Anders Lidén took up his assignment in September last year after the previous chairman, Kerstin Calissendorff, chose to terminate her assignment at her own request.
I've also been affected by the article in Svenska Dagbladet today, says Lidén and continues:
I think it's unpleasant that they're trying to interpret what I've said in a wrong way and use me in the political game here. It has hastened my decision.
Gets Criticism
In Svenska Dagbladet's editorial page, the deputy head of the newspaper's editorial department, Peter Wennblad, writes an article with the headline "Stop the falsification of Sweden's history". There, he claims that the Truth Commission has been "hijacked by activists" and that the historical mapping is "anything but scientific".
It's sad that they're hanging out the Sami people we've had as members for the problems we've had, it's not true at all, says Lidén.
In a written comment to TT, Peter Wennblad responds: "The conflict in the Truth Commission described in SvD's article, and the grounds for it, are documented through several different sources."
Lidén gives a different picture of the background to his resignation:
We've had slightly different views on how we tactically should proceed, simply. I haven't managed to bridge the different opinions, which is supposed to be my task.
The Truth Commission was established by the previous government to map and examine the policy pursued against the Sami people in a historical perspective and its consequences for the Sami people.
Should "Promote Reconciliation"
The purpose of the commission is to "make visible and spread knowledge about the Sami people's experiences" and provide proposals for measures that "contribute to redress and promote reconciliation".
The Sami history is full of injustices and abuses, many individual Sami people carry a trauma that follows through generations, says Lidén.
The commission consists of a chairman and several members. The assignment should be finalized no later than December 1, 2025.
Lidén has a doctorate in political science and has previously been an ambassador in, among other places, Helsinki, Harare, and Tel Aviv. He has also been an ambassador at Sweden's permanent representation at the UN in New York.
