Ali Farah relieved over
discrimination ruling
Ali Farah, an African-Norwegian abandoned by ambulance personnel after he'd been beaten in an Oslo park last summer, says he's "relieved and happy" that a state commission has concluded he was a victim of discrimination.
 Ambulance personnel refused to take an injured Ali Farah to hospital last summer. PHOTO: CARLOLINE DREFVELIN |
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State health officials in charge of the ambulance service had earlier concluded no laws were broken when two ambulance attendants refused to take Ali Farah to hospital.
An inquiry by the Norwegian Board of Health Supervision (Statens helsetilsyn) claimed racism wasn't an issue when the attendants left Ali Farah injured and bleeding.
The state Equality and Anti-Discrimination Ombud, however, disagreed. It now says Ali Farah was a victim of discrimination and that the ambulance personnel violated Norway's anti-discrimination law.
Ali Farah, who was found to have suffered a severe head injury after being taken to hospital in a taxi, said the ombud's ruling has renewed his faith in the Norwegian system and state agencies. "I feel that this report strengthens my case," he said. "It's good to be believed."
The fate of the ambulance personnel, who initially were suspended from duty after the incident, remains unclear. Both kept their jobs but health officials said they now will reevaluate the case with the ombud's decision under advisement.
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