It all started on Thursday last week when a group of Sami youth entered the Ministry of Oil and Energy. They refused to leave the building until the police carried them out on Monday night.
Since then, more activists have joined in and throughout the week have been locking the doors of ministry buildings in Oslo’s government district.
The government wants a quick solution
The background is Norway’s largest wind turbine at Fössen. The Norwegian Supreme Court ruled that this is a violation of indigenous rights because it is located in the middle of a reindeer herding area. But even though more than 500 days have passed since the ruling, the wind farm is still operating.
On Thursday, Speaker of the Sami Celje Parliament Karen Motka met Oil and Energy Minister Terje Asland and Minister of Agriculture and Food Sandra Borch.
After the meeting, everyone expressed progress in the discussions. The government now wants to find a quick and temporary solution to facilitate reindeer herding in Füssen. At the same time, they want to investigate possibilities for a long-term solution.
“All possibilities are on the table,” Terje Aasland says at the press conference afterward, though he adds that he hopes to find a solution where wind power and reindeer husbandry can live side by side.
The blockade is lifted
During the Friday morning, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stöhr also admitted for the first time that there was an ongoing violation of human rights in Füssen. He is said to have said that after meeting for breakfast with reindeer herders from the area, NRK reports.
– It is a violation of human rights and we cannot live with it, says the Prime Minister, according to NRK.
It is seen as an important tribute to the activists and reindeer herders of Füssen, which can now be used in future lawsuits. It is expected that the government will now deal with the matter faster than before.
After that, the activists backed off. Barriers were lifted at the entrances to the ministry to arrange two large demonstrations on Friday morning.
– We’ve done our part. We have achieved more than was possible thus far. We withdraw now and let the government do what it wants, says Ella Mari Hata Isaksen.
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