Supporting Muonios fight f. Indigenous Land Rights
Donation protected
Help us to maintain an activist presence above the arctic circle and support the Muonio Sámi community in their struggle for their rights as Indigenous Peoples
We stand with the Muonio Sámi community - with Greenpeace, Naturskyddsföreningen, Fältbiologerna and Amnestry Sapmi. Together we are preventing all clearcutting by the state-run Sveaskog in Muonio until they resume a formal consultation process with Muonio Sameby´s representatives
What is this protest about?
The state owned forest company Sveaskog has abruptly ended the consultation process with the Sami community, denying them their right as Indigenous people to decide what happens on their land and with their forests that are vital for reindeer herding.
Greenpeace is present in Muonio since spring 2021 after being invited by the Sameby and has already stopped one logging attempt by Sveaskog in August. Now the invitation for joining the resistance got extended to other organisations, among them Skogsupproret. Read more here.
Together we are preventing any clearcutting in Muonio until the consultations are restored.
What is happening now?
After Sveaskog showed clear signs of preparing logging again we, Skogsupproret, decided in agreement with Muonio Sameby to go a step beyond patrolling. We established a camp on a winter road leading to a forest logging area and showed Sveaskog that we are ready to stop any attempt of clearcutting with our bodies.
In response to that Sveaskog said they would not log in Muonio until they have a "constructive dialogue" with the Sámi community. As it stands now, the Muonio representatives have not been contacted by Sveaskog though.
After moving our camp from the forest road we are keeping a presence in Muonio to make sure Sveaskog establishes a proper consultation process as Muonio Sameby demands. If needed, we are ready to practice non-violent civil disobedience - and only employ action tools that the Muonio Sámi community agreed to.
What do we need money for?
Sustaining a training camp and our base house with food, fire wood, transport and getting activists up to Muonio.
What are the overarching issues?
We want a societal system that respects human rights and planetary boundaries. Such a system includes a forestry that does not deplete the forest ecosystems, but rather works in favor of biodiversity, climate and human / Indigenous rights. The current intensive forestry with clear cuts as the main method of logging, does not provide a sustainable forestry. It is evident that the Swedish Forestry Model needs to be fundamentally changed at its core. Being Sweden’s largest forest owner and a state-owned company, Sveaskog has the possibility and responsibility to be a frontrunner on these issues to model a forestry that is beneficial to people in Sápmi and across the whole of Sweden in the long term and is reflective of a just transition in alignment with Indigenous led initiatives.
Such a system that is just and respectful towards non-human an human nature is also a system free from dominance and colonialism. Muonio Sameby, just as other parts of Sápmi, are subject of both an unsustainable destructive forestry as well as state sanctioned colonial behavior. Supporting the resistance of Muonio sameby means taking a stand against colonial mentality, the industrial devastation of Indigenous traditional livelihoods and of ecosystems. Indigenous People that make up 5 % of the global population protect 80 % of the biodiversity of our planet.
We recognize that Indigenous peoples are entitled to having their rights respected not only in words but in practical terms. One of them being the right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC). This entails a consultation process without manipulation or imposed time pressure that is self-directed by the community affected. And a clear right to say No.
We stand with the Muonio Sámi community - with Greenpeace, Naturskyddsföreningen, Fältbiologerna and Amnestry Sapmi. Together we are preventing all clearcutting by the state-run Sveaskog in Muonio until they resume a formal consultation process with Muonio Sameby´s representatives
What is this protest about?
The state owned forest company Sveaskog has abruptly ended the consultation process with the Sami community, denying them their right as Indigenous people to decide what happens on their land and with their forests that are vital for reindeer herding.
Greenpeace is present in Muonio since spring 2021 after being invited by the Sameby and has already stopped one logging attempt by Sveaskog in August. Now the invitation for joining the resistance got extended to other organisations, among them Skogsupproret. Read more here.
Together we are preventing any clearcutting in Muonio until the consultations are restored.
What is happening now?
After Sveaskog showed clear signs of preparing logging again we, Skogsupproret, decided in agreement with Muonio Sameby to go a step beyond patrolling. We established a camp on a winter road leading to a forest logging area and showed Sveaskog that we are ready to stop any attempt of clearcutting with our bodies.
In response to that Sveaskog said they would not log in Muonio until they have a "constructive dialogue" with the Sámi community. As it stands now, the Muonio representatives have not been contacted by Sveaskog though.
After moving our camp from the forest road we are keeping a presence in Muonio to make sure Sveaskog establishes a proper consultation process as Muonio Sameby demands. If needed, we are ready to practice non-violent civil disobedience - and only employ action tools that the Muonio Sámi community agreed to.
What do we need money for?
Sustaining a training camp and our base house with food, fire wood, transport and getting activists up to Muonio.
What are the overarching issues?
We want a societal system that respects human rights and planetary boundaries. Such a system includes a forestry that does not deplete the forest ecosystems, but rather works in favor of biodiversity, climate and human / Indigenous rights. The current intensive forestry with clear cuts as the main method of logging, does not provide a sustainable forestry. It is evident that the Swedish Forestry Model needs to be fundamentally changed at its core. Being Sweden’s largest forest owner and a state-owned company, Sveaskog has the possibility and responsibility to be a frontrunner on these issues to model a forestry that is beneficial to people in Sápmi and across the whole of Sweden in the long term and is reflective of a just transition in alignment with Indigenous led initiatives.
Such a system that is just and respectful towards non-human an human nature is also a system free from dominance and colonialism. Muonio Sameby, just as other parts of Sápmi, are subject of both an unsustainable destructive forestry as well as state sanctioned colonial behavior. Supporting the resistance of Muonio sameby means taking a stand against colonial mentality, the industrial devastation of Indigenous traditional livelihoods and of ecosystems. Indigenous People that make up 5 % of the global population protect 80 % of the biodiversity of our planet.
We recognize that Indigenous peoples are entitled to having their rights respected not only in words but in practical terms. One of them being the right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC). This entails a consultation process without manipulation or imposed time pressure that is self-directed by the community affected. And a clear right to say No.
Organizer
Jakob Stirlitz
Organizer
Kangos