In this episode, we are joined by Aili Keskitalo from Amnesty International and former president of the Sámì Parliament in Norway and PhD fellow at the University of Stavanger Cecilie Larsen to talk about green colonialism and the South Sámì struggles against the Norwegian government’s wind farm concessions around Fosen in central Norway. In 2010 the Norwegian state granted permission to build several large-scale wind farms on the Sámi ancestral lands of Fosen that are vital for Sámi reindeer herding and hence a vital part of South Sámi culture. The Fosen case, is the latest manifestation of continuous discrimination against indigenous people in Norway. The Supreme Court ruled against the Norwegian State in 2021, yet the farms are still in operation. While a few concessions have been made, the Norwegian state goes to great lengths to ignore the supreme court ruling despite massive Sámì protests and mobilization. With Cecilie and Aili, we discuss the relationship between the Norwegian state and indigenous communities, and how the pursuit of green growth leads to further appropriation of Sámi lands and attack on Sámi culture.
See these links if you are interested in reading more about the Fosen case:
Norwegian National Human Rights Institution assessment of supreme court ruling
You can find a transcription here (pdf, opens in new tab)
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