Finland still has good opportunities to focus on prevention
“You shouldn’t be lulled to think that what happens in Sweden could not happen in Finland”, says Salihu in Hanaholmen’s podcast and continues that Sweden has become a transit country for drugs on their way to the Finnish market.
Supplier Diamond Salihuwho currently works on Swedish television at SVT, received the 2021 Swedish Journalism Grand Prize in the Voice of the Year category and has gained unique trust in criminal circles.
His book “Tills alla dör”, published in 2021, received unanimous praise in the Swedish media, and Suomen Svenska Yle described it as a “balanced, strong description of gang wars in Sweden”.
In the podcast Röster från Hanaholmen, Salihu reveals why he started following gang-related problems in particular.
“Junk crime is a sore spot for society right now because everyone is trying to understand what’s going on. Why are so many young men being shot?” Salihu asks.
Salihu has followed a certain conflict in one of Stockholm’s most troubled areas and tried to look at it from a wider social perspective.
“When you understand the conflict, you can understand more broadly what is happening in Sweden as a whole,” says Salihu.
The problem does not only affect big cities, but also smaller cities now that there have been fatal shooting incidents in Eskilstuna, Kalmar and Örebro, for example.
“This is not an isolated problem because it is constantly spreading and approaching people who are aware of it and want to better understand what is going on.
You can no longer close your eyes to the problem in the same way as, say, five years ago.
According to Salihu, the problems of gangs are based on the widespread use of drugs in Sweden, which also affects Finland on many levels.
“The police say that Sweden has become, for example, a transit country for drugs on their way to Finland,” says Salihu.
Salihu is well aware of the growing concern about gang crime in Finland and especially in Helsinki.
“However, I think the problem is still in its infancy compared to the problems we face in some parts of Stockholm.”
Salihu urges Finland to be vigilant and learn from what has happened in Sweden.
“Make sure that your region and school are not as different as we are in Sweden. Make sure young people have something to do, finish school and make better choices in life. We shouldn’t be lulled into thinking that things happening in Sweden can’t happen in Finland,” Salihu concludes emphatically.
Listen to the full interview with Diamant Salihu here.
HT
Source: Hanaholmen – Swedish-Finnish cultural center