In a joint operation with Sámi reindeer herders, Greenpeace campaigners start demarcating the boundaries of the last remaining reindeer forests of Arctic Lapland.
Demarcation signs in Finnish, Sámi and English languages were
strapped to trees at the edge of threatened forests, critical for
the protection of winter reindeer grazing areas and the tradition
of Sami reindeer herding. The signs read 'Reindeer Forest - No
logging. Reindeer Herding Act.'(2)
"Before, we used to have negotiations, but it had no
significance. The logging went on anyway," said Kalevi Paadar, a
Sámi reindeer herder from the Nellim herd group. "Once the decision
is made on how much forest is to be felled, it is carried out-no
matter how much we try to resist. ... Now they don't even notify us
before they start logging. There seems to be no more room for
negotiation."
A coalition of reindeer herding co-operatives from Inari are
demanding that the government agree to a logging moratorium in
important reindeer forest areas mapped by the herders while formal
negotiations take place. (3) Sámi reindeer herding co-operatives
have never been given the opportunity to participate in meaningful
negotiations with the government about which forest areas are
scheduled for logging.
Most of the vital grazing forest marked on the co-operatives'
maps are slated for logging by Metsähallitus, the government's own
logging company. Logging has continued in five out of six
co-operatives that have published such maps. However, according to
the Finnish Broadcasting Company, Metsähallitus has today announced
that it will temporarily halt logging operations in the reindeer
herders' area of the Nellim group.
"Today announcement by Metsähallitus to stop logging in Nellim
comes after years and years of disrespect for Sámi reindeer
herders' rights," said Phil Aikman, Greenpeace forest campaigner.
"What remains to be seen is whether there is the political will to
resolve this conflict, in all the reindeer herding co-operatives,
once and for all"
On 2 March, Greenpeace established a Forest Rescue Station in
one of the threatened reindeer forest areas to highlight the
ongoing destruction by Metsähallitus, the Finnish government's
logging company and those paper companies that continue to buy this
destruction.
VVPR info: Photos available on request at Greenpeace International Picture Desk, +31 20 718 2058
Notes: 1) This view is reflected in recent recommendations by the UN Committee on Human Rights which issue a statement in November 2004:* "....regrets that it has not received a clear answer concerning the rights of the Sámi as an indigenous people (Constitution, sect. 17, subsect. 3), in the light of article 1 of the Covenant. It reiterates its concern over the failure to settle the question of Sámi rights to land ownership and the various public and private uses of land that affect the Sámi 's traditional means of subsistence - in particular reindeer breeding - thus endangering their traditional culture and way of life, and hence their identity." * "The State party should, in conjunction with the Sámi people, swiftly take decisive action to arrive at an appropriate solution to the land dispute with due regard for the need to preserve the Sámi identity in accordance with article 27 of the Covenant. Meanwhile it is requested to refrain from any action that might adversely prejudice settlement of the issue of Sámi land rights. "2) In Lapland, the State claims ownership of up to 90% of the Sámi traditional homeland, covering nearly 39,000 km2 of Finland. The Reindeer Herding Act (Section 2) proclaims that these defined areas "shall not be used in a manner that causes considerable damage to the reindeer herding."3) On 16 January 2005, a coalition of Inari reindeer co-operatives sent a letter to the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry detailing preconditions for negotiations under the Metsähallitus Natural Resource Plan (NRP). A copy of the letter is available in English.