The Valkea shoppng centre in Oulu. Photo: Estormiz / Wikipedia Commons
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Rakibul Hasan Ridoy came to Finland to work, but nearly a year after surviving a racially motivated stabbing, he now fears losing his right to remain in the country.
The 30-year-old Bangladeshi national was attacked in broad daylight last summer outside the Valkea shopping centre in Oulu by a 15-year-old boy armed with a knife bearing a swastika. The teen had posted online that he was looking to kill a dark-skinned person and wanted to “go to jail” for it.
Ridoy was stabbed three times in the upper arm. He believes he survived only because he was wearing a backpack, which may have deflected one of the blows. “If it hadn’t been there, he might have hit my back,” he said.
He was treated in hospital and discharged within days, but the effects have lasted far longer. “He tried to kill me,” Ridoy said. “My body still hurts when I carry something heavy. My mind never rests.”
Since the attack, Ridoy has been unable to return to work. The trauma has made it difficult for him to leave home, and he continues to experience anxiety and fear. “I’m afraid someone will come from behind. Or from the right, or the left. Sometimes my whole body shakes,” he said.
The mental impact has left him dependent on therapy and support services. He has since left Oulu but says the fear has followed him. “I can’t go out alone. I’m afraid even to go shopping.”
His attacker was declared criminally unaccountable by the Oulu District Court, which downgraded the charge from attempted murder to attempted manslaughter. The court ordered the teen to pay Ridoy over €18,000 in damages and to remain in psychiatric care. Ridoy saw him again during the trial, attending via video from a psychiatric facility. The teen had reportedly said he wanted to avenge “what they have done to my race and people.”
Despite the court ruling, Ridoy now faces a different threat: losing his legal right to stay in Finland. New rules coming into effect this summer will allow authorities to deport foreign residents who are unemployed for extended periods—either three or six months, depending on their visa type.
Ridoy’s temporary residence permit is linked to employment, and his inability to work due to trauma has put him at risk. “If there are problems with my visa, how could I continue recovering? I don’t know,” he said.
He credits the Finnish legal and healthcare systems for helping him through the aftermath. “The police, the lawyers, the justice system—they helped me. I got therapy and support. I’m grateful.”
But he now worries that the help could end. “How much longer will they help me?” he asked.
Though his physical wounds are healing, Ridoy says the psychological scars remain. What he wants most is stability. “I just want to live a normal, peaceful life again.”
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
