Righting Injustices Towards the Sámi

Abstract

One of the mandates of the Norwegian Truth and Reconciliation Commission (trc) is to contribute to reconciliation between the majority population and the Sámi and Kven population. The Commission is tasked to create greater equality between the majority and minority populations as well as increasing the knowledge about the Sámi and Kven population in the majority. In this paper, we will focus on the Sámi indigenous people. We will examine three aspects: first, the assumption that the reconciliation should be between the majority population and the Sámi population rather than between the State and the population targeted by the Norwegianisation policies. Second, how such a reconciliation between the State and the Sámi is possible when there are ongoing conflicts over the use of land and water, exemplified by the Fosen windmill case. Finally, the trc believes that a common understanding of the Norwegianisation policies and its consequences will lay the foundation for a continued reconciliation between the Sámi and the majority population. The paper discusses the involvement of the majority population in the process as well as the issues of public hearings and reparations. By means of an interdisciplinary examination of the Norwegian trc, this paper presents sociological and legal perspectives. It draws on research from Latin American trc s, particularly the Peruvian trc, and thereby offers comparative perspectives.