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Growing threat against the Somali community as increased abuse and attacks by youth gangs strikes fear in the Somali community in a Swedish locality

Wednesday, 22 August 2012

Somalis are not a set of people having it great in Sweden. Okay, they are given shelter and various forms of financial handouts as well as what one can call education but they are most often shunned in the Swedish society.

The most recent instance is a report by Swedish television that in the past three weekends in a row, there has been increasing attacks against a Somali installation in the  locality of Forserum, near Jönköping.

Here a gang of youths have thrown rocks through the windows of the Somali Association premises. The persistence of this action has made the Somali  heads there to call for them to leave the town. Already some of them have left the town as they find it unbearable to go about life in a normal way.

According to Swedish television, eye witnesses recount how there has been rampant  assault on the members of Somali community, children who have been beaten and intimidated. Now Somalis have had enough and are calling on their community to leave the town.

The Somali are being urged by their community head to get out of town and for the children to stay home from school. As a result, on Tuesday there was no Somali child in schools or day care.

The police have been in the area to take names and witness statements and left  and
nothing happens said an eye witness. One of the members of the community, Abdula Abdi Dhinbil, said to Swedish television that most of the community of Forserum is good, "but this small group makes it difficult to stay."

According to the Somali, there is a youth gang of about ten people, with a core gang of four people who manage to put fear into the 65 Somalis living in the community.

95 Somalis have already moved from Forserum where a year ago, there were some 160 Somalis living here. They blamed their run from the town on the threatening atmosphere harbour against then the fact that the authorities don't seem to be doing a lot assist them.

"We fled from a country at war and become the victim of this in the peaceful Sweden," says Abdula Abdi Dhinbil to Swedish television.

Police in the locality of Eksjö told Swedish television  that there are reports of assault and vandalism. They claim to be looking at the issue.

On Wednesday, Somali children in Forserum have still not turned to school. The municipal leaders and staff from the school in Forserum are reported to be holding an emergency session on Wednesday morning.

The municipal authorities headed by centre party councillor, Anders Karlsson want to assure the Somalis of their security and for them to trust the police.

Anders Karlsson says he hope that the work currently underway to restore confidence in the Somali community and police, and the police to put a stop to the gang behind the harassment of Somalis, will bear fruits.

He says that the Somalis moving away from Forserum is not a good indication for the area. "Moving on these basis when it's a smaller group who create disorder, feels like there is backing for their action. We want to give Somalis security so that they'll choose not to move," said Karlsson.

It is not clear yet what the reason for the rock throwing and harassment of the Somalis is but it is clear that the Somali community is one of the most real vulnerable minority in Sweden. It looks like the Swedish authorities on one hand want the international community to believe that they are doing something to help a war-tone displaced Somalis. But on the other hand, the Swedish authorities lack the skills or political will to help integrate them into the Swedish main stream.
by Scancomark.se Team

 

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