Swedish for Immigrants to undergo overhaul

[Harold Schiffman]

Swedish for Immigrants to undergo overhaul (18 Feb 08)

Early in the week, The Local reported on proposed changes to the
state-run language classes for immigrants, Svenska för Invandrare
(SFI). The story has sparked a great deal of interest among readers,
and prompted criticism on Sweden's editorial pages of both the
proposal itself, and the way in which it was presented. Svenksa
Dagbladet (SvD) demonstrates its support for making changes to SFI by
quoting a passage from an article in Göteborgs-Posten (GP) last fall
in which the paper detailed the plight of the city's Somali community.
"[Somalis in Gothenburg] are deprived of their self-confidence and the
only thing they need to do to get welfare payments is to go to SFI and
make sure they don't pass," reads the GP passage quoted by SvD.

SvD points out that the description has nothing to do with Somalis as
a group, but is a consequence of a broken integration policy which
"created a failed culture of dependency on government hand outs and
social exclusion." The paper then roundly dismisses criticism from the
left that capping enrollment in SFI classes to three calendar years is
unjust. "As if three years of state financed language training and
social studies, available in every municipality, is some sort of
repression," writes SvD. The paper argues further that rather than
being condemned for treating immigrants unfairly, the government
instead deserves criticism for not giving immigrants a chance to get
into the job market faster.

"One may wonder whether three years out of the job market is such a
good idea. Work and supporting oneself are the best forms of
integration. Swedish policy needs to shed itself of the delusion that
immigrants are as helpless as children (as if someone without any
initiative could get here in the first place), and instead begin to
treat immigrants like complete human beings with their own drive and
dreams," writes the paper. Taking a different approach, the
Sydsvenskan newspaper accuses the government of writing a prescription
for fixing SFI before fully diagnosing the problem. The paper feels
that one of the government's proposed remedies for SFI—a detailed
evaluation by Sweden's Agency for Public Management—should be
completed ahead of any comprehensive solution.

Citing public statements by Education Minister Jan Björklund, the
paper also questions how well he and the government really grasp the
problem, seeing a solution-first approach as indicative of the
government's approach to reform. "Has the government ever put forward
a reform package before having sufficiently prepared the matter –ahead
of time?" asks the paper. The paper continues, accusing the government
of being "impatient" and falling victim to "the temptation to
introduce solutions before knowing in more detail what the problem
really is." Sweden's editorial pages also devoted a great deal of ink
expressing their disapproval over a reluctance by the government in
general—and defence minister Sten Tolgfors in particular—to agree to
extend deployment of Swedish peacekeepers in Chad.

The 203 man unit is part of a larger EU peacekeeping force of nearly
4,000 soldiers tasked with protecting Sudanese refugees who have fled
violence in Darfur. The troops were originally scheduled for
deployment in December, but equipment shortages and increasing
violence in Chad has resulted in extended delays. As a result, the six
month mission has been reduced to four months. After accounting for
transport time and other preparations, the time that Swedish troops
will actually spend carrying out their mission has been reduced to
four to six weeks. The total cost of the mission comes to more than
380 million kronor ($61 million), despite the shortened deployment
time—a situation that generated criticism from all directions.

In defending his decision not to extend the deployment, Tolgfors cites
budgetary constraints—an extension would cost an additional 300
million kronor—and the weather in Chad, which enters the rainy season
in June which would further complicate the mission. The tabloid
Aftonbladet doesn't mince words in its frustration over the situation,
calling it "a terrible waste of resources and not morally appropriate"
that so much money be devoted to so short a mission. "It sounds rather
remarkable that bad weather could force home a Swedish peacekeeping
force after just a few weeks. As far as we can tell the refugee camps
will still be there—even if it rains."

Both GP and SvD argue that the government should either devote more
money to the operation, or simply refrain from sending troops in the
first place. GP calls the current circumstances "indefensible" and
urges the minister to act quickly or risk having "a glow of shame" be
the only lasting impression from Sweden's mission to Chad. SvD, on the
other hand, expresses optimism that the government will, in the end,
come around to finding a way to extend the mission if it just finds a
little backbone. "The Swedish soldiers deployed to Chad are
courageous. The government ought to show the same political courage,"
writes the paper.

The issue of military spending in general framed discussion of the
issue in the pages of Sydsvenskan, which cited a recent report by a
Riksdag committee showing military expenditures in Sweden have only
fallen by 13 percent since the early 1990s, despite several rounds of
cost cutting and downsizing. The paper points out that the new,
mission-driven military doesn't come cheaply. In referring to the sum
cited by Tolgfors required to extend the Chad mission, the paper
asserts that the government needs to consider what Sweden's reputation
is worth. "If the government wants to maintain any credibility in a
foreign and security policy founded on international cooperation and
collaborative peacekeeping, 300 million kronor isn't an outlandish
price to pay," writes Sydsvenskan.

Dagens Nyheter (DN) in turn reminds readers of foreign minister Carl
Bildt's recent foreign policy declaration, pointing out the
inconsistency with the government's stated policy and its current
actions. "Sweden's security is built on international cooperation and
Swedish participation in different peace operations is a given as long
as the resources suffice. The Swedish mission in Chad is referred to
proudly as 'perhaps the most complicated and demanding mission in
which the EU has engaged.' It mentions the necessity of slowing the
spread of conflict and that establishing peace takes time. Four weeks
in eastern Chad doesn't fit with that policy," writes DN.

http://www.thelocal.se/10076/20080222/

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