Report on hearings for the truth and reconciliation process concerning Sámi issues now published

In October 2017, the Government launched the preparation of a reconciliation process concerning Saami issues. The initiative for the process (of appointing a truth and reconciliation commission) originated from the Sámi Parliament. The preparation process included organising a broad consultation round in the Sámi homeland and in the largest Finnish cities between 2 May and 29 June 2018.

During the consultation round, it became evident that the indigenous Sámi people regard the truth and reconciliation process as a good idea, but they still expressed strong distrust concerning the idea that Finland is investigating the injustices faced by the indigenous Sámi people in good faith.

Information was collected from the indigenous Sámi people during the consultation round on their thoughts about the reconciliation process in preparation in Finland, which issues the commission, if established, should investigate and what kind of commissioners, i.e. commission leaders, would enjoy the trust of the indigenous Sámi people.

The report published as part of the preparation for the truth and reconciliation process concerning Saami issues presents the material collected during the consultation round as such but in an anonymised form. The report has been published in five languages (North Sámi, Inari Sámi, Skolt Sámi, Finnish and Swedish) with a separate English version.

The Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Justice in cooperation with the Finnish Sámi Parliament have been investigating how the reconciliation process (commission) should be executed and what the function and composition of the independent commission responsible for the process itself should be.

The reconciliation process currently in preparation in Finland is based on the international institution of truth and reconciliation commissions that emerged in the 1970s. On the international level, truth commissions or truth and reconciliation commissions refer to processes of investigating injustices that have taken place in history and uncovering the truth, i.e. what has happened, in order to prevent such injustices from occurring again.

Truth and Reconciliation Process Concerning Sámi Issues: Report on Hearings

More information on the preparation of the truth and reconciliation process concerning the Sámi people

Inquiries: Anni-Kristiina Juuso, Senior Specialist, tel. +358 295 160 169, Prime Minister’s Office