The Saami council thinks that the nature of the forest-logging dispute is not just a problem between Sámi reindeer herders and other local people, but that the core issue is unresolved Sámi land rights issues. The rights of the Sámi to own and use their lands and water is not a political issue, it is a judicial issue. It is not at all about new rights for lands and water, but the recognition of existing rights.

The Saami Council is shocked about by how the Finnish forest enterprise Metsähallitus has adopted a policy of scaremongering amongst local lumberjacks, using them as tools for their dirty work, by threatening them with loss of jobs.

Both the boycott of reindeer meat and the climate of harassment have shocked the Sámi people in Norway, Russia and Sweden. Is this the great and fine indigenous peoples rights politics that Finland is advertising abroad?

Metsähallitus and the Sámi reindeer herders are not at all equal negotiation partners. The support and help for reindeer herders by Greenpeace and the publicity caused by that help give hope that the negotiations are real and not only cosmetic. In the international fora, the principle of "Free, prior and informed consent” is more and more underlined. This is principle, according to which one should act when activities carried out in indigenous peoples lands which might harm their culture . It is a shame that this principle is not yet used in Finland.

The Saami council unanimously supports the demands by Inari reindeer herders and Finland’s Sámi parliament. The Saami council will start investigation into whether the human rights of Inari Sámi reindeer herders are violated. The attorney of the Saami Council Human Rights Unit is at the moment preparing an international legal study about the situation. The Saami council will bring the issue to international fora, with an attempt to bring international attention to Finland’s indigenous politics. For instance, the issue will be brought to the UN Forest Forum in New York.

The Saami council seeks to remind that UN Human Rights Committee has for a long time been worried about the impacts of logging to Sámi rights. In November 2004 the Committee made a remark to Finland about the negative effects of competing land use to Sámi reindeer herding. The Committee urged Finland to report about the issue within one year.

The Saami council is calling other Sámi organisations to for a Sámi coalition to support the reindeer herders in Inari. The aim of the Sámi coalition is to show solidarity to those Sámi reindeer herders in Inari, who have had the courage to stand up and fight for the rights of all the Sámi people. The aim of the coalition is also to get attention to the core issue: the unresolved issue of Sámi land rights.

For more information, please contact:
Kati Eriksen, vide chair +358 40 574 8686, +47 95963 357
Pauliina Feodoroff, member, Finland +358 40 736 4475
Saami Council website »