PRESS RELEASE

May 29, 2007

SAAMI COUNCIL REQUESTS THAT FINNISH STATE SOLVES FORESTRY DISPUTES IN INARI

Saami Council, a Non-Governmental Organisation representing the Saami people across four countries, is extremely disappointed in Metsähallitus’ decision to resume loggings in Saami reindeer pasture areas in Inari.

For the last year and a half Metsähallitus – the Finnish state logging enterprise - has refrained from logging in key winter reindeer herding pastures in Inari. All of the Saami representative organs - including The Saami Parliamentary Council of the Saami Parliaments, The Saami Parliament of Finland, Saami Council and many other Saami organs from Sweden, Norway, Russia and Finland - have supported the pasture preservation efforts of the local reindeer herders. The UN Human rights committee also instructed Finland to refrain from logging in the Nellim area in Inari in November of 2005. Nevertheless, Metsähallitus resumed logging in the Inari area again on the 14th of May, 2007 in the forests of Kessi wilderness in Hannunkotavaara, which is in the Paatsjoki reindeer herding area. Local Saami reindeer herders have not approved these new loggings.

Saami Council would like to encourage the new Minister for Agriculture and Forestry, Sirkka-Liisa Anttila, to solve this conflict situation in a constructive way. Metsähallitus representatives have themselves admitted several times that they cannot solve the situation with the reindeer herders because Metsähallitus does not have the mandate to lower logging quotas. This mandate is in the hands of the Ministry for Agriculture and Forestry. It is therefore the responsibility of the new Finnish Government to solve this issue.

The largest woodbuyers (Stora Enso and Metsäliitto) have announced that they will no longer buy wood from the disputed areas in Inari. Recent attention on the contraversies surrounding the purchase of this wood have resulted in Metsähallitus refusing to reveal the new buyer of the wood.

A lot of new research-based information has been produced during last year and a half, which shows that forestry causes severe damage to traditional reindeer herding pastures. Pastures are destroyed as old-growth forests vanish and layers of ground linchen and tree hanging lichen become thinner.

- Saami Council appeals to the New Government of Finland to redeem its promises to the Saami People, and to the international community, to take responsibility and solve the forestry conflicts. Saami Council demands that the loggings must be immediately terminated and that ceased negotiations are restarted. Negotiations between reindeer herders and Metsähallitus should arbitrated by a independent mediator and should follow the principle of “free, prior and informed consent”, says Pauliina Feodoroff, Saami Council President.

Saami Council would also like to encourage the Finnish government to create alternative forestry activities for the forestry workers, so that they may undertake work that does not involve logging in key Saami reindeer herding areas. The Finnish Government’s forestry profitibilaty requirement for Upper Lapland needs to be abandoned in order to achieve this employment goal.

Pauliina Feodoroff, President of the Saami Council
Outi Maria Paadar, Secretary General, Saami Council

More information:
- Mr. Mattias Åhrén, Head of the Human rights unit, Saami Council, tel. + 47 47379161
- Mr. Juha Magga, member of the Saami Council, tel. + 358 400246468