Norway’s Treatment of Sámi Indigenous People Makes a Mockery of Its Progressive Image
-
Loading... - Mcdonald Michael
- 14 Mar 2023
- 57 Views
- 0 Like
- 0 Comment
Norway often presents itself as a defender of human rights around the globe. Yet its treatment of indigenous people within its own borders tells a quite different story, as the Sámi population struggles to defend its way of life.
n March 1, global media outlets reported that Greta Thunberg had been arrested in Oslo while protesting wind turbines. It wasn’t that the climate activist had suddenly taken a stand against renewable energy. Rather, she had joined forces with activists standing up for indigenous people’s plea to be able to continue practicing their culture in Fosen, central Norway. For hundreds of years, this land has been home to reindeer herders — an important tradition, which helps preserve the Sámi’s endangered language. Yet today, the siting in Fosen of wind turbines, which frighten the reindeer, puts its continuation in doubt.
Some five hundred days ago, Norway’s supreme court ruled that the turbines are a violation of indigenous rights under international conventions. Yet they are still running even now — and indeed, even after the ebbing of the short-lived news attention surrounding Thunberg’s role in the protest. Once again, the Norwegian government has proven that it remains indifferent to Sámi lives. Read More…
