By Mercy Imali
Sweden is experiencing an upsurge in homicides largely blamed on immigrants. Honour, debts, and prestige serve as the pretext for an increasing number of deadly shootings that have challenged Sweden’s ideals of equality and social harmony.
Last year there were 300 plus shootings that resulted in 45 deaths and 135 injuries in Sweden. Deadly shootings have been steadily rising and last year reached record levels. The first six months of the year have seen as many killings as the whole of 2018 in Stockholm alone. Though still, Sweden’s overall homicide rate remains one of the lowest in the world, with one per 100,000 inhabitants according to police statistics.
Most of the shooters and victims are unemployed young men with immigrant backgrounds, under 30 years of age, living in disadvantaged neighbourhoods and often without a high school diploma.
“If you don’t feel like you belong anywhere, you’re struggling with the language (Swedish), and you see these guys who sell drugs, they have gold chains, they drive fancy cars, they get to sleep with the girls. It’s not hard to find your way there,” said Eddy Paver a reformed former member of a biker gang.
“You strengthen your own gang by eliminating an external threat and you gain prestige. It’s about strengthening the sense of community and showing who’s the toughest,” adds Paver ,47.
He was sold on paying the ultimate price in order to “belong” to a criminal gang which required absolute loyalty from its members.