Swedish politician Umihana Rasovic-Kasumovic is a candidate for five different election lists in the upcoming elections in Sweden. She is especially known in the Swedish media by her fight against Islamophobia and other forms of discrimination.
She talked about her struggle and political engagement, while she was still a high school student, but also about differences in politics and solving problems in Sweden and in Balkan countries.
“I felt what is Islamophobia, discrimination and racism at school, in society and on my workplace, and that made me fight against it. My fight started back in high school. Unfortunately, I find Islamophobia and discrimination even on my workplace. I fight by showing my employers and colleagues that Islamophobia is present, and I remind them on the laws against it. I often ask to include Islamophobia as one of the items on agenda at the meeting of employees in the Employment Office, where I work,” she stated.
She described with what kind of Islamophobia and discrimination she has been encountering.
“For example, when the Employment Service sends a candidate whose name sounds like a Muslim to employer, he refuses that person and says that he does not employ Muslims. There is also a hidden discrimination where employers do not want to say openly that this is a problem but they say that the candidate is not competent,” stated Rasovic-Kasumovic.
She also noted that in Sweden, like in other European countries, racist and nationalist parties have more support in the elections. “Today, in Sweden, we have a party like that in our parliament that has a total of 20 % of the vote and they legalize racism and Islamophobia,” said Umihana.
“Their main goal is to blame refugees and foreigners for everything bad that happens in Sweden, in order to get the support from people who are dissatisfied with their current situation. It is normal that people are scared when they meet with a new culture and they often use this fear to come to power by using propaganda,” noted Rasovic-Kasumovic.
(Source: klix.ba)
