Refugees. While Erna Solberg (H) and the blue-blue government say no to 123 sick Syrian refugees because they are getting too expensive, Sweden and Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt in the sister party Moderate unions do the opposite.
(THIS ARTICLE IS MACHINE TRANSLATED by Google from Norwegian)
In an excellent way, Aftenposten – historically and still usually among the Conservatives' best friends – this week pits the refugee policy of the conservative neighboring governments against each other. The blues are beaten blue and yellow by their conservative sisters in the refugee humanity class.
“If we are to welcome people with major disabilities, it requires a great deal of facilitation in the form of housing and other things. It is demanding for Norwegian municipalities, ”Solberg answers questions about why the oil-rich and safe Norway cannot accept 123 sick Syrians on the run from the crossfire between the Islamic State (IS) and dictator Bashar al-Assad.
"I ask the Swedish people to be patient and open their hearts to the vulnerable," said Fredrik Reinfeldt when he announced increased refugee flows. He referred in particular to Syria, from which Sweden has received over 20.000 asylum seekers. All Syrian refugees who come to Sweden receive a permanent residence permit under Reinfeldt's management. He appears exemplary in solidarity – as a role model not only for most Swedes, but also for most Norwegian politicians. For which Norwegian minister has said and done something so clear and good? What did Jens Stoltenberg and Jonas Gahr Støre say when they had the chance last year?
From Syria alone, there are now almost 3 million registered refugees, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. 1,1 million of these are in Lebanon. If one counts the estimated 400.000 unregistered refugees in the same country, this means that 35 percent of Lebanon's population are now refugees – in addition, there are internally displaced persons. Lebanese have already turned Reinfeldt's words into action, they have both had patience and opened their hearts and doors.
Possibly Sweden and Lebanon are poorer than Norway in GDP (gross national product) per capita. But these two countries have far higher BSP (gross solidarity product) than Norway. Here in the country, a few possibly returning Syrian sailors receive more attention than the millions on the run.
Culture Difference. But refugees come from several countries. From Afghanistan, Eritrea, South Sudan and Mali. And now most recently from IS's ravages in Iraq. In addition, we can include the over 20.000 refugees drowned in the Mediterranean over the last 20 years. In a desperate attempt to find security and a better life.
Today's global refugee situation is the worst since World War II. It requires an enormous amount from all the good forces in the world community, from top leaders to good neighbors. The Swedish Prime Minister has understood that – unfortunately not Erna Solberg.
But it is not just the politicians at the top who separate Norway from Sweden in the view of several refugees. Aftenposten asks, among other things, commentator in Svenska Dagbladet, Göran Eriksson, why there is such a difference in this field. He answers the following:
“There are different political cultures in the two countries. In Sweden, there is largely a political consensus that one should have a generous refugee policy. The debate climate is different than in Norway and Denmark ».
Norwegian-Swedish politician Cecilie Tenfjord-Toftby explains Reinfeldt and Sweden's clear humanism as follows: «Swedish anti-racism is based on the 1970s solidarity movement, the Church's clear stand and Olof Palme's strong imprint, among other things. But also important is Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt's strong personal commitment »
Two out of three Swedes think they should welcome more or as many refugees as they do today, "given the wars and unrest that is going on right now". According to Statistics Norway, only seven (7) percent of Norwegians believe that "it should be easier for refugees and asylum seekers to stay in Norway"
New Time belongs to these seven percent. If it is the municipalities' capacity that matters, as Solberg claims, this is perhaps one of the few good arguments for comprehensive municipal mergers. Here is our challenge, Solberg: We support you in a forced merger of, say, ten small municipalities, which will of course provide "enormous" savings, in exchange for you receiving the 123 sick Syrian refugees that the UN wants.
Olaf Palme was never the prime minister of Norway, and anti-racism has not been strong in Norway, as in Sweden. But in the 90s, it was still almost sports to use the term "humanitarian superpower", with varying good reasons, about the country Norway. An expression Reinfeldt now used about Sweden in his refugee speech this week.
Following Solberg's "no" to the 123 Syrian refugees, August 2014 was the time when the expression "humanitarian superpower" was buried for good for Norway. The question is whether it can ever be dug up again.
Will. In April, here in Ny Tid, we interviewed the French author Lauren Gaudé, who wrote the book "Eldorado" – published by Bazar Forlag in collaboration with the Norwegian Refugee Council. The book is about migrating people traveling through the world. Gaudé's writing is rooted in anger and frustration over a world that does nothing to help people flee. It is worth recalling his commitment, to inspire Solberg and others who think comfortably about municipal politics rather than refugee humanism:
"I was angry. Like today, we heard about these tragic stories, almost every single day. In television, radio, newspapers, the subject in history was always described with the same words. You never hear words like "bravery", "will" or "beauty" being used about migration ".
But from conservative Swedish politicians one can hear hints of such words, not to mention actions. You shouldn't just look to Sweden, Solberg. You should listen too.
TTN
Leader in New Time No. 28, 25-28. August 2014.
