The case in summary – A refugee who first agreed to settle in Lørenskog, was then refused because he was not Ukrainian – “Kevin” had found an apartment himself and was ready to move, but the municipality turned around when they discovered his nationality – Lørenskog municipality admits that they made a mistake by not being clearer that self-settlement primarily concerned Ukrainians – The Equality and Discrimination Ombudsman believes it is illegal to reserve a type of settlement for people from one country – The Discrimination Ombudsman believes that refugees from Ukraine are treated differently and receive more support and help from other refugees Before “Kevin” came to Norway as a 15-year-old, he believed in the Norway on TV: A free country where everyone is equal. Almost ten years in the country has destroyed that image. – What I have seen, and experienced in many situations, is that not everyone is treated equally in Norway. Found housing himself He came alone from Afghanistan as a teenager. After years in reception, he was granted residency in 2022. – I thought ok, finally, after many years I can choose where I want to live, he says. He was ready for life in Norway. But feared ending up in a municipality far away from everything he knew. Ideally, he would live in or around Oslo. When you get residence, the Directorate of Integration and Diversity (Imdi) eventually finds a municipality in which you settle. Then you cannot choose where you end up. Unless you take action yourself. That’s what “Kevin” did. There is a system called self-settlement. Where refugees themselves can find housing in a municipality, and then ask to be settled there. If the municipality says yes, it will be included in the “accounts” of settled refugees. And they don’t have to provide housing for whoever comes. A win-win situation, one would think. “Kevin” contacted several municipalities around Oslo. Among other things, Lørenskog. – They first said “welcome, just find a home”. “Kevin” spent several weeks talking to landlords and finding an apartment. – I waste a lot of time on it, he says. Because when the home was in the can, the municipality suddenly turned around. They would not approve the contract and the settlement anyway. The reason? That “Kevin” was not Ukrainian. – Do you think this is discrimination? – Yes. “Kevin” shows news music he has made even when he has been sad about the future in Norway. Photo: Hallgeir Braastad / news – Klønte it to news has seen the e-mail in which the head of the refugee service confirms that “Kevin’s” nationality is the reason why they say no. “When you made contact, the Refugee and Immigrant Service believed that the request concerned someone from Ukraine and gave advice based on that,” she writes in an email to “Kevin’s” assistant. The municipality now says that “Kevin” must be settled via Imdi. They will not accept self-settlement anyway: The information about self-settlement in the municipality that was available on the municipality’s website primarily concerned Ukrainians. This should have been specified clearly. But on the municipality’s website there was nothing about nationality: Photo: Skjerndump / Jenny Dahl Bakken Photo: Skjerndump / Jenny Dahl Bakken – We probably messed it up a bit, says Lørenskog’s director of education Børge Tomter. The page on self-settlement disappeared from the municipality’s website shortly after the email above was sent. – We took down that information when we became aware that it was a mistake, says Tomter. – Thinks it’s legal Now they want everyone to come through Imdi, including Ukrainians. But in 2022, when the war broke out, the situation was so special that they opened up self-settlement for them, explains Tomter. – We believe that this is internal, and that we followed the national guidelines when it came to the Ukrainians. Børge Tomter in Lørenskog municipality acknowledges that they clumsily informed about self-settlement. Photo: Hallgeir Braastad / news Tomter points out that the Ukrainians are not ordinary asylum seekers either, but have received collective protection. But is it really legal? To reserve one type of settlement only for people from one country? No, says the Equality and Discrimination Ombudsman (LDO). – We question whether this is legal, says representative Bjørn Erik Thon. Self-settlement is, according to Imdi, an arrangement that applies to all refugees. – It is not a separate arrangement that only applies to people with a collective residence permit, says director Liebe Rieber-Mohn. Voluntary scheme But: the scheme is voluntary for the municipalities. Refugees do not have the right to be settled somewhere because they have found housing there. Many municipalities do not allow self-settlement at all. And some have criteria for saying yes. This is also what news’s random sample shows: This is what other municipalities do. news has checked the practice in four other municipalities: Oslo: Allows self-settlement. Nationality not decisive when someone applies. The municipality is satisfied with the arrangement. Ullensvang: Only Ukrainians have applied. No specific criteria, but connection to the municipality is emphasized. Hamar: Has not had anyone self-resident in the last two years. Considering opening it up for Ukrainians. Hammerfest: Allows self-settlement. Several nationalities resident, but most Ukrainians. No specific criteria, no distinction between nationalities. Criteria can be factual, says ombudsman Thon. For example, prioritizing families with children. Or a requirement that you must be connected to the municipality. – But they cannot start picking from a country background. It will very quickly become illegal discrimination, he believes. He is supported by lawyer Arild Humlen, with extensive experience in asylum and immigration law. He points out that Norway is obliged by the UN not to treat refugees differently because of the country they are from. – I cannot see that the municipalities can undermine the state’s international legal obligations by making selective elections based on nationality, he says. Ombud Thon recommends that those who experience such discrimination report it to the discrimination board. Equality and discrimination ombudsman Bjørn Erik Thon believes it is problematic that Lørenskog said no to self-settlement because “Kevin” was Afghan. Photo: Hallgeir Braastad / news Creates distrust The Discrimination Ombudsman believes that the example from Lørenskog is part of a clear pattern: Refugees from Ukraine are treated differently and receive more support and help than other refugees. Among other things, Thon points to the decision by the city council in Drammen, where they asked to accept only Ukrainian refugees. And in several places, Ukrainians have received offers such as free buses and their own cinema tickets. – I understand very well that it can make people from other countries feel unwelcome, says Thon. As “Kevin” did when Lørenskog said no because he was not Ukrainian. – It was not a good feeling, he says. “Kevin” currently lives in another municipality in Akershus. He has now chosen to tell his story to news. Photo: Hallgeir Braastad / news “Kevin’s” helper Daniel Laabak, who heads an organization for single asylum seekers, also reacts. It was the case in Drammen that made him and “Kevin” now agree to go to the press. Laabak is afraid of what that sense of injustice can lead to. – Bad treatment can lead to negative attitudes towards the public. The more such negative encounters you have, the more damaging it is to integration, he says. NOTE: Daniel Laabak also runs a sole proprietorship as a photographer. He has sold photos to several Norwegian media, including news. Hello! Do you have any thoughts about the case you have read? Or tips about, for example, integration, the health system, prisons, facilitation in schools or mental health? Perhaps about something completely different from Greater Oslo that should be taken care of? Feel free to get in touch!
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Lørenskog agreed to settle “Kevin”
