RIYADH, 19 August 2004 — A budding Swedish journalist is scouting for an opportunity to do research for promoting understanding between Islam and the West.
“Muslims are being unfairly targeted due to misconceptions about Islam. The western media has also played a negative role in this context,” Helena Hugossom, a final year student of journalism from Sodertorns Hogskola in Stockholm, told Arab News.
Helena, 21, now in Riyadh, said two factors have inspired her decision to undertake research in this field. First, she had her upbringing in Saudi Arabia, where her father, Dr. Claes Hugossom, has been working as a radiologist since 1980. She lived in Riyadh from 1984 to 1990 during which she had her schooling at the American International School.
“Secondly, I have noticed that Muslims in Sweden are being projected by the media as fanatics. Such an image, which existed even prior to 9/11, is unfair, since fanaticism has nothing to do with Islam or any other religion for that matter.”
Another contributory factor, according to her, is the fact that journalism as a profession is getting crowded in Sweden, where 900 journalism graduates enter the job market every year. Employment avenues in my country are restricted to newspapers on a limited scale or in PR firms. I have, therefore, decided to do research in a niche field “where, I believe, I can make a difference.”
Helena said Muslims in Sweden face a situation in which they are unable to integrate themselves into the mainstream of Swedish society.
“The situation there is starting to boil, because they (Swedes) are saying things about Muslims that aren’t true. I want to build a bridge of understanding between Muslims and Swedes and remove wrong perceptions about them,” Helena said.
She added that part of the reason behind the distorted image was also the hostile campaign against Muslims in the US, especially after 9/11. This led to the detention in Guantanamo Bay of an Imam of a mosque in Stockholm for a period of two years. He was released only recently citing lack of evidence.
Asked about the Swedish perception of the US invasion of Iraq, Helena said Swedes are now beginning to realize that “the war in that country was completely wrong and illegal. “But the damage has already been done,” she observed.
In reply to a question on the changes that she noticed in Riyadh, Helena said she found that extremism in the capital is on the rise compared to Jeddah.
She said the atmosphere inside compounds has changed a great deal over the years.
“I never feel comfortable when I see the guns trained on me. I know they are for my own protection, but you don’t feel relaxed in such an atmosphere. The Western families residing in these compounds do not go out for shopping unless it is absolutely necessary. Life is not the same anymore,” she added.
