic  claim after the SDP replaced two of its ministers on Friday, Jukka Gustafsson and Maria Guzenina-Richardson, with Susana Huovinen and Pia Virtanen.

He was quoted as saying on YLE in English: ”Working men don’t interest the left. The collapse in support for the left stems from the fact that those who bake the cake, workers and small businsspeople, are not defended enough.”

And Soini’s rambunctious party, which will scare away skilled workers and investment from this country, is going to defend the working man? That claim by Soini is a good example of the PS’ political chicanery and desperation to win the EU parliament and parliamentary elections in 2014 and 2015, respectively.

If there is little doubt that the PS is an anti-EU, anti-immigration and especially anti-Islam party, it is as well an anti-women’s rights party. Should we be surprised by Soini’s claim? Not at all. How can a party promote gender equality if it’s intolerant of immigrants and visible minorities?

Sensible people understand that if the PS ever got into government or if Soini become prime minister, the damage the party would inflict on Finland would be immense. 

You would not only see a populist party promoting its far right and conservative views on the country, but one that will promote racism, prejudice, sexism and intolerance in general.

Migrant Tales has written on numerous occasions that sucking up to PS populism has been a costly mistake for Finnish mainstream parties.

Politicians must lead. Offering leadership during trying times means standing up for your convictions even if it may cost you votes.

A good example that Finnish politicians should emulate is US President Barak Obama, who was one of the few politicians in 2003 who was against the invasion of Iraq. Even if he was in the minority that opposed the war, his leadership on this front was one factor that allowed him to become the first black president of the US in 2008.

 

Statement by the Council of Europe’s Human Rights Commissioner: “Europe must combat racist extremism and uphold human rights”

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Migrant Tales comment: This statement by the  the Council of Europe’s Human Rights commissioner, Nils Muižnieks, is a good example of  how racist anti-immigration groups are gaining more power in Europe. In Finland we saw the spectacular rise of the Perussuomalaiset (PS) party in 2011. Finland’s anti-EU, anti-immigration and anti-Islam voice got stronger in parliament.  Matters in Europe appear they will get far worse before before the threat of racism, xenophobia and nationalism are contained.  

______________

Europe has been experiencing a worrying intensification of activities of racist extremist organisations, including political parties. According to some commentators, the upsurge has even reached the point of “an early form of far right terror”. It worries me deeply that the European community and national political leaders appear not to be fully aware of the serious threat that these organisations pose to the rule of law and human rights.

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The philosophy of racist extremist organisations is centred on denying the entitlement of “others” – mainly migrants and members of national, ethnic and religious minorities – to human rights and fundamental freedoms. They invent “enemies” who have to be fought and eliminated.

In Greece, for example, between October 2011 and December 2012 around 220 racist attacks were reported to the Racist Violence Recording Network headed by UNHCR and the National Commission for Human Rights. That is about one attack every other day. In my recent report concerning Greece I underlined the need to curb hate crime and combat impunity for hate crimes.

Influencing national parliaments

The phenomenon is all the more serious as it is paired with an increased influence of racist extremist political parties in national parliaments and governments, and endeavours by these parties to strengthen their position at European level through alliances.

For example in Hungary, Jobbik, self-described as “radically patriotic”, entered the parliament in 2010 as the third largest party. In Sweden polls show a rise in popularity for the Sweden Democrats (SD), a party with neo-Nazi roots, and the same goes for the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn in Greece.

This political presence lends legitimacy and credibility to political extremism that is often linked to racist and other hate crimes. The main targets are migrants and Muslims, as well as particularly vulnerable social groups such as Roma and other minorities. Many such cases are recorded, for example in Hungary, Italy and Serbia.

Low awareness among politicians and law-enforcement

European political parties and national parliaments should be more aware of this trend. Instead, on many occasions political leaders, through their statements and policies, add force to racist extremism expressed by xenophobic and intolerant far-right political organisations.

Some serious cases also point to failures on the part of the police and intelligence services to adequately address racist extremism. For example in Germany members of the National Socialist Underground murdered 10 persons between 2000 and 2007 without the police connecting the dots. The same thing happened in Sweden where a man shot seven persons, two of them fatally, in 2009-10. For a long time the murders were described as “gang-related” by the police.

What should be done

  • European states must fully abide by and give effect to the standards contained in the 1966 International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, especially its core provision of Article 4 concerning the sanctioning of racist organisations.
  • In this context, states should revise their legislation to effectively penalise participation in racist extremist groups.
  • Existing national legislation concerning racist extremism needs to be updated and strengthened along the lines of Framework Decision 2008/913/JHA of the Council of the European Union concerning the combating of racism and xenophobia.
  • The use of hate speech and participation in racist activities should be a basis for serious, dissuasive disciplinary measures to be imposed on MPs by parliaments and political parties.
  • Countries should take measures to provide systematic, continuous anti-racism training of all law enforcement officials, prosecutors and judges involved in the investigation and prosecution of racist crimes.
  • States should ensure that victims of extremism have unimpeded access to national justice and effective protection. Particular attention should be paid to migrant victims without residence status.
  • National authorities should be particularly vigilant concerning racist extremism within law enforcement authorities and eradicate impunity notably through independent and effective complaint mechanisms.
  • Human rights education should be systematically included and emphasised in schools.

A human rights based approach necessary

Racist violence, as opposed to other forms of violence, has a broader destructive impact on human dignity and social cohesion. This is why it should be treated more seriously than other forms of violence and extremism.

Individuals and organisations involved in such acts are a threat to the pillars of democracy. They erode human rights to which democratic countries adhere, and undermine the rule of law. States have to ensure the protection of human rights through the eradication of impunity, effective protection of victims, and systematic, on-going awareness work notably through education.

National authorities need to be vigilant and combat racism and extremism at all levels of society.

Nils Muižnieks

Useful documents:

Dominic-Savior Chukwu: How to avoid migrant exploitation in the Finnish labor market

Posted on by Migrant Tales

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Dominic-Savior Chukwu’s BA thesis addresses some of the challenges that immigrants face when employed at a Finnish company. Apart from practical problems like understanding  the work contract that he or she will sign, some immigrants are apprehensive about demanding their rights. 

Chukwu’s states that some migrants come from countries where there are inadequate labor laws that don’t defend workers‘ rights or if they exist they are not enforced adequately.  ”Some prefer to be quiet for fear that they’ll get fired if they demand their rights,” he said.”This leaves many vulnerable to exploitation by the employer.”

According to Chukwu, who is a native of Nigeria, joining a union is one way of overcoming some difficulties at work.

Chukwu believes that another problem that some immigrants face at work is being treated as second-class employees.

”Since you are a foreigner, your opinion doesn’t count or doesn’t count as much as that of a white Finn,” he said. ”This is a very stressful situation for many migrants since it doesn’t empower them but encourages them instead to be apathetic of their rights.”

Chukwu’s thesis, Experiences of Labor Exploitation – Case study of some male migrant workers in Finnish facility service industries, highlights some of the challenges that immigrants face in the labor market.

The main conclusions of the thesis are:

  • Langauge barrier/inadequate language skills and lack of opportunities to learn Finnish or Swedish;
  • Ignorance of employees’ rights and law legislation/ignorance plays a big role in migrant workers exploitation by employers;
  • Fear of retribution from the employers/migrant workers fear retribution and therefore prefer not demand their rights;
  • Oversight of the authorities to the plight of migrant workers/authorities are not paying close enough attention to protect the well-being of migrant workers.

Chukwu’s thesis can be read here.

Dear Migrant Tales…when the workplace becomes a hostile place

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Dear Migrant Tales,

Being the only black person at work can be challenging but what about if the workplace becomes openly hostile to you? By hostile I mean being constantly watched by your coworkers, if you make a mistake it’s always a bigger deal than if a white coworker did it, if you’re speaking on the phone, your work mates are the first ones to tell you that you’re not on a break.  

I got fired from my last job after working there for about four months. I’ve had many jobs but the last one was the worst. The work atmosphere there was terrible.

I confided in a worker, an older man, at my former job. I spoke openly to him about myself and some of my problems. I found out from another coworker that he was talking behind my back and exaggerating what I had told him.

One day while I was on a break, the person I confided in started to raise his voice at me. He told me that Somalis shouldn’t live in Finland and why don’t I  return back to where I came from.  I couldn’t take it anymore and raised my voice back at him.

The older man went immediately to our boss and told him that I had raised my voice at him. The boss spoke to us and then told me that he didn’t believe anything I said. He said he believed the white worker because he had worked at the company much longer than I.

I ended up getting fired.

White Finns have effective ways of excluding you at work. At the job I got fired, your opinion didn’t matter because nobody cared what you thought. It’s such a stressful situation! Some of my coworkers even asked me to do their job because they thought I was dumb. I’m not dumb.

I’m extra careful at my new job. I don’t want to get fired again and I’ve learned an important lesson: Not to mix with my coworkers and just mind my own business.

I’d appreciate any good advice on how a black person can survive at a Finnish company.

Abdulah 

 

Abdulah, who speaks to us under condition of anonymity, has appeared on Migrant Tales a number of times. 

 

Otavan Sanomat: Opiskeleminen Suomessa

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Iise Ali Hassan

Suomessa on paljon mahdollisuuksia opiskella mitä sinä haluat. Kaikki opiskelu on lähes ilmaista ja tämä kannustaa ihmisiä jatkamaan opiskelua. Ilman opiskelua on vaikea päästää eteenpäin elämässä Suomessa.   

Opiskelen Otavan Opiston monikulttuurisella peruskoulunlinjalla. Vaikein asiaa minulle on Suomen kieli. Silti olen oppinut paljon tänä vuonna.

Ensimmäinen asiaa johon ulkomaalainen opiskelija törmää koulussa on suomen tai ruotsin kieli. On erittäin tärkeä, että opiskelija oppi puhumaan Suomea. Ilman Suomea on vaikea tutustua ja kotoutua Suomeen yhteiskuntaan ja työelämään.

Yksi hyvä tapa harjoitella suomen kieltä on tutustua suomalaisiin. Tämä joskus on vaikea muttei mahdotonta.

On selvää että Suomessa kannatta opiskella kovasti ja yrittää kannustaa itseä eteenpäin elämässä. Tämä mahdollisuus on annettu meille ja olisi huono juttu olla käyttämättä tämä lahjaa.

Minulla on ollut helppoa opiskella Suomessa, koska olin opiskellut ala- sekä ylläasteella Somaliassa. Opiskelen paljon samoja asioita mutta eri kielillä!

Paitsi suomen kieltä ja tämä maan kulttuuria, opiskelu Suomessa on antanut minulle uusia mahdollisuuksia päästä eteenpäin elämässä.

Tämä kirjoitus julkaistiin Otavan Sanomissa (toukokuu 2013). Iise Ali Hassan on Otavan Opiston monikulttuurisella peruskoululinjalla.