Sami protest against the mining industry in Kiruna: "Sweden's hunt for green metals is shameless"

1/13/2023, 9:16:56 AM

The Swedish Sami Confederation and Gabna Sameby claim that Sweden is creating a conflict with the EU's only indigenous people – the Sami. It is the discovery of new earth metals and LKAB's plans to open another mine that made them angry.

It was in connection with the European Commission's meeting in Kiruna on Thursday that LKAB released the news that it had made the largest find in Europe of rare earth metals.

The Swedish Sami National Confederation and Gabna Sameby believe that the Swedish state, which owns LKAB, is systematically making invisible and displacing the Sami and Sami culture.

"The reindeer husbandry area is split into two parts"

- The Sami traditional reindeer herding area is split in two and the Sami's right to practice their culture is made impossible, they say in a joint press release ahead of a press conference to be held on Friday afternoon.

"Mining expands"

The Swedish Sami National Confederation and Gabna Sameby further write that the indigenous Sami people seem to have no importance for both Sweden and the EU.

- Since the beginning of the 20th century, the area has already been heavily exploited by the mining industry.

The Sami have been gradually forced off land, settlements and traditional reindeer migration routes can no longer be used.

- LKAB's constantly expanding mining and ore transport is at the expense of the Sámi's opportunity to practice and preserve their culture, say the Confederation of Swedish Sami and Gabna Sameby.

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