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THEY FLED TO Denmark from Syria, Somalia, Afghanistan, Kurdistan, Kenya and Thailand, and today they have the run of one of the country’s main newspapers.
Left-leaning daily Dagbladet Information gathered 12 refugees – who are also professional journalists – to edit, write and research a special issue published this morning.
The 48-page edition tackles, among other issues, the difficulties faced by asylum seekers looking for legal work, the cost borne by women left behind at home and common myths surrounding the refugee crisis.
The issue paints a vivid picture of life in asylum centres and the arduous journey to Denmark, as well as budding friendships between Danish and refugee families.
Refugees in Denmark have “their own history, destiny, professionalism and dreams for the future, but we hear them rarely and sporadically”, an editorial in the paper said.
For politicians, refugees only a problem to be solved as soon as possible, and most prefer to do it without looking them in the eye.
The refugee journalists, most of whom have only recently arrived in Denmark, tell their own stories in profiles on the paper’s website, describing their upbringing, education and new lives.
“Everytime I see a football or a pair of football boots, it hurts. He had just tied his shoes and was heading out to play when the bomb exploded,” said Zeinab Uzbak, 35, from Afghanistan, whose son was killed in revenge for her writing.
Hardline stance
Denmark’s right-wing government, which came to power on a platform of tougher asylum rules, has adopted a hardline stance towards refugees since its election in June.
Last month, the country closed its border with Germany and halved refugee benefits.
The Danish immigration ministry drew criticism around the same time for placing a reported €34,000 worth of advertisements in several Lebanese newspapers warning of regulation changes designed to make the country less attractive to migrants.
But public opinion has largely opposed the government’s anti-refugee rhetoric, with recent polls showing the majority of Danes want the country to be part of the EU’s plan to distribute refugees around the continent.
Additional reporting by AFP
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Didn’t get far into the article before I got the general gist. Doxxing is perfectly acceptable to one side and not the other…guess which side.
@Briscoe Sundara: It is inconceivable that whoever wrote that dross cannot see how bad it is. There’s a paragraph there near the start that try’s to justify Far Left Vs Far Right Doxxing….. Ultimately it says……..
Far Left Doxxing….. Gooooood, because they’re harassing people on the far right….!!!
Far Right Doxxing….. Baaad… because they’re harassing people on the far left….!!!
Can we not all agree…. that you’ll all nuts…. The Nazi’s\racists on the far right and the loons on the far left like the author.
You would need a Pint after reading that carry on.
@Gerard: well this is awkward, didn’t really take long to find one Irish account. https://mobile.twitter.com/antifa_drone
@An Breasláin Nua: where, specifically, are the people on the left approving of doxxing in any significant number?
On the other hand, the far right approval is right here…
My comment linking an example of an Irish far left account openly doxxing people on Twitter was removed… The bias here is very concerning.
I think the cut and paste nature of right wing politics from the UK is the main reason it remains on the fringes here. It is extremely sympathetic to imperialism and loyalism, a deal breaker as this is at odds with the views of the vast majority of Irish people who would otherwise agree with others elements e.g. anti abortion.
“the far-right in Ireland is effectively a “copy and paste” groups in the US and Europe. ”
Very well described! It’s so pathetic how many of them don’t even understand the very basics of Irish politics.
One of their favourite mantras when they found themselves with a brown taoiseach was to claim he was “unelected” because they could only equate leadership with american style presidential contests.
The liberal consensus is creating opposition which it has labelled ‘Far – Right’.
The leaders might be opportunists looking for a cause and they are finding support from men who are reacting to being vilified, shouted down and discriminated against.
However the ‘liberal consensus is also well populated by opportunists and as they say “it takes one to know one”.
There is an economic concept, called the law of diminishing returns in play here. When you have got more than you ever asked for don’t start coming up with new “asks” and historical grievances as supporting facts.
The Catholic Church might have been a focal point for earlier generations but it doesn’t have the moral authority that it used to.
This was meant to be a response to Ned Gerblansky’s post above.
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