An Epidemic of Arson at Norwegian Asylum Centers

We’ve reported in the past about violence and arson at asylum centers in Norway. Our Norwegian correspondent The Observer has abbreviated and translated this article about the ongoing epidemic of fires at asylum centers, an undetermined number of which have been deliberately set.

The translator includes this note:

This article deals with the many ‘spontaneous combustion’ incidents at various Norwegian asylum centres.

With incidents such as these — and mind you, these fires are just a very tiny part of the massive problems associated with these centres — it’s no wonder that Norwegians don’t want these cultural enrichment facilities on their doorsteps.

In other news the FrP (The Progress Party, or maybe the “Feisty Rhetoric Party”?) is demanding that the government introduce tougher requirements on who gets to stay in Norway. They are demanding that asylum seekers who don’t dress like Norwegians, speak Norwegian, have a job, respect Norwegian customs and traditions, have outstanding alimony payments and don’t have a clean police record should be denied permanent residency in Norway.

They also say that BBs (Burqa Birds) shouldn’t receive unemployment benefits as their attire pretty much excludes them from the job market. Very few employers in Norway would consider hiring a walking tarpaulin.

The English version of the article is at The Local.

Norwegian voters are advised not to take this political proclamation too seriously, however. The FrP is all talk and very little action. They have demonstrated many times that when it comes down to it, looking after Norwegian interests is of secondary importance to them, and that their real priority is to solidify their newly-gained power as a respectable political party.

The translated article from today’s VG Nett:

Concerned about fires in asylum centres

So far this year two people have died in fires at Norwegian asylum centres.

There have been seven fires in total at Norwegian asylum centres so far in 2012. In one a mother and her child lost their lives.

“There has been an overall decrease in the number of fires, but the fires have been more severe,” Ahmed Bozgil, director of Hero Norway, tells VG.

Seven fires

January 16:		A fire broke out at Bergum asylum centre. Garolin Nesa Raja (24) started a fire in her room. Both she and her year-old son Rojgar succumbed.
January 18:		At an asylum centre in Hå in Rogaland, a 28-year-old asylum seeker was charged with arson after a fire broke out in a bedroom. Prior to the fire the 28-year-old was reported to have been involved in a scuffle with a younger countryman.
February 14:		A fire broke out at an asylum centre in Stord. A baby and a four-year-old were treated for smoke inhalation at a local hospital.
March 5:		Fire at an asylum centre in Heimly. One of the residents set fire to his room in what has been described as a cry for help. A 17-year-old male suffered from smoke inhalation and was sent to the hospital in Tromsø.
March 17:		Fire at Haslemoen asylum centre. One building was completely destroyed. Three Somalis were charged with arson.
April 1:		The asylum centre at Mortensnes in Tromsø burned to the ground. The cause of the fire is unknown.
April 27:		Fire at Lødingen asylum centre. Several residents had to jump out of the building. Four people were sent to Harstad Hospital. Several residents suffered fractures.

Serious

Fires at Norwegian asylum centres are not a new phenomenon. Riots broke out in asylum-Norway in the summer of 2010. The country’s two departure centres [housing asylum seekers who have had their asylum applications rejected] were set alight by angry asylum seekers. Lier departure centre was burned to the ground and Fagerli departure centre suffered extensive damages.

Between 1997 and 2009 Norwegian fire fighting personnel responded to 144 fires at Norwegian asylum centres, according to figures from DSB [The Directorate for Civil Protection and Emergency Planning]. In almost half of the cases investigators were unable to determine the cause of the fires.