City of Kajaani to root out racism and prevent further outrages

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According to statistics, the eastern city of Kajaani has the largest number of racially-motivated crimes in Finland in proportion to the number of foreign residents. To prevent further attacks, the city seriously intends to root out the causes of racism. An anti-racism network is to be established, and two new persons are to be employed to provide attitude training at workplaces and schools.
      "Provided that we get financing, we intend to hire two individuals. One of these instructors will work at enterprises training people and cultivating entrepreneurs' attitudes towards immigrants in order to make it easier for newcomers to become employed. The other instructor is to focus on young immigrants, guiding them on how to integrate into the community, as well as simultaneously training teachers and pupils. A large number of requests for speeches have been received already", said immigrant career councellor Kirsi Jurvansuu from Monika, the Multicultural Activity Centre of Kainuu province.
     
To set up the planned anti-racism network, all civic organisations and other activists will be gathered together to find out effective measures to make the city genuinely broad-minded.
      Multicultural activities as well as encouraging immigrants to participate in the actions of various organisations are on the agenda.
      "This time we want to invite even all those who are not yet involved in any anti-racism work", says Kajaani's director of immigrant services Marja Lähde.
      At the end of July, the ethnic pizza and kebab restaurant Istanbul was attacked by a group of hooligans armed with billiard cues. The incident, together with a number of subsequent fights between Finns and immigrants, has prompted much discussion on racism in Kajaani through the entire autumn.
     
While the owner of Istanbul left the city, the new proprietor of Kurdish background re-named the place as "Ravintola Kajaanin Pariisi" (Restaurant Paris of Kajaani).
      Hamid Jalili is of Afghani origin. At the Monika centre he claims that the situation has not calmed down. On the contrary, mutual resentment between the clients of the restaurant and the adjacent Pub Jibbijee is continuing.
      Moreover, the window of the Monika centre was broken last week. According to Kirsi Jurvansuu this was the third time in the course of three years. Owing to camera surveillance on the spot, the perpetrators have already been caught.
     
How can racism be rooted out from the attitudes of these window breakers and hooligans armed with billiard cues? Many are as marginalised as the immigrants they attack, with long-term unemploymen, alienation, and alcohol abuse all a problem in the region.
      "We have to go to schools and workshops and to ask them to tell us openly why they have suspicions towards immigrants. Then we just have to dispel their misgivings", Jurvansuu notes.
      According to Kari Silvennoinen who is in charge of the ESR financed pro-immigrant project called "Becoming More Visible" in Kajaani, sustained efforts to provide attitude training will eventually bear fruit, even in Kajaani.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Kajaani Finland's most racist city, statistics reveal (3.8.2005)
  Hooligans storm pizzeria run by immigrants in Kajaani (2.8.2005)

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