Samelandspartiet hemsida kommer att publicera några av de tal som hållits av samiska företrädare under UNPFII 23 session i New York.
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tem 3: Enhancing Indigenous People’s right to self-determination in the context of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: emphasizing the voices of Indigenous Youth.
April 16th, 2024
Ms. Rosa-Máren Juuso
Chair
Youth Council
Sámi Parliament in Finland
Thank you, madam Chair, dear participants,
Bures, mun lean Gáijjot-Ándde-Ándde-Biret-Elle Rosa-Máren, Rosa-Máren Juuso. I am the chair of the Youth Council of Sámi Parliament in Finland. It is my honour to address this forum today, before the fellow indigenous sisters and brothers. We Sámis in Finland are facing assimilation and violation against the indigenous peoples’ right to self-determination.
In Finland the High Administrative court is forcing outsiders into our autonomous political body. They make us renew our elections because of these 65 persons, who should not have a say in governing the sustenance of our language and culture. In addition to this, the young Sámis, who have turned 18 after the previous election, do not get to vote in the up-coming election. This is unacceptable to us.
We have been fighting this same issue for over a decade. We have young people who have worked with the same issue their entire lives. All this time the state has failed to renew the Sámi Parliament Act which would allow for more effective self-determination for us. We have not had full control over the only political body meant for promoting our rights, by us. We are enraged at the situation, where new elections are forced upon us, and furthermore, where the elections are made specifically for us Sámis to lose them. How can we allow outsiders to define the education of our children and the protection of our lands?
The theme of this item is the indigenous peoples’ right to self-determination. Finland upkeeps the facade of the world’s happiest nation, while ignoring their ongoing human rights violation. Colonialism in Finland takes the form of legislative force. We are given our own political body, yet it is not ours and these elections are not ours either.
Not only do we feel excluded and disrespected, but we are also scared about the future of the Sámi parliament. How are we going to suffer from the decisions made by the outsiders on the preservation of our language and culture?
Lastly, we would like to ask the UN to demand for accountability of the member states, in our case, Finland. They come up here and pretend like they are the epitome of indigenous peoples’ rights while we sit next to them. How long do we have to watch this humiliation by Finland ignoring our right to self-determination? How long do we have to swallow the disrespect against Sámis?
Giitu, Thank you