After four years of work, the Truth Commission for the Sami People is submitting its final report to Minister of Culture Parisa Liljestrand (M) today. It is a 1,100-page review of 400 years of state and church policy towards the Sami - and the consequences it has had. Sami testimonies have been collected in a separate volume.
"I hope this will be the start of change, which may also lead to reconciliation. The first thing the state needs to do is acknowledge the abuses that have occurred in the form of forced displacement, loss of land and loss of language and culture," says Lena Nyberg, chairwoman of the commission, to TT.
“Disgusting part”
When asked what she was personally most struck by during her work, she highlights how Sami children were sent to nomadic schools or work huts.
How the children were taken from their families and how they were treated there - it is a despicable part of our history. It has made me both frustrated and upset that they have not received an apology sooner.
One of the calls and suggestions in the final report is to issue an apology to those affected as soon as possible.
"This has affected the lives of both their children and grandchildren. And it is of course sad to have lost both the relationship with parents and siblings and their language and culture," says Lena Nyberg.
Knowledge transfer
Other proposals involve changing legislation, for example giving Sami interests special weight in relation to mineral extraction and other national interests. They also involve raising awareness about the Sami among authorities, municipalities and regions, and an office for the Discrimination Ombudsman (DO) in northern Sweden, with special expertise on discrimination against national minorities.
It is proposed that the Sami Parliament be given more autonomy and resources, and that children be given increased opportunities to develop their Sami language in preschool.
However, the burning issue of control over hunting and fishing in reindeer herding areas in the mountains is not addressed. This was investigated by the Reindeer Committee - which the government, following criticism, disbanded before it could submit its final proposals.
Lena Nyberg hopes that the Truth Commission's report will not lead to a polarized debate.
But unfortunately, there is a very strong polarization in some places between the Sami and the majority population, says Lena Nyberg.
