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April 22, 2005

All Change: Press Conference This Morning

Saami Council Vice Chairman Kati EriksenThis morning's press conference at the Kultahovi Hotel was a joint operation between ourselves and the Saami Council, which was represented by Kati Eriksen, Vice Chairperson. This was an important day - The Saami Council has issued a press release on the whole situation here, as a pledge of solidarity from other Saami regions in Sweden, Norway and Russia.

We also announced our own plans - things have moved on a lot since we first arrived, so it's time change focus. On Wednesday, the Inari reindeer herders had their second meeting with Metsh¨llitus, which resulted in the state-run Reindeer Herders Association being asked to leave the discussion, on request of the herders. The Sámi Parliament are now part of the discussion, which will be reconvened on June 9th. Metsh¨llitus has agreed that no logging will take place in the mapped reindeer herding areas between now and then - so we have another month long moratorium. So nothing permanent, but things are definitely on the move here.

It's also time for the Forest Rescue Station to move - with the spring finally kicking in, moving shipping containers overs wet, soft forest roads isn't a good idea - so it's time for kick the campaign up to a different level, especially as most of the demarcation is now done. While the containers are on the move - we're not - Greenpeace will be maintaining its presence here for the foreseeable future.

- Dave

Posted by Dave at April 22, 2005 10:04 PM