sou · GNB325 · 2000-01-01 00:00:00 — Det gäller dels mark som samerna i konventionens mening traditionellt innehar och dels mark som de traditionellt har rätt till att nyttja tillsammans med andra brukare. Jag anser att en bör tillsättas som får till uppgift att klara ut dessa frågor. ·För det andra måste omfattningen av samernas jakt- och fiskerätt inom den mark som de traditionellt innehar klarläggas. När dessa frågor klarats ut kan andra åtgärder vidtas som är nödvändiga för att samernas rättigheter skall nå upp till den nivå som konventionen kräver. Det är framför allt fråga om följande åtgärder. ·Samerna bör få ett stärkt skydd mot inskränkningar i renskötsel- rätten. Inom mark som samerna traditionellt innehar bör de få rätt att upplåta sin jakt- och fiskerätt till andra mot betalning. bör få rätt att yttra sig innan områden av riksintresse för rennäringen bestäms och innan exploatering av sådan mark tillåts. Det bör också finnas ett tydligt skydd mot exploatering av sådan mark i hushållningsbestämmelser och en rätt för att yttra sig innan exploatering tillåts. ·Inom mark som samerna traditionellt nyttjar tillsammans med andra krävs också ett ökat skydd mot inskränkningar i renskötselrätten. bör få rätt att yttra sig innan områden av riksintresse för rennäringen bestäms och innan exploatering av sådan mark tillåts. ·Åtgärder bör vidtas för att säkerställa att samerna har tillräckligt med mark för att kunna fortsätta bedriva rennäring. Samerna kan förlora en del marker som de utnyttjar för renskötsel, bl.a. till följd av de rättsprocesser som pågår . ·Det bör finnas möjlighet till ersättning från staten för rättegångs- kostnader i principiellt viktiga mål rörande samernas markrättigheter. Som det är finns det en risk för att samerna av ekonomiska skäl inte kan få sina anspråk på mark rättsligt prövade och klarlagda. ·Ytterligare en åtgärd anser jag vara angelägen för att förbereda en svensk anslutning till konventionen. En nationell informationskampanj om samerna som ursprungsfolk och om den samiska kulturen bör genomföras. Information behövs också som klargör vad en svensk anslutning skulle innebära för berörda parter. Samtliga dessa åtgärder ser jag som nödvändiga för att skall kunna ansluta sig till konventionen. Enligt min bedömning kommer åtgärderna utan tvekan också att leda till minskade konflikter mellan samerna och markägarna och skapa förutsättningar för samarbete. Min rekommendation är därför att det bör tas under övervägande om inte åtgärderna är att anse som så angelägna att de bör genomföras oavsett om en ratificering kommer till stånd eller inte. Självklart är det också mycket viktigt att vidta åtgärder för att uppnå samförståndslösningar och skapa en dialog mellan samerna och andra markanvändare inom renskötselområdet. konvention innehåller emellertid inga instrument för hur konflikter mellan ursprungsfolken och andra grupper skall lösas. Konventionen syftar till att säkra ursprungs- folkens ställning. Det är naturligtvis så att även samerna måste vara beredda att ta hänsyn till andra som driver näring inom renskötselområdet. Det har dock inte ingått i mitt uppdrag att väga samernas intressen mot andras och lägga fram förslag som underlättar samförståndslösningar mellan parterna. Mitt uppdrag har varit inriktat på att undersöka vad som krävs för att skall kunna ansluta sig till konventionen. Den av regeringen tillsatta rennäringspolitiska kommittén har ett vidare uppdrag när det gäller rennäringens förhållande till andra areella näringar. I deras direktiv anges att de skall lämna förslag till bestämmel- ser för att minimera konflikterna mellan rennäringen och andra mark- användare inom renskötselområdet. bör därför kunna föreslå åtgärder som underlättar samförståndslösningar. De åtgärder som är nödvändiga för att skall kunna ansluta sig till konventionen innebär vissa kostnader. I en första fas gäller det samt en utred- ning om hur omfattande samernas rätt till jakt och fiske är. Nya regler om ett stärkt skydd mot inskränkningar i renskötselrätten för med sig ökade kostnader för administration, både för markägarna, samerna och myndigheterna. Man får också räkna med vissa ökade kostnader för markägare och andra brukare av mark genom att större hänsyn måste tas till renskötselrätten. kommer de nämnda insatserna emellertid att innebära lägre kostnader på en del områden. arbete kommer troligen att leda till att det blir färre rättsprocesser och därmed mindre kostnader för tvister om vinterbetesmarkernas gränser. Även övriga åtgärder som minskar konflikterna mellan samer och andra markanvändare kommer att få till följd att kostnaderna sjunker för både staten, samerna och markägarna. I ett inledande skede uppstår helt klart nettokostnader för det åtgärdspaket som angivits. Dessa kostnader bör finansieras genom att ytterligare medel tillförs same- och rennäringspolitiken. Enbart en omfördelning av resurser skulle medföra en risk för att andra åtgärder som vidtas inom ramen för denna politik urholkas. Detta skulle i sin tur kunna få till följd att inte kan uppfylla alla åtaganden enligt konventionen. My assignment was to consider whether can ratify, that is, accede to, the Convention No. 169 on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries, and in that case what measures would be required to enable to comply with the provisions contained in the Convention (Terms of Reference 1997:103). and Convention No. It is one of the UN's specialised agencies enjoined with the task of monitoring issues pertaining to working conditions, discrimination, etc. Within the framework of this brief, the has monitored the living conditions of indigenous peoples for many years. drafts inter alia conventions. 169 contains a number of provisions and undertakings designed to protect indigenous and tribal peoples. The Governments in the countries that have acceded to the Convention must ensure that the rights of the indigenous peoples are protected and that their integrity is respected. The Governments should consult with the peoples with regard to measures that affect them, and create conditions that will enable them to determine their own development as far as possible. A fundamental principle of the Convention is that the indigenous peoples shall enjoy the full measure of human rights and fundamental freedoms without hindrance or discrimination. But in addition to taking measures to counteract discrimination, the states that accede to the Convention must also author special measures which promote the social and economic rights of the peoples concerned and protect their spiritual and cultural values. This means inter alia that steps must be taken to protect their land, culture and environment. The Convention places special emphasis on the importance of land for indigenous and tribal peoples. Therefore, the Convention contains provisions intended to safeguard their right to certain tracts of land which they have owned or otherwise used for a long time. The Convention entered into force in 1991, and so far 14 countries have acceded to it, including and . The greatest obstacle to ratification by was previously considered to be the fact that does not fulfil the conditions set down by the Convention with regard to land rights. The – an indigenous people in Indigenous peoples are defined as people who are descended from the populations which inhabited the country at the time when the present state boundaries were established and who have or partially retained their own social, economic, cultural and political institutions. The decisive factor is not that these people historically speaking have inhabited a certain area for a longer period than anyone else. What is more significant is that their social and cultural situation is special. The are an indigenous people in . The themselves identify themselves as an indigenous people, and a population lived in what is now northern before the country acquired its present state boundaries. The Riksdag (Swedish parliament) has also confirmed the people's status as an indigenous people. The population in is estimated to amount to approximately 17,000 persons and of this group, fewer than 2,500 persons are engaged in reindeer breeding and are members of a village. Conflicts in the reindeer breeding area The geographical area in which the provisions of the Convention on land rights would apply is the reindeer breeding area, that is, the mountains and large parts of . Within the reindeer breeding area the have an ancient prescriptive right to practice reindeer husbandry, a usufructary right which includes the right to reindeer pasture, hunting and fishing. Only the who practice reindeer breeding are permitted to exercise these rights. The reindeer breeding area is divided into year-round pasture lands and pasture lands. The people's rights are stronger in the year-round pasture lands, that is to say in the interior of . pasture lands lie further to the south, and in certain cases the boundaries are not clearly defined. In total, the reindeer breeding area covers approximately one-third of 's surface area. There are conflicts of interest within the reindeer breeding area. The right, for example, to use land for reindeer herding, hunting and fishing applies to the entire area and thus, in many cases to land owned and used by other people. Ownership in the mountain regions is in part a controversial issue. ownership rights to parts of the reindeer breeding area have only been examined by the courts in a few cases. It is important to emphasise that the conflicts of interest that have arisen between the and primarily landowners are the result of a series of circumstances for which neither party can be blamed. The root of the conflicts can be traced back a long way. the years – from the mid-18th century and late into the 20th century – the state has actively encouraged settlers and others to cultivate areas which the had previously had exclusive use of for reindeer breeding, hunting and fishing. This led to competition for land and subsequently conflicts. The regulations governing reindeer husbandry, hunting and fishing have evolved gradually. These rules have not been clearly defined, something which to my mind, has contributed to the conflicts which exist today. The rules on hunting and fishing rights and the regulation of the size of the pasture lands serve as examples. What is required to enable to accede to the Convention? I have made a thorough study of the Convention and a careful analysis of the implications for . In my view, already fulfils the requirements set out in the Convention in most respects. The main stumbling block is the rules concerning land rights. I have made an assessment of what measures must be taken and what rules amended so that satisfies the conditions stipulated in the Convention. ownership and possession rights The Convention requires states to recognise the "rights of ownership and possession" of the peoples concerned over the land which they "traditionally occupy". "Traditionally occupy" denotes land which the indigenous people have traditionally had access to for their subsistence and traditional activities, that is, had predominant influence on. With regard to land which the according to this definition may be considered to occupy, I have come to the conclusion that this must primarily apply to the parts of the year-round pastures which the state has owned in modern times. However, the boundaries of these areas are unclear and must be established. Although the Convention uses the expression "rights of ownership and possession" it is clear that this does not necessarily involve formal title to the land. However, the Convention does assume that the land rights reach a certain minimum level. In my estimation, this minimum level corresponds to right of use and possession of the land with strong protection under the law. The land rights which apply today do not reach that minimum level since the are forced to tolerate considerable encroachments on their reindeer breeding rights. If is to fulfil the minimum requirements the must be more strongly protected against such encroachment. The reindeer breeding rights must be protected in the same way as other land-user rights. To ensure that such protection is effective the should be given an opportunity to submit their views in advance on measures that might constitute more than a minor encroachment on reindeer breeding rights. They should also be entitled to have such measures examined by an impartial body with knowledge of reindeer breeding and the land required for that purpose. If measures are taken that have an adverse effect on reindeer breeding rights the should be entitled to compensation. The must also be given the same possibility as other groups to transmit their hunting and fishing rights outside their own community in exchange for payment. The right to use land The Convention also requires states to recognise the indigenous people's right to use land which they have traditionally used together with others, that is, for a long period. Lands which the have traditionally used together with others are the areas used for reindeer breeding, hunting and fishing. In my estimation, this primarily refers to land in the pasture area, that is, the areas close to the coast where other groups have also used the land for,e.g., silviculture and agriculture. Since the boundaries of the pasture lands are poorly defined and the subject of disputes, it must first be decided if the state would be able to recognise the people's right to use lands in these areas. The Samis people's of continuing with reindeer breeding is highly dependent on access to pasture lands and whether their right to use this land is safeguarded. If is to fulfil the requirements contained in the Convention it is imperative to safeguard opportunities for continued reindeer breeding. Thus, in my estimation, it will be necessary to strengthen protection against infringements of reindeer breeding rights in these parts of the reindeer pasture area as well. This should be effected by giving the the opportunity to comment on plans for land use which might be expected to lead to more than a slight encroachment on reindeer breeding rights in the area. If measures are taken which have a detrimental effect on that right the should be entitled to compensation. The conditions of the Convention also mean that the Government must ensure that the have sufficient land to enable them to continue reindeer breeding in all the areas where reindeer breeding is practised today. The right of the to examination of land claims by a court of law The Convention assumes that the indigenous peoples will have a real opportunity to have their land claims examined in a judicial process. Proceedings which concern claims to land often involve heavy legal expenses. It has been shown that the in practice have only meagre opportunity to have their land claims examined in the courts since they do not have the financial resources to pay the legal costs. In my view, if is to fulfil the conditions of the Convention in this respect, the parties involved in cases concerning important questions of principle with respect to the land claims, must be able to receive compensation from the state for legal expenses. The right of the to influence the use of natural resources The Convention also stipulates that the indigenous peoples should be given the opportunity to exert influence on the use, management and conservation of natural resources when such measures affect them. In my view, if is to satisfy this condition, the influence of the Samis on the natural resources to be found in the reindeer breeding areas must be strengthened. A number of measures are called for. The must have the right to submit comments on plans for land use in the reindeer breeding area when such plans might have a detrimental effect on breeding. The general protection from exploitation of the reindeer breeding area should be strengthened. This could be done by amending the rules on land and water management in the Environmental Code so that the () is entitled to submit its views before areas of national interest for reindeer husbandry in the reindeer breeding area are determined and before exploitation of land which is important in terms of reindeer breeding rights is permitted. Fuller protection from exploitation should be conferred upon those parts of the reindeer breeding area which the can traditionally be considered to occupy. This could be achieved by defining these areas as regions of national interest and protecting them as part of culture. In order to increase the influence of the on the use of natural resources in these protected areas the should also be given the right to comment inter alia before exploitation or measures according to the provisions of the Environmental Code are permitted. In these areas the should not only monitor the need for land for reindeer breeding but also check that inter alia the culture is protected in these areas. The Convention places special demands on consultation with the before studies or exploitation under the Act and the Peat Act are permitted. To fulfil these demands the current regulations will have to be amended so that the are given the right to such consultation and land interests can be taken into account. Health and care based on the needs of the The Convention contains provisions which state that health and care should be organised and administered locally on the basis of the special needs of the indigenous community and with respect for its traditional methods of preventive care and healing practices etc. In my opinion, if is to be able to comply fully with these undertakings, local health and care services in those parts of the country where the majority of the live, should be planned in consultation with the . The implementation of the Convention The Convention also covers a number of other areas apart from the ones mentioned here. According to the Convention all measures which affect indigenous peoples should be planned, carried out and evaluated in cooperation with them. In order to coordinate different matters in the way stipulated in the Convention it will in my view, be necessary to set up a special department at the Government Offices with responsibility for issues. The department's tasks should include collecting the viewpoints of the people and coordinating measures in this field. Implementation of the Convention in was the first country to accede to the Convention. My assignment included considering how the Norwegian Government has interpreted the Convention with regard to the provisions concerning rights to land. In conjunction with ratification, the Norwegian Government's assessment was that the usufructuary right to land in which applied at the time satisfied the conditions of the Convention. Later, the Samerettsutvalget, a commission of inquiry appointed by the Norwegian Government, came to a different conclusion, and the issue does not appear to have been finally resolved in . Arguments for and against Swedish accession During the course of this inquiry arguments both for and against Swedish accession have emerged. There are several reasons for accession. The Government has expressed a to be able to ratify the Convention which is a matter of some importance for the indigenous people. has a long tradition of commitment to weak, disadvantaged groups and has acceded to all the key conventions which seek to protect minority groups, etc. In international terms respect for the traditional ways of life of the indigenous peoples of the world has grown in recent years. It is clear that the should be given the opportunity to develop within the framework of their own culture. The themselves recommend ratification by and have commented in highly unfavourable terms the injustice of a system in which they do not have full control over their own hunting and fishing rights. The arguments against Swedish accession are founded primarily on the contentious situation which prevails with regard to the use of land in large sections of the reindeer breeding area. In the course of my work I have been in contact with both landowners and representatives of local communities within the reindeer breeding area as well as representatives of the competent government authorities. A clear majority of these people stated that they are extremely dubious about 's accession to the Convention if this means that the land rights are strengthened. In their view, practical solutions can be found at the local level via negotiations between them and the people. Swedish accession in five years' time As stated earlier, I have analysed the implications of the conditions of the Convention and taken a position on the measures that must be taken to make accession possible. I also studied the Norwegian experiences of practical implementation of the Convention. Finally, I weighed up the views of the , landowners and other parties concerned. In summary, my assessment is that can accede to the Convention No. 169, but that this should not take place until a number of steps relating to the right to land have been effected. According to my reckoning this process will take approximately five years. I have drawn up the guidelines for how a Swedish accession might proceed. ·Firstly, the land to which the have rights under the Convention must be identified. This applies both to land which the occupy traditionally and to land which they traditionally are entitled to use together with others. In my opinion, a boundary commission should be set up with the task of addressing these issues. ·Secondly, the scope of the hunting and fishing rights on the land which they traditionally occupy must be clarified. When these matters have been dealt with, other measures can be taken which are essential if the people's rights are to reach the level stipulated in the Convention. This primarily involves the following measures. ·Protection against restrictions on the reindeer breeding rights should be strengthened. On lands which are traditionally occupied by the they should be granted the right to transmit their hunting and fishing rights to others in exchange for payment. The should be empowered to submit its views before areas of national interest for reindeer breeding are defined and before exploitation of such land is permitted. Explicit protection against exploitation of such land should be incorporated into the resource management provisions of the Environmental Code along with a provision giving the the right to state its views before exploitation is permitted. ·On land which the traditionally use parallel with other groups increased protection against restrictions on reindeer breeding rights is needed. The should have the right to state its opinions before areas of national interest for reindeer breeding are defined and before exploitation of such land is permitted. ·Measures should be taken to ensure that the have sufficient land to enable them to continue with reindeer breeding. The may lose some lands which they use today for reindeer husbandry inter alia as a result of legal proceedings currently under way. ·It should be possible to receive compensation from the state for legal costs incurred in connection with important cases of principle involving land rights. The situation today means that there is a risk that the cannot have their claims to land examined and clarified in the courts owing to lack of funds. ·There is one more measure which I consider to be important in preparation for Swedish accession to the Convention. A national information campaign about the as an indigenous people and about the culture should be launched. Information clarifiying the implications of Swedish accession for all parties concerned is also needed. I regard all of these measures to be necessary to enable to accede to the Convention.