tiistai 31. toukokuuta 2011

Is current Finnish aid for Portugal sufficient pay-back?

Finnish Aid For Portugal asked  the Portuguese  journalist and economist Helder Fernandes does he feels the current financial aid as sufficient pay-back of Portuguese humanitarian aid. Thi letter is sent to his webpage at
http://www.lettertofinland.com/.

Dear Helder Fernandes,

thank your for your interest on Finland and Finnish history.

Your  appealing writing was published over one month ago in Helsingin Sanomat. In you article you mostly wrote about the Portugal's glorious history and in among the other things the Humanitarian Aid shipped to Finland just shortly after the Winter War 1939.

Although, I am consicious about the main points of Portugal's history I got suprised how high you and some other Portuguese are positioning this humanitarian aid compared with all heroes, kings, and luxurious time of colonialism. Thus, I like many other Finns missed your point of remembering the glorious colonialism and imperialistic history of Portugal. Tactically wisely you  didn't even mentioned about Portugal's gold reserver which is multiple times bigger than Finland

Side track: Moreover, there was one Portuguese volunteer willing to fight at winter war at our side. Multiple thanks to him and his relatives. Unfortunately, we don't know about his adventures and if he ever got at front line. Do you have more information about him? Where we could send volunteer now?.

Let's have focus on Portuguese humanitarian aid for Finland at 1939.

First of all, my deepest thanks for that. Sardine conserves among the other aid was nice from Portugal and it helped for some sense.
Finnish papers has calculated the net present value of that aid to be about 100.000 -200.000€. The value of this help is naturally bigger than its present value in euros. Not a miljards though. I wouldn't calculate financial value for helping hearts. You did. If Portugal get attacted by Spanish, I'm sure the Finns will help you with humanitarian aid. Also if there occur some big natural catastrophe. Humanitarian is not dead. Not even here north.

Well, fine so far but you made surprising shortcut equalizing the human aid for suffering people under wartime with financial support for the international banks (British, French and German banks) for Portugal's government who has totally failed to keep budget basing on incomes and realistic predictions of growth of  GNP.
Then you presented the opinion that because you got once human aid you have to pay our debts. Yes, the bailout is coming and loans will eventuall be given without deposits.

Now, the Finnish parliament has decided to participate the financial aid packace of Euro-group, EC and IMF. I didn' bother to go trough this longer, because the
only valid point at this time is:

Dear Helder Fernande, do you agree that Finns now have paid back that humanitarian aid at 1939?

If you agree, please let us know so we could inform Finns about that. Moreover, I peg you write thanking article on Helsingin Sanomat. Othewise, we cannot avoid the feeling that Finns are nowadays remembered only when their money are needed, and forgot in their artic periferic colony when silver ship is shipped to Portugal.

In case you don't agree please tell us what more you need?

Thanks in advance for your prompt answer,

Finnish Aid For Portugal

Association for paying the Portuguese humanitarian aid back to suffering Portuguese.

perjantai 6. toukokuuta 2011

FAFP's answer to Helder Fernande's open letter

6th May 2011
Dear Helder Fernande,

Your open letter (http://bit.ly/1stStone) got published in Finnish main newspaper Helsingin Sanomat. Congratulations for that. You surely knew how important, let's say holy role Winter War has in Finnish soul and hearth. However, I guess that while being openly provocative you missed  your goal. Unless it was just being provocative. In addition to that memorizing of Portuguese sea men on seven seas, nor Magalhaes, nor colonies may not help while there isn't silver ship coming from colonies anymore. I personally, share your unhappiness while this means that silver cargo is now waited from us (among the others).

Make no mistakes, I don't, nor Finns (nor even True Finns) hate Portuguese. I couldn't say we do like to fail to Portugal at soccer but you surely understand. There are no hard feelings at personal level towards Portuguese.

The debate in Finland goes around the the question: why throw more gasoline (money) into the flames instead of solving the problem itself. There haven't been discussion about should Portuguese citizens be helped if they get hungry or if Spain or other country attack you. Not before you letter.

Finland met a hard depression, slow-down and bank crisis during the 1990's. Fernando, that could be more relevant point to be compared with your crisis than speaking about WW II and times of imperialism & colonialism. Take an investigation about Portugal's financial aid back then. Did Portugal gave billions to us? Nope. Hardly anyone helped Finland back then; we had to make similar hard decisions as Portugal will have to. Sad things happen, the parties finishes and the debt has to pay back. And trust me, we know how it feels like.

Since then we still have poor people queuing up for free food given by charity organizations. (Oh, this isn't widely notified in Finnish brand?) We are still paying back the debts from that era. That time we supported our own banks with foreign loans. Did Portugal or other countries help us to decrease high interests? No, you guessed again wrong. Those loans has taken by Finnish Government at high rates and paid pack by Finnish tax-payers until Finnish financial situation went better and rates lower.  Finland is know as a country which has always discharger its debts. This is one thing why Finland still is AAA-rated even though our official state debt per capita equals Portugal's one. Moreover, there are municipal debts on top of that. How long we will be AAA-rated if we continue to give and loan money to lower rated countries. Capitalists are not stupid they read daily papers, eh?

Now, Finnish are arguing not as much about whatever we try to help Portugal but more about that international banks should also participate into the realization of risks. Finns don't like again and again save the bankers, pay all they risks, and let them get bonuses. Sorry about this sidetrack to economy.  That's not why we work hard for Portugal.

And back to Winter War provocation, yes you'll get the response. Deeply thankful for Portuguese help we would like to pay back also this humanitarian aid as you on behalf of each Portuguese kindly asked. However, we feel paying the humanitarian aid back with bold cash to British, German and French bankers (among the others) is somehow grotesque and brutal. Moreover, you said  that your citizens are suffering. Therefore, we would like to arrange a straightforward humanitarian aid directly to suffering Portuguese.

And Fernando when it comes time that you Fernando have to leave Portugal as a refugee, I personally can give you a accommodation together with our family. If you don't want to stay in Norway. Solidarity  hasn't died yet.


Kindly regards,

COO
FAFP

tiistai 3. toukokuuta 2011

Kunniavelka Portugalille maksetaan kansalaiskeräyksenä (Lehdistötiedote 2.5.2011)

Helsinki, 2.5.2011. Vapaa julkaistavaksi heti.

Kunniavelka Portugalille maksetaan kansalaiskeräyksenä

Portugalin edustajat ovat vedonneet mediassa suomalaisiin, jotta Suomi auttaisi Portugalia nykyisessä talouskriisissä. Tunteisiin vetoavasti TSF-Rádio Noticias :in kirjeenvaihtaja Helder Fernandes nosti esiin HS:n mielipidekirjoituksessa portugalilaisten avustuslähetyksen suomalaisille heti talvisodan päätyttyä. Myös valtalehti Diário de Noticitas eräännytti kiitollisuudenvelan pääkirjoituksessaan.

Suomi tunnetaan kansainvälisesti maana, joka on aina maksanut velkansa. Tämä talousfoorumien Suomi-brändin olennainen osa uhkaa nyt rämettyä.

Suomalainen kansalaisjärjestö Finnish Aid for Portugal kääri hihat ja aloitti Suomen maineen pelastamisen. Avustusjärjestö on avannut Facebookissa sivuston, jossa se kerää vapaa-ehtoisia lahjoittajia. Avustuskampanjan teemana on: Potut pottuina ja sardiinit sardiineina. Kampanjan tässä vaiheessa kerätään lupauksia sardiinirasioiden lahjoittajista. Kampanja päättyy toukokuun puolessa välissä, koska jos Suomi osallistuu Portugalin rahalliseen tukipakettiin osana EU:n avustusta kiitollisuudenvelka raukeaa.

Kampanjan tavoitteena on aktivoida vähintään 105000 suomalaista antamaan humanitääristä apua portugalilaisille. Avustustavoitteen täyttyessä järjestön lumipukuiset vapaaehtoiset jakavat kertyneet kalasäilykkeet suoraan ilman välikäsiä Lissabonissa ja muissa Portugalin hädänalaisissa kaupungeissa.




Finnish Aid For Portugal
Finnish Aid For Portugal on suomalainen voittoa tavoittelematon rekisteröimätön yhdistys, jonka tehtävänä on maksaa Suomen kunniavelka Portugalille.Järjestön toiminta perustuu vapaaehtoistyöhön ja saataviin avustuksiin. Järjestö tiedottaa kampanjan taustoista ja tulevasta toiminnasta blogissaan: 
http://finnishaidforportugal.blogspot.com/ ja Twitterissä accountilla "Help4Portugal"

Kampanja löytyy Facebookista helpoiten hakusanalla: Finnish Aid For Portugal.

Lisätietoja lehdistölle:
Lisätietoja lehdistölle tarvittaessa osoitteessa finnishaid.forportugal@gmail.com sekä em. yhteisömedioissa.

maanantai 2. toukokuuta 2011

Kansalaiskeräys Suomen kunniavelan maksamisesta Portugalille

Kun Suomi taisteli olemassaolostaan v. 1939 ojensivat portugalilaiset auttavan kätensä ja lähettivät meille sodan päätyttyä avustuksena sardiineja, sipulia, kalasäilykkeitä, anasta ja laatikollisen lämpövesipusseja. Lähde: IS-verkkojulkaisu.

Suomi tunnetaan kansainvälisesti maana, joka on aina maksanut omat velkansa. Nyt portugalilaiset ovat puolestaan vaikeuksissa ja median välityksellä muistuttaneet meitä kiitollisuudenvelastamme.  (TSF-Rádio Notícias:in ulkomaankirjeenvaihtaja Helder Fernandes Helsingin Sanomissa sekä sanomalehti Diário de Notícias pääkirjoituksessaan)

Suomi maksaa aina velkansa, myös tämän. Olitpa Portugalin valtion tai monikansallisten pankkien tukemisesta mitä mieltä tahansa, ojenna auttava kätesi Portugalin kärsivälle kansalle.

Finnish Aid For Portugal on vapaaehtoistyöllä toimiva riippumaton ja voittoa tavoittelematon rekisteröimätön yhdistys, jonka toiminnan tavoitteena on maksaa Suomen kunniavelka takaisin suoraan portugalilaisille ilman välikäsiä. Potut pottuina ja sardiinit sardiineina.

Mikäli Facebook-kampanjasivullamme mukaan ilmoittautuneiden lahjoittajien (tykkääjien) määrä ylittää 105.000 (sataviisituhatta) viemme avustuslähetyksen perille Portugaliin ja jaamme sen suoraan ilman välikäsiä Portugalin kansalle.

Painaessasi -tykkää- nappia, ja  jos tykkääjien määrä ylittää 105. 000 (sataviisituhatta) lupaudut lähettämään avustuksena sardiini-, tai tonnikala-tölkin kampanjan loputtua ilmoitettavaan osoitteeseen.
Kampanja on voimassa 17.5.2011 asti.

Kiitos avustasi, jokainen tölkki auttaa!

Hyväntekeväisyys tekee hyvää!

Finnish Aid For Portugal