FEARS, PHOBIAS AND ELECTORAL CALCULATION - IMMIGRATION MINISTER MAKES DISCRIMINATORY REMARKS AGAINST KOSOVO-ALBANIANS
"Apparently there is a certain tradition or something else that makes them [the Kosovo-Albanians] more inclined to filching and stealing bicycles, laundry and whatever else than any other refugee group."
This blunt remark was made on TV-news by no less a person than the Swedish minister in charge of immigration, Birgit Friggebo (Liberal party). The Minister's statement was based merely on an enquiry carried out by the immigration authority SIV in Southern Sweden, according to which Kosovo-Albanians are "overrepresented" among asylum seekers involved in delinquency. These findings were however strongly questioned from various sides. Critics point out that they provide no clear statistical evidence and that they are mainly based on subjective assessments of directors of refugee reception centers. Furthermore, the findings refer not only to persons found guilty but to all suspects as well. The findings further fail to demonstrate, if the alleged "overrepresentation" of Kosovo-Albanians in delinquency (mostly petty crime) is not simply due to the fact that with 35,000 asylum seekers they constitute more than half of the total number of asylum seekers (65,000) in Sweden.
Minister Friggebo's comment is likely to have devastating effects at a time where, as a result of the massive arrival of refugees from former Yugoslavia, asylum policies are becoming a highly political and sensitive issue in public opinion.
Only days after Friggebo's TV-appearance a refugee center was attacked in a Stockholm suburb and in a broadcast of the state-radio Iranian refugees were accused in the lump of being involved in drug crime. The allegations were based merely on the assessment of a local police chief who said that half of the Iranians were drug traffickers.
A refugee center in a Stockholm suburb was also attacked by racists a few days after the Minister's remarks.
Meanwhile the Swedish immigration authority has called on police and the office of public prosecution to take speedier action against asylum seekers even in cases of petty crime.
More policing is however unlikely to bring a solution to the problem. Increased delinquency among asylum seekers is due to an increased refugee population and to the governemnt's policy of placing asylum seekers in central camp facilities pending a decision on their application that can take months or years. In the case of Kosovo-Albanians this situation is particularly untenable as they have practically no chance of obtaining asylum according to the current Swedish practice.
Mrs. Friggebo's remarks have drawn strong reactions from various sides. Representatives of the former communist party, 'V"nsterpartiet,' have brought an action against the Minister for "instigation against an ethnic group" and the president of the youth organization of Mrs. Friggebo's Liberal party has asked for her resignation.
The events described above must be seen against the background of the Swedish government's goal to implement an ever more restrictive refugee policy in line with the EC, a policy which previously has not drawn strong support from the public.
N.B.
Sources: Dagens Nyheter, 21.8.92; Swedish State Radio P 1, 21.8.92.