By Clive Tesar Saami in Sweden are demanding that the Swedish government improve protection for traditional Saami reindeer herding territories. The Saami are making the demand in the face of increasing pressures on traditional Saami lands for mining and wind-power developments.

We are at a crisis point in Saami areas whereby the last unexploited Saami areas are being claimed by a mining and wind-power boom,

says Malin Brännström, lawyer for the Swedish Saami Association.

The state has a responsibility to ensure that Saami rights are protected. But the state is currently making it easier and easier for resource projects to go ahead, with no consideration being given to the impacts on traditional Saami livelihoods, such as reindeer herding.

The Saami are singling out Blackstone Ventures, a Canadian-based company with a variety of nickel exploration projects scattered through Scandinavia.

This is a Canadian exploration company that claims to respect the rights of Indigenous Peoples in Canada,

notes Mattias Åhrén, Head of Human Rights at the Saami Council.

At the same time, the company seems to have no problem with performing intrusive exploration activities in sensitive Saami reindeer herding areas in Swedish nature reserves.

In Finland, local Saami facing similar challenges launched a campaign against a logging company that included taking their case to investors and filing a complaint with the United Nations. The Saami in Sweden say they may be compelled to launch similar campaigns against companies working in the Saami areas of Sweden, unless Saami rights are respected by developers. The Saami are working to gain recognition of their rights to traditional lands, and to control over what development takes place on those lands. Saami traditional lands collectively known as ‘Sapmi’ (land of the Saami) are in the northern parts of Sweden, Norway and Finland, and the Kola Peninsula in Russia.

Indigenous Peoples' Secretariat in collaboration with Elonmerkki and the Saami Council are proud to announce that the documentary "Last Yoik in Saami Forests?" now is available on DVD and for download. The DVDs will be distributed to interested Universities in the Arctic Region and/or with a special interest in Arctic Indigenous Issues. To get a copy for use at your University, contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , and specify the format (NTSC for North America, PAL for Europe/Russia). For individual requests for a copy of the DVD we ask you to contact the producer at www.elonmerkki.net. If you just want to see it online, and maybe download a compressed copy of it for your iPod, continue reading... [googlevideo]89418168905535551[/googlevideo] Download as mp4 (iPod Format). Download A3 Poster.

by Clive Tesar An influential audience of Arctic diplomats, Indigenous Leaders, and NGOs was treated to a viewing of the new Saami film “Last Yoik in Saami Forests?”. The film was screened at a meeting of the Arctic Council in Narvik, Norway, in Saami traditional territory. It chronicles clashes between Saami reindeer herders, determined to preserve their traditional economy and culture, and the forestry company that threatens them. The activities of the Finnish state forestry company in the Inari region of Finland have reached the point where centuries-old Saami reindeer herding activities are at the point of collapse. The logging company operating in the region, supported by the Finnish government, has been cutting down old growth forests that provide critical habitat and forage for reindeer. This is despite an ongoing process to settle Saami land rights in the region. Local Saami have become so concerned with the situation that they set up a camp, together with some NGOs, to try to put an end to the unsustainable logging. This has resulted in threats and harassment of reindeer herders by forestry company employees, and some other people in the area. Some of this harassment is shown in the film. Negotiations between the reindeer herders and the forestry company have failed, Pauliina Feodoroff, President of the Saami Council says it is time for the Finnish government to step in.

“Saami Council appeals to the new Government of Finland to redeem its promises to the Saami People, and to the international community, to take responsibility and solve the forestry conflicts. Saami Council demands that the logging must be immediately terminated and that ceased negotiations are restarted.”