xenophobia Archives - Page 38 of 92

Finland’s xenophobic Denmark slippery slope

Posted on February 11, 2016 by Migrant Tales

Considering that the anti-immigration Perussuomalaiset (PS)* party is in government and that the two other ruling partners, the Center Party and National Coalition Party (NCP), need the support of the PS to downsize the welfare state, it’s clear why Finland is tightening its immigration policy.

What is happening in Finland has been happening in Denmark for a number of years and serves as a clear warning to Sweden. This is what your country will become if ever the Sweden Democrats got into government.

Apart from officially scapegoating migrants and polarizing society, Islamophobia and fear-mongering would be king.

The saddest aspect of the latter is that most of the politicians, the media and society would care less since they incorrectly believe that tighter rules that will foster social Darwinism won’t apply to them.

Considering that the Finnish government is doing everything possible to discourage asylum seekers from coming to Finland, it’s clear that they are doing everything possible on this front publicly and behind the scenes.

One of these disgraceful examples, like in Denmark, is checking the asylum seekers’ assets and then determine now much reception allowance the person will get.

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When racism in Finland becomes “normal”

Posted on February 8, 2016 by Migrant Tales

Migrant Tales insight: As the politicians and media in Finland turn their backs on the ever-increasing racism in this country, there are a few brave people who don’t remain silent. A brave young woman in Lahti preferred not to remain silent at a bar as two black men were being harassed at a bar in a racist manner Saturday.

If we reflect on what happened, one question rises above the rest: What kind of a country are we living in if a total stranger can insult and harass two black men in public in a racist manner? Is it a country that is living deep in denial and where racism has become so widespread that people can react in such a manner because it is the most normal thing?

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“I went to a bar in Lahti on Saturday and just as I was leaving a Finnish who was accompined by two others started insulting two black men. He told them to leave Finland because noboy had asked them to come here.

The argument got more tempered and that’s when I decided to act and went in between them. I asked the Finnish man why he was yelling at the black men.

Lahti advertises on its web site that it is “an ideal place for businesses.”

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The Finnish man then told me ‘go fuck myself!’

He then continued: ‘Have you lived in some cave?! Don’t you read the news?! Don’t you know that these people come here to rape our women and children?!’

The Finnish man said he had a two-month-old baby and said he was worried she might be raped by the men. He also blamed them for paying more taxes so they could get social welfare.

‘I hope that your future child gets raped by them,’ he told me.

Then my friends came to my side and a fight erupted between them and the three Finnish men. Out of nowhere a total stranger came and punched one of my firends in the jaw.

The police came but the person that punched my friend got away.

I cried a lot that night. I couldn’t believe that people were so cruel.”

The anti-immigration narrative of politicians, the police and President Sauli Niinistö is no mistake

Posted on February 6, 2016 by Migrant Tales

From the fall we have heard the police service, politicians, government ministers, the media and recently the head of state of Finland, Sauli Niinistö, give statements that bolster racist and far-right ideology that label and victimize asylum seekers, migrants, and minorities in this country.

Every time these so-called poorly planned statements are made the first ones who feel the brunt of their hostilities are people who may look like asylum seekers. In this group, there are children as well who get a taste of our xenophobia.

President Niinistö is the best recent example of how politicians give space to far right ideology and racism in Finland. Such public figures do so to further their political careers. Hint: Niinistö is courting the anti-immigration vote for the 2018 presidential elections.

Those who have followed Niinistö know that he’s no friend of our ever-growing culturally diverse society never mind asylum seekers.

What he said Wednesday at the opening ceremony of the new parliamentary session shouldn’t surprise us too much. The pattern is clear: feed the public with the usual dose of anti-immigration rhetoric and then retract and act surprised by stating that “it wasn’t what I meant.”

What did Niinistö state?

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Read full story here.

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Apart from pronouncing the term “asylum” incorrectly, he stated:

“At some point, someone has to recognize that, here and now, we cannot fulfill all of our obligations under international agreements,” according to the Helsinki Times.

Continue reading “The anti-immigration narrative of politicians, the police and President Sauli Niinistö is no mistake”

President Sauli Niinistö claims that asylum seekers threaten Finland and Europe

Posted on February 3, 2016 by Migrant Tales

Speaking to MPs at the opening of parliament’s spring term, President Sauli Niinistö didn’t surprise a lot of people by stating that the amount of asylum seekers coming to Europe are putting under threat our values, reports YLE News. He even went as far as to suggest that if the Geneva Conventions were written today they’d be stricter.

If the government, politicians and President Niinistö have been blamed in the past for giving mixed statements about asylum seekers and immigrants, the latest speech by Finland’s head of state left nobody guessing.

“Migration is a serious problem,” he said. “Europe, Finland, the western way of thinking and our values have all been challenged by it. This is a stark transformation; just a few years ago we were exporting our values and regarded them as unquestionable, now we are having to consider whether even we ourselves can preserve them.”

Read full story here.

President Niinistö not only revealed his anti-immigration views clearer than ever before but the source of Finland’s xenophobia: Migration should be seen as a threat and not as an asset.

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Nobody in Finland seems too concerned about the ever-xenophobic and hostile climate against asylum seekers, migrants and minorities

Posted on February 2, 2016 by Migrant Tales

Prime Minister Juha Sipilä of Finland when he announced in September that he would offer his home to asylum seekers but has now put on hold such plans due to security reasons, reports the BBC. What is surprising is that nobody seems to care too much why it’s no longer safe to house asylum seekers in the prime minister’s home in Kempele.

What this news reveals, and the reaction of the Finnish media to it is that xenophobia and anti-immigration nationalism aren’t considered threats.

Disagree?

Why doesn’t any editorial in Finland ask if the mixed statements by the police and the government concerning vigilante street gangs in Finland weren’t due to poorly planned statements but that there are bigots in the police and government who see immigration and immigrants as a threat.

Read full story here.

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Call the Loldiers of Odin if you see anti-immigrant vigilantes patrolling the street!

Posted on January 31, 2016 by Migrant Tales

Thanks to the mixed statements by the police, Prime Minister Juha Sipilä’s government and President Sauli Niinistö concerning asylum seekers, we have today as well vigilante groups like the Soldiers of Odin and neo-Nazi Kansalinen Vastarinta patrolling our streets. Many of the members of these vigilante groups have criminal and far-right backgrounds.

The hesitancy of the police, the government and the president to condemn what is and what isn’t racist and far-right behavior is at the heart of the problem. Their mixed statements have not only fed xenophobia and far-right groups in this country but are tarnishing our international image.

Aren’t we supposed to be a beacon of hope to those fleeing war and poverty? Aren’t we supposed to have one of the best educational systems in the world? Haven’t we built a successful Nordic welfare society based on social equality? Why are we then acting like a bunch of scared people who have never seen foreigners before?

My experience, and I’m certain that of many others like me, with the police has eroded trust in this public service. One only has to read a few lines of former Perussuomalaiset (PS)* councilman Olli Sademies’ Facebook page or hear MP Tom Packalén’s bigoted views about migrants and minorities understand that there is a deep suspicion of anything that isn’t white and Finnish.

Does the police treat me fairly or is my background a factor? Honestly, I don’t know. The police have done little to ensure me of the contrary.

How many black policemen are there in Finland?

Probably one.

Continue reading “Call the Loldiers of Odin if you see anti-immigrant vigilantes patrolling the street!”

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

Posted on January 16, 2016 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?”

The Perussuomalaiset decade (2011-19): Finland’s rendezvous with xenophobia and nationalism

Posted on January 9, 2016 by Migrant Tales

Here’s the question we all know the answer to concerning the rise and fall of the Perussuomalaiset (PS)* party during this decade: We accomplished nothing, absolutely nothing, polarized society, scapegoated migrants and Muslims and lied through our teeth with poker faces.

Our decade-long rendezvous with right-wing populism and xenophobia has had a negative political and economic impact on this country in many ways.

If there are two words that describe in this adverse political and social environment the actions of the police service, government and public the terms are lost and mixed.

A good example of how lost our police service is when it comes to cultural diversity is to read the string of mixed statements about street patrol gangs. First they say it’s ok but later on retrack.

Why does the police service, when it gives the green light to far-right white supremicist groups like the Soldiers of Odin, conveniently forget that such gangs are a direct threat to migrants, asylum seekers, minorities and to local residents?

Why did Prime Minister Juha Sipilä first offer his home to refugees but then claims that asylum seekers in Finland are a bigger threat than the economy?

Continue reading “The Perussuomalaiset decade (2011-19): Finland’s rendezvous with xenophobia and nationalism”

Roble Bashir: Do we need vigilante gangs in Finland?

Posted on January 7, 2016 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.

Vigilante gangs, the Finnish police service and our denial of racism

Posted on January 6, 2016 by Migrant Tales

THIS STORY WAS UPDATED

The big news story in Finland today is vigilante gangs by xenophobic, far-right and neo-Nazi groups. That’s not all. Some of the members of these vigilante gangs have criminal records.

Should we be surprised?

Not really. The political and xenophobic atmosphere in Finland is ideal for the growth of such vigilante gangs.

Neo-Nazi gangs with criminal records patrol the streets of Finnish towns and cities.

I use the term “gang” to describe these groups because for non-white Finns they don’t offer any sense of security but severely undermine it. Such vigilante gangs are a nasty reminder of Finland’s racism problem and how it is has come to back haunt us from the 1990s.

These vigilante gangs are as well a good example of how something racist in Finland gets national attention and becomes mainstream and a household word.

The Perussuomalaiset (PS)* are the best example of how racism and hostility against migrants, minorities, and cultural diversity become mainstream and acceptable by the political establishment, media, and public. While our attention is on groups like the Soldiers of Odin the real culprits are the PS and us, who give them the benefit of the doubt and a platform for their racist views.

As long as the PS are in power and as long as the Center Party and National Coalition Party need their support in government to trim the welfare state, matters will get worse in Finland for migrants, minorities and our culturally diverse community.

How did racism become an instant political hit in Finland? The answer is that there was little to no opposition to it. The reason why there is too little opposition to such a social ill reveals our denial and how we play down the problem collectively. Racism doesn’t affect white Finns directly so there’s no reason to be too worried about the issue.

Continue reading “Vigilante gangs, the Finnish police service and our denial of racism”