Norway could lose lead in the recognition and protection of indigenous peoples’ rights

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, James Anaya, warned Friday that a proposal to repeal key laws and policies related to Sami people in Norway could “constitute an enormous setback for the recognition and protection of human rights in the country.”

“Norway could cease to be the world leader it has become in the recognition and protection of the rights of indigenous peoples if the Norwegian National Parliament approves the proposal of one of the largest political parties in the country, the Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet),” Mr. Anaya said.

The proposal tabled by members of the Progress Party recommends that the National Parliament denounce the International Labour Organisation Convention on indigenous and tribal peoples in independent countries, abolish the Sami Parliament, repeal the key Finnmark Act, and do away with the administrative area for the Sami language.

Read full article at UN Human rights

Related video:
From the hearing in the Norwegian National Parliament (Norwegian language only)