We send Christmas cards to the king with a prayer for help to be seen and heard in our battle. This based on:
King Harald’s opening speech to the Sami Parliament 7 October 1997:
(…) The Norwegian state is founded on the territory of two peoples – Norwegians and Sami. Sami history is closely intertwined together with Norwegian history. (…)
King Harald speaks the truth: Sami history is closely intertwined with the history and life of us, the other people, we who do not earn our living from reindeer husbandry. We who grew up, live and work in the Øyfjell area and other reindeer grazing areas use the same mountains as reindeer husbandry, generation after generation.
Living in this coexistence with reindeer husbandry is part of our culture and our belonging in this area, as in all other reindeer grazing areas.
We in Motvind Bevar Øyfjellet and Motvind Norge, see that Norway is about to lose its uniqueness with untouched nature. The Norwegian State now takes from her descendants what is one of the greatest peculiarities in the Norwegian and Sami people – namely that it is in our soul and culture that we shall use the mountains for recreation, hunting, harvesting, and reindeer husbandry. This is what makes Norway unique and valuable also in a global context.
The reindeer herders and we are condominiums, we meet in the shop, in the mountains, in local political arenas, in work and leisure. We support their fight for their traditional livelihood and culture. Our society and Norway need reindeer husbandry, with locally produced, organic, long-term (in 1000-year perspective !!,) sustainable and short-distance food. And not at least jobs for several families both in operation and the reindeer meat processing
We have a common interest in preserving and protecting this area from the wind power industry development that has been initiated without the licensing requirements being met. Motvind Norway works to preserve nature in this area which is completely unspoiled today and is the nearest neighbor to one of Norway’s last wilderness areas, Lomsdal – Visten National Park. Jillen Njaarke reindeer grazing district uses parts of this area for its reindeer husbandry, and not least they have a relocation route here to reach between the reindeer’s summer and winter pastures; inland and coast. I right that goes hundreds of years back.
According to the Reindeer Husbandry Act, a royal resolution is required to be able to close a relocation route, (Reindeer Husbandry Act §22 Relocation Routes) Jillen Njaarke believes means that the closure of the relocation route is being done by a development of 72 wind turbines in moving lane the relocation route and calving area without either royal resolution or agreement with reindeer husbandry. We support them in that, and at the same time believe that the consideration of § 108 of the Constitution – the Sami Act, and § of the Constitution 112, – The environmental section is grossly overlooked and neglected in the processing of wind power licenses.
“The freedom to choose how to live one’s life is an important value in our society” (King Harald 2017) Without the intervention-free nature, we all in Norway lose our soul and identity. Or as an elder reindeer herder in Finnmark said to Klassekampen in the 90s when he was predicted to slaughter his herd: «Without the reindeer husbandry – I’m nobody »
The authorities hear that we are speaking out, but they do not listen and do not understand the message. That is why we are asking King Harald for help.
Dear King Harald.
We ask for help to be seen and listened to in our struggle to preserve our common free nature and protect reindeer grazing areas in Norway.
We wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas.
With warm regards, for Motvind Bevar [preserve] Øyfjellet,
Ada Einmo Jürgensen, tel. +47 99 26 38 15
