– I am standing here because today 700 days have passed with human rights violations at Fosen. I have chosen to highlight this by setting up a lavvo and moving into it here, outside the Storting. Shareholder Mihkkal Hætta says so. He has traveled from Kautokeino to Oslo with a backpack and a lavvo, and has put his life on hold. He is determined to stay out of Parliament until the reindeer herders get their winter pastures back at Fosen. ONE-MAN ACTION: Mihkkal Hætta will initially campaign alone outside the Storting, but today he has been visited by former campaigners, including Ella Marie Hætta Isaksen. Photo: news – I will stay here as long as the human rights violation continues. I expect to be here for a while, he says to news. It is today 700 days since the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the wind power plant at Fosen violates the Sami’s rights. Since then, the reindeer herders have maintained that they want lost winter grazing areas back. The government, for its part, has repeated that through dialogue they hope to find a solution, which will allow the wind turbines in the affected areas at Fosen to stand. 500-DAY FOSEN MARKING: The Fosen action in February this year grew day by day, and more and more people came to Oslo to demonstrate. The actions ended outside the Castle. – It is going too slowly In October it will be two years since the Supreme Court verdict. The campaigners have held several demonstrations in Oslo, to show their opposition to the government’s plan to spend a long time on dialogue, and for more mapping of the issue. That the campaigners mean business became clear to everyone when they occupied the government quarter, and demonstrated for over a week in February. The Prime Minister admitted that this was a violation of human rights, and the campaigners held out hope that progress would be made in the case. Mihkkal Hætta believes they have been patient long enough. – I hope that they make a decision that the violation of human rights cannot continue any longer, and that they choose to demolish the wind turbines at Fosen. I hope for a speedy progress in the case. Now it’s too slow. Reindrifta: – Positive for our part Arvid Jåma in the Sør-Fosen reindeer herding district confirms that they know that a new action is starting outside the Storting today. POSITIVE: Arvid Jåma in Sør-Fosen reindeer herding district is happy about new Fosen campaigns in Oslo. Photo: Ingrid Lindgaard Stranden / news – I think it’s good and positive for us and for the case, he says. He himself is busy and has no time for the Oslo trip. – I could imagine having been involved in it myself, but right now I don’t have time for that, we are going to have autumn slaughter. We are in a hurry. – A democratic right Oil and Energy Minister Terje Aasland reacts to the Fosen action as follows: – Freedom of expression is a fundamental democratic right for which I have great respect, writes Aasland in his reply to news. MEDIATION: Terje Aasland (Ap) hopes that mediation will lead to a solution in the Fosen case. Photo: Mette Ballovara / news He points out that mediation is now underway between the parties in the Fosen case. – We still have hope that the mediation process will be able to lead to an amicable solution to the matter. It will be the best for all parties. Read the full response from the Minister of Oil and Energy Oil and Energy Minister Terje Aasland has the following comment on the Fosen action outside the Storting: “Freedom of speech is a fundamental democratic right for which I have great respect. There is now a mediation process between the parties in the Fosen case, which the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy has initiated. The first meeting was in May. The mediation process is led by national mediator Mats Ruland, together with district court judge Hanne Sofie Bjelland and reindeer herder Tom Lifjell. The mediation process can provide a faster solution than an administrative process to overturn the license decisions. The ministry’s work on a conversion process for the decisions in the case continues. However, in light of the mediation process and in dialogue with the reindeer herders, the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy has, for the time being, waited to commission work on the study program that has been consulted on in connection with a change decision in the case. We still have hope that the mediation process will be able to lead to an amicable solution to the matter. It will be the best for all parties. It is too early to say anything concrete about when a solution might be in place, but I am concerned that the mediation track can be followed as long as there is hope for a solution. » We asked the Prime Minister these questions: What kind of comment does OED have about the fact that they are taking action, and are not going to remove themselves from Eidsvolls plass until the wind turbines in the affected areas on Fosen are removed? It is almost two years since the verdict was handed down. What kind of self-criticism does the government take because you have not made the violation of human rights cease? Does the government understand that the young Sami activists continue to campaign, and go so hard that they will from now on demonstrate until the matter is resolved? Aasland further points out that it is too early to say anything concrete about when a solution might be in place. – I am concerned that the mediation track can be followed as long as there is hope for a solution, he writes. The Fosen development and the verdict in the Supreme Court 16th century: Sør Sami start using the Storheia mountain area as winter pasture for reindeer. 2006: Statkraft Development AS reported interest to NVE for the development of facilities at Fosen 2008: NVE received a license application for Storheia wind power plant 2010: NVE grants a license to SAE Vind DA to build and operate Storheia wind power plant. The concession is being appealed. 2013: The Ministry of Petroleum and Energy confirmed NVE’s decision on a license for SAE Vind DA to build and operate the Storheia wind power plant. 2014: The case is recorded in the court system by the Fovsen Njaarke reindeer herding district. 2015: June: Plans for development at Fosen are shelved due to poor finances in the project. 2016: February: Statkraft, Trønderenergi and Nordic wind power DA announce that 11 billion will be invested in the Fosen development. 2016: The concession is transferred to Fosen Vind DA. Construction work on the access road to Storheia started in June of the same year. 2018: The UN asks Norway to halt development on Storheia until the matter is resolved in the legal system. The state does not accept this. 2020: The turbines at Storheia are put into normal operation. 2020: August: Both the reindeer owners and developer Fosen vind appeal the verdict from the Frostating Court of Appeal from 8 June to the Supreme Court. 2021: The Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court rules that the licenses for the operation of Roan and Storheia and the expropriation of areas for the development are invalid. 2022: February: Fosen Vind submits a proposal to OED with a study program and progress plan for how to achieve both reindeer husbandry and turbines on Storheia. 2022: July: The government sends a letter to the Sámi Parliament where they explain that they have a goal of keeping both wind power and the reindeer herding at Fosen. 2022: The Sami population insists that this is a matter of the right to cultural practice and that nature must be returned to the way it was before the development. Source: news
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700 days since the Fosen judgment – now they are campaigning again – news Sápmi
