The Icelandic foreign minister has expressed grave concern over the decision of Donald J. Trump to ban travel by citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries to the US. Icelandic politicians have been unanimous in condemning the action, calling on people to protest and resist what one of the leaders of the coalition government called the politics of „discrimination and malice“ in a Facebook post: „The entire free world must unite in condemnation of this move.“
Two opposition MPs from the Left Green Movement, Rósa Björk Brynjólfsdóttir and Steinunn Þóra Árnadóttir have called for a meeting of the Foreign Affairs committee of parliament to discuss the executive order.
An „un-American“ policy
The Icelandic foreign ministry issued a statement on Sunday afternoon expressing grave concern over the fallout and effects of the executive order. The statement stressed that any Icelandic citizens who might be affected in any way by the travel ban would receive the full support of the foreign ministry.
The foreign minister of Iceland, Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson, told the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service that he understood American concerns about terrorism, but stressed that banning visitors or refugees from certain countries couldn‘t be the best way to ensure national security. He also argued the move was thoroughly un-American: „The decision is so unlike anything we are used to associate with America. The American nation is a young nation, made up of immigrants.“
On Twitter Guðlaugur Þór also stressed rejected discrimination as an effective weapon to fight terrorism:
Fighting #terrorism is a priority, but discriminatory #travelban to #US on the basis of religion or race only makes matters worse
— Guðlaugur Þór (@GudlaugurThor) January 29, 2017
Unanimous condemnation
Other members of the cabinet went further in their condemnation the move. Óttarr Proppé, the Minister of Health and the leader of the centrist Bright Future, called on everyone to protest the decision, arguing that people had to „fight for the good in the world,“ and against „discrimination and malice“.
Óttarr wrote on Facebook that the „The entire free world must unite in condemnation against this move.“
Benedikt Jóhannesson, the minister of Finance and the chairman of the centre-right Restoration told the local radio station Bylgjan that he was deeply saddened by what had happened in the US. Benedikt wrote on Facebook that Icelanders had to continue to support freedom and condemn the actions of the President of the US:
„It is horrible to think of the current state of affairs in the US, this cradle of democracy and freedom, now, that prejudice has gained the upper hand; impulsive ignorance and peoples' rights are being trampled into the ground.“
The Icelandic foreign minister has expressed grave concern over the decision of Donald J. Trump to ban travel by citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries to the US. Icelandic politicians have been unanimous in condemning the action, calling on people to protest and resist what one of the leaders of the coalition government called the politics of „discrimination and malice“ in a Facebook post: „The entire free world must unite in condemnation of this move.“
Two opposition MPs from the Left Green Movement, Rósa Björk Brynjólfsdóttir and Steinunn Þóra Árnadóttir have called for a meeting of the Foreign Affairs committee of parliament to discuss the executive order.
An „un-American“ policy
The Icelandic foreign ministry issued a statement on Sunday afternoon expressing grave concern over the fallout and effects of the executive order. The statement stressed that any Icelandic citizens who might be affected in any way by the travel ban would receive the full support of the foreign ministry.
The foreign minister of Iceland, Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson, told the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service that he understood American concerns about terrorism, but stressed that banning visitors or refugees from certain countries couldn‘t be the best way to ensure national security. He also argued the move was thoroughly un-American: „The decision is so unlike anything we are used to associate with America. The American nation is a young nation, made up of immigrants.“
On Twitter Guðlaugur Þór also stressed rejected discrimination as an effective weapon to fight terrorism:
Fighting #terrorism is a priority, but discriminatory #travelban to #US on the basis of religion or race only makes matters worse
— Guðlaugur Þór (@GudlaugurThor) January 29, 2017
Unanimous condemnation
Other members of the cabinet went further in their condemnation the move. Óttarr Proppé, the Minister of Health and the leader of the centrist Bright Future, called on everyone to protest the decision, arguing that people had to „fight for the good in the world,“ and against „discrimination and malice“.
Óttarr wrote on Facebook that the „The entire free world must unite in condemnation against this move.“
Benedikt Jóhannesson, the minister of Finance and the chairman of the centre-right Restoration told the local radio station Bylgjan that he was deeply saddened by what had happened in the US. Benedikt wrote on Facebook that Icelanders had to continue to support freedom and condemn the actions of the President of the US:
„It is horrible to think of the current state of affairs in the US, this cradle of democracy and freedom, now, that prejudice has gained the upper hand; impulsive ignorance and peoples' rights are being trampled into the ground.“
