I have covered and written many news stories about deportations of asylum seekers. The last one was from a family that called me pleading if I could find them a lawyer because their appeal was rejected. When the asylum seeker broke the news about the appeal over the phone, a sense of powerlessness overtook me….
Tag: asylum seekers
The Perussuomalaiset are “openly Islamophobic,” according to the non-discrimination ombudsman
The Perussuomalaiset (PS)* party is known for its hostility and attacks against migrants and minorities as well as anyone who dares call them what they are: a party that peddles racism. In a statement Thursday, the non-discrimination ombudsman, said that the actions of PS Minister of Interior Mari Rantanen were discriminatory when the ministry attempted…
Sanitzing racism in Finland with the help of labelling
With the Örbero mass shooting, the worst in Sweden overtaken now by time and denial, a question remains: Who speaks up for migrants or New Swedes? The sad truth is few if any. What is even sader the silence has grown and is defeaning. In a brilliant column, Mehdi Hasan writes about how DEI, which…
MP Heikki Vestman throws the rule of law and asylum seekers under the bus
Thanks to National Coalition Party (NCP) MP and chairperson of the constitutional committee, Heikki Vestman, Finland regressed to the days of the cold war, when human rights was seen as a negative matter because it jeopardized our relationship with the former Soviet Union. Vestman, who has been accused of throwing the rule of law and…
An example of Finnish white fragility
White fragility is a defensive action, whereby white people react violently and defensively whenever racism is brought up. The aim of such hostility is to make the person bringing up the topic so attacked that he or she will not dare bring up the subject ever again. Finance Minister Riikka Purra and Jussi Halla-aho of…
The government’s anti-racism program stops racism on paper
The Finnish government has called for comment on its proposed six-million-euro action program against racism by June 10th. The program’s development began last year when then President Sauli Niinistö was questioned at an international press conference about racist remarks made by ministers in the Petteri Orpo government. Announced in May, the program calls for anti-racist…
MP Heikki Vestman is one of the main anti-immigration ideologues of the National Coalition Party of Finland
National Coalition Party (NCP) MP and chairperson of the constitutional committee, Heikki Vestman, is making a name for himself by promoting xenophobia. In a previous post, Migrant Tales published how Vestman was using Islamophobia and bullying tactics to gain attention and power. His rhetoric has turned him into one of the main anti-immigration ideologues of…
The Finnish police can remove a hijab by force if you are an asylum seeker
A Turku Court of Apeal dropped all charges on 23.3 against seven police and security guards who removed a hijab by force from two asylum seekers in 2017. Apart from the long path of due justice, the case is unsettling because it raises the following question: why is it that a Muslim woman can use…
Finnish Interior Minister Mari Rantanen: Spreading wholesale disinformation about Putin
Thursday’s A-talk not only exposed Perussuoomalaiset (PS)* Interior Minister Mari Rantanen’s total disregard and desire to trash international refugee agreements, but her propensity to spread disinformation to her voter base. The logic is the same that we’ve seen throughout history: I hate this group and this entitles me to spread lies about them at will….
Chest-beating and bravado, Finland’s Interior Minister Mari Rantanen has no credibility
Thursday’s A-talk exposed once again Interior Minister Mari Rantanen for what she is: A minister with a far-right worldview who loathes Muslims and other people of color. During the talk, she was ready to shelve international agreements that give foreign nationals the right to seek asylum. “Yes, I would urge us to reconsider and start…