"Land, resource rights key to Sami people’s self-determination, says UN expert", 31 Aug 2015

 Securing rights over their land and natural resources is fundamental to the Sami people’s self-determination and a prerequisite for them to be able to continue to exist as a distinct people, an independent United Nations human rights expert said after a visit to the Nordic region...Speaking at the end of a special conference organized by the Sami Parliamentary Council, the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz said she was pleased that Norway, Sweden and Finland all pay considerable attention to indigenous issues...Nevertheless, the expert cautioned that...“In the context of mineral extraction and large-scale renewable energy projects, such as windmills, particular attention should be paid to ensuring that the traditional livelihoods of the Sami, including reindeer herding and salmon fishing, are effectively safeguarded”...The expert encouraged the three governments “to ensure that their mineral laws and policies are in line with international standards related to the rights of indigenous peoples, including those requiring adequate consultations with the affected indigenous communities and their free, prior and informed consent, mitigation measures, compensation and benefit sharing.”...