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People immigrating to Finland from abroad would prefer Finns to other immigrants as their neighbours. However, civil servants have clung to a different view, which is revealed in the recent survey by the Ministry of the Interior. Immigrants often end up living in areas which already have a large number of immigrant residents. Although no districts with a totally new Finnish population exist in Finland, there are already houses and blocks with a concentrated immigrant population. According to the recent study by the Ministry of the Interior, immigrants would, however, prefer original Finns to other immigrants as their neighbours. Itīs impossible to learn a language and culture without contact with Finns. Concentration also causes other problems. Conflicts with their own group as well as other ethnic groups and the original population tend to increase and racism grows stronger. 45 immigrants and 12 Romanies living in areas with a large immigrant and Romany population were interviewed for the survey on the equality of housing in the Metropolitan area. The majority of the interviewees reside in blocks of council flats. Half of them have a refugee background. When looking for a flat, nearly half of the interviewees felt they had been discriminated against, because of their ethnic background. Some had no choice but to agree to accept a flat despite the fact that it didnīt meet the needs of their families. Still, the Metropolitan area is attractive, because of good education and employment opportunities. – The survey provides valuable information about certain issues, but raises many questions, said Astrid Thors, Minister of Migration and European Affairs, at the launch party of the survey. The questions raised include, for instance, the following: What courses of action lead to concentration? How should they be changed? A wrong view According to the housing authorities in cities, concentration is caused by a shortage of housing, the location of council flats and the fact that immigrants tend to seek each otherīs company. Nexhat Beqiri, who made the survey, corrects this view: – Why would people want to return to what they have fled? He goes on to say that people donīt take refuge in their own culture and language until they have failed to integrate into a new society. There are examples of this in Holland and France. Ethnic sub-cities where the norms of the host country donīt apply are born. The interviewees point out positive effects which living in the vicinity of people speaking the same language brings about. You can speak your native language, children learn the language and families can support each other. However, nobody wishes to be totally surrounded by their own countrymen or a community consisting of other immigrants. According to Astrid Thors, the City of Helsinki aims to prevent such housing concentrations from being born. – We have the chance to achieve this by promoting an active policy on property. Immigrants ought to be provided with assistance in employment in such a way that everybody could choose their place of residence. Itīs mainly people with a low income who have problems with the equality of housing. Those coming to Finland to work live scattered in more expensive areas. The original population moves In fact, also Finnish residents contribute to concentration. Based on the observations made by house managers in the City of Helsinki, the original population moves away when about a fifth of the residents are immigrants. Finns donīt want to move to areas with a lot of immigrant residents. Part of the moving is due to getting wealthy, but it has to do with attitudes too. Minister Thorsīs views schools, workplaces and organisations as the most important, in terms of raising awareness of attitudes. What she hopes is that the Government would also address the issue. The project on the equality of housing is Finlandīs national contribution to the European project of Building Inclusion which seeks to find out the best practices in the provision of housing and services for immigrants.  Back |
