Ukrainians fleeing the war in their home country could suffer serious trauma as a result of Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine. When they then come as war refugees to Norway and are accommodated in asylum reception centers around the country, they can meet Russians who work at the reception centers. The Russians may be employed on the basis that there is a linguistic similarity between Russian and Ukrainian, and that there has been a shortage of people who speak Ukrainian. But for psychologist Yuliya Haugland in the Ukrainian Association, there is something else that counts more. She believes the meeting with the Russians is very problematic and can trigger trauma from the war. – We believe that it is completely absurd, and it shows that the owners of the reception centers have zero understanding of the war in Ukraine. The Russians are harassing and killing civilians, raping women and children and bombing the country, she says. It is the drivers of the receptions who hire the Russians. The Ukrainian association believes that having to deal with Russians in a vulnerable situation at a reception center puts an extra strain on Ukrainians coming straight from a brutal war with attacks on civilians and the destruction of towns and villages. Haugland refers to the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration’s (UDI) ethical guidelines, which set requirements for employees at reception centers (see fact box below) to think about their own impartiality. – But when it comes to risk assessment and measures to prevent conflicts, it is the reception’s responsibility, not the employee’s own assessment. Neither the receptions nor the employees comply with these rules, Haugland believes. Ethical guidelines for employees in asylum reception As an employee in asylum reception, you must have a professional attitude towards the residents, the local community and the UDI. the residents’ right to privacy safeguard the duty of confidentiality both at work and in private contexts be clear with regard to the role and responsibility in the interaction with the residents facilitate that the residents can as far as possible safeguard their own life situation not give or receive services, gifts or rewards from residents, except if they are of a symbolic nature do not have romantic / sexual relationships / relationships with residents avoid establishing relationships with residents in their free time, including on social media be careful about marking their own political or religious standpoint avoid positions, assignments or jobs that entail , or may cause conflicts of interest notify immediate superior in case of breach or reasonable suspicion of breach of the ethical guidelines raise system criticism with the UDI and notify of professional issues and matters worthy of criticism that undermine the reception’s task solution Source: UDI https://www.udi.no/globalassets/global/asylmottak/ ethical-guidelines-for-employees-in-asylum-reception_2019.pdf There have also been reports of episodes where Russian employees at the reception centers have behaved badly. Yuliya Haugland is a psychologist and active in the Ukrainian Association in Norway. She calls it absurd that Russians work at Norwegian refugee reception centers. Photo: Lars Håkon Pedersen / news – We have heard that some are exposed to verbal violence, derogatory comments and harassment from Russian employees, and it is perceived as very unsafe, says Haugland. More than 18,000 Ukrainian refugees have arrived in Norway since the war began on 24 February. Of these, almost 6,000 have settled in a Norwegian municipality. A large proportion of Ukrainians have lived in reception centers for many weeks, awaiting settlement in a municipality. During this time, they should not have to deal actively with Russians, according to the Ukrainian psychologist. A playground in a Norwegian emergency room. The vast majority of Ukrainian refugees are women and children, while men are left to fight against Russian forces. Photo: news – They do not represent Russia The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration, UDI, sets strict requirements for people who work at reception centers. They must sign that they must behave professionally, that they must respect the residents of the reception center, and that they must assess their own impartiality and role towards the refugees. The head of the UDI’s department, Gro Anna Persheim, says that this should hold. Gro Anna Persheim in the UDI has little understanding that the requirement that Russians should not work with Ukrainian refugees in Norwegian asylum reception centers. – This is about personal suitability and not which country you come from. They do not represent the country they come from, she says. She points out that people from all conflict areas in the world live in Norwegian reception centers. – And it is often that they can meet people at the reception who are connected to the country or ethnic group that has invaded or exposed their ethnic group to abuse, she emphasizes. It is up to those who run the reception to deal with unfortunate episodes, and make sure that it does not happen again, but the UDI encourages them to notify them as well. NOAS calls for caution Nor does the asylum seekers’ interest organization, NOAS, agree that Russians should not be able to have a role vis-à-vis Ukrainian refugees in Norwegian reception centers. Pål Nesse in NOAS believes that the Ukrainians must live with the fact that Russians work at Norwegian reception centers. Photo: Gerd Johanne Braadland / news Secretary General of NOAS, Pål Nesse, nevertheless understands that it is problematic. – It is tough for Ukrainians to meet Russians, but no one should be excluded from working with refugees because of their nationality or background, he says. There has been a great need for people who know Norway and know Ukrainian recently, and it is very important that refugees receive good information in a language they understand when they arrive. Many of the refugees do not know English, and then Russian becomes the alternative – which almost all Ukrainians understand reasonably well. Nesse says it is not uncommon for refugees to meet people from “the other side” when seeking protection in another country. – It is a well-known phenomenon for refugees from Syria and the former Yugoslavia – and some refugees must accept to live with here in Norway. Regardless, NOAS understands that it may be perceived as unacceptable and unsustainable for Ukrainians to be in dialogue with Russians right now. – We have all observed what extensive abuses they are constantly exposed to in their home country. Therefore, every Russian involved in refugee work in Norway must show professionalism, caution, empathy and understanding of the Ukrainians’ trauma and reactions – in the meeting with the refugees, says Ness. – If they do not, they should not continue in this demanding work. Everyone who runs the reception must be extra aware of this. Do they think they should understand it themselves? It is ultimately up to the individual to assess whether they are suitable to work at a refugee reception center, and see if they satisfy the requirements for impartiality towards the refugee group in question. This is where the Ukrainian psychologist believes that more Russians should go by themselves. – They can be good people, but there are many ways to help Ukrainians, if that is what they want. But if they understand what this war means, and that they can appear as triggers for the refugee, then they should take on other tasks than working in reception, says Yuliya Haugland.
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