The Saami Council opposes the increased logging activities by Sveaskog in the winter pastures of Sámi reindeer herding communities (samebyar) in Sweden and insists that the last remaining natural forests are protected from logging.
Sveaskog, a state-owned forestry company, is planning to clear 700 hectares of forest (equal to the area of 1,000 football fields) in the Luokta-Mávas Sámi reindeer herding community’s area in southern Norrbotten, Sweden. The area, within the winter pastures of the Luokta-Mávas community, is already heavily felled, and the last natural forest areas are threatened.
The amount of lichen, which is important winter nourishment for reindeer, has declined due to logging activities. According to a study (Sandström et al, 2016), a decline of 71% for lichen was found in the area of lichen-abundant forests over the last 60 years. The decline was observed in all regions and age classes, and especially coincided with a decrease of more than 60-year-old, open pine forests.
The case of Luokta-Mávas community displays only one example of the heavy logging activity in the winter pastures of Sámi reindeer herding communities. 29 Sámi reindeer herding communities in Sweden have signed a petition to stop the logging of the natural forests in the reindeer herding area.
According to Sveaskog’s press release, the company has paused the logging activities in the Luokta-Mávas area and would like a dialogue with the Luokta-Mávas community. The Saami Council urges Sweden to seize the opportunity to amend the Forestry Act and implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and ratify the ILO Convention No. 169, to make sure that the principle of free, prior and informed consent is included and recognized in the negotiations between Sámi reindeer herding communities and forestry industry.
The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) recently criticized Sweden in an individual communication (CERD/C/102/D/54/2013), for the lack of recognition of the FPIC principle and violation of the CERD convention in the case of a mining concession, following up on the report from the Sámi reindeer herding community in question (Vapsten) and the Saami Council. The state should effectively revise also the logging concessions after an adequate process of free, prior and informed consent (FPIC).
A continued expansion of the logging activity will violate the Civil and Political Rights Convention article 27. The Human Rights Committee noted in the individual communication, Ilmari Länsman v. Finland, that economic activities must, in order to comply with article 27, be carried out in a way so that the reindeer herders continue to benefit from reindeer husbandry.
The Saami Council also points out that the logging activities are not only harming the Sámi people’s way of life, but also the living conditions of mankind. Logging does not just impact reindeer herding, but also climate change. Old natural forests are important sources of carbon sink, which slows down climate change.
The Saami Council urges Sweden to step up to their responsibilities to uphold international obligations and respect for Saami reindeer herding rights by amending the Forestry Act with regards to the Saami people’s right to free, prior and informed consent.
By Oula-Antti Labba
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Related to SDG 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions, SDG 15: Life on land and SDG 10: Reduced inequalities
