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Sara Elvira Kuhmunen , Talet gjordes på vägnar av ungdomar i Sápmi och publiceras i sin helhet.
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Agenda item 3: Discussion on the theme “Enhancing Indigenous Peoples’ right to selfdeterminationin the context of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of IndigenousPeoples: emphasizing the voices of Indigenous youth”
April 16th 2024
Statement by the Nordic Saami Youth representatives
Thank you, Madam Chair,
Distinguished experts, indigenous siblings, this is an intervention on behalf of the Sámi Youth in Norway, Sweden, and Finland. Youth often get told that we are the leaders of tomorrow. We need to be where decisionsare being made. We are the future. It is also our responsibility to learn our languages andcultural practices so we can bring them forward to future generations.
Yesterday the Nordic states gave an intervention explaining the good legislation theyhave adopted when it comes to Sámi rights. They claimed that these laws would ensurethat our self-determination and human rights are strengthened.
Now we expect the Nordic states to put their money where their mouth is, and we ask thePermanent Forum to hold the Nordic states accountable for their own words.
Because the reality of this so-called human rights paradise is quite different.The Swedish, Finnish and Norwegian states actively work against self-determination forSámi, by overrunning autonomous democratic processes and recommending theremoval of free, prior and informed consent in intended land development projects.
In fact, whenever we cross paths with state authorities, we are being minimalized andcriminalized. State politicians infantilize us, by saying youth voices are important, but then choosing not to listen to what we have to say.
Last week, the ruling against young Sámi human rights defenders organizing the Fosenprotests in Oslo in 2023, came. All 18 got acquitted, and the verdict emphasized thesignificance of the demonstration, confirming that we were right all along.
Let that be the proof of our will to make a change, that our words must be taken seriouslyand the resilience of indigenous youth.
Giitu / thank you.