It is part of the concerns of the Sami people, the indigenous people of Finland, because they are worried about the diminishing opportunities to gain more self-government in their ancestral lands.
In Finland, the Sámi are represented by the Sámi Assembly (Sámediggi), a constitutionally recognized advisory body. However, the reform of the Sámi Assembly, which regulates the electoral rights and functions of the Sámi Assembly, has been constantly demanded. The article begins with the plight of the residents of Utsjoki, the northernmost municipality in the European Union, who long for salmon, an essential food made up of tradition and the city’s luxury. Salmon fishing has been prohibited in Tenojoki, which acts as a natural border between Finland and Norway, for the past four years. The ban has had a traumatic effect on the municipality, which is the only place in Finland where the Sámi, Europe’s last indigenous people, form a majority.
The scarcity of Utsjoki salmon is due to the increase in temperature caused by climate change. The article also emphasizes how prominent members of Finland’s indigenous peoples, supported by historians, jurists and various international organizations, have demanded the reform of the Sámi assemblies, which regulate the active and passive voting rights of the parliament. functions. “If [the law] has not been edited, there will come a time when the Finns will take over [of the chamber],” Leo Aikio, the vice-president of the city of Inari, Sámedigg, told El País. Without changes in the law, there are fears that non-Sámi people could gain control of the chamber, which would jeopardize the wishes and interests of the true indigenous Sámi people.
The original story was published by El País on 17.05.2023 and can be found here.
Tens of “frostquakes” that shook Finland in one day could have been caused by the climate crisis
This article about the occurrence of “frostquakes” in Finland, a rare weather phenomenon caused by climate change, was published in Sovereign May 15th. Freezequakes are seismic events that occur when water freezes in saturated soil or rock, resulting in a sudden release of energy similar to an earthquake. The article emphasizes that, according to a recent study, frostbite is believed to be increasing due to the climate crisis.
In 2016, a swarm of frost quakes shook the subarctic region of Oulu in central Finland, causing damage to the soil, building foundations and roads. Scientists, including those from the Geological Survey, have found that these quakes trigger a rapid drop in air temperature, leading to thermal stress on frozen soil, buildings, houses and roads, leading to significant cracks. The study also highlights the disproportionate impact of global warming on the Arctic, which is warming faster than other regions of the globe, as shown by previous climate reports and studies.
“We show that the cause of the frost quakes was a rapid drop in air temperature from -12 degrees to -29 degrees, which created thermal stress on frozen soil and roads that could not withstand the stress,” the researchers wrote in the study.
Reports of frost quakes causing infrastructure damage have surfaced in different parts of the world, such as in Finland, the United States and Canada. The article emphasizes that the occurrence of frostbite is connected to the air temperature. The study focused on analyzing the connection between frostbite and heat stress, which is a measure of temperature-related stress.
The original story was published by the Independent on 15 May 2023 and can be found here.
Finland should not participate in NATO’s nuclear weapons exercises, the group says
The statement of the Finnish Nuclear Weapons Control Group, according to which Finland should refrain from participating in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) nuclear weapons exercises, is discussed in the article Euractiv.com May 18th. The article describes in more detail the group’s recommendation, according to which Finland would focus on discussing the risks associated with nuclear weapons and support the prohibition of their first use. They also suggested promoting nuclear disarmament as a long-term goal.
The article mentions that the statement raised concerns about Finland’s official accession to NATO, as Finland was committed to participating in the military alliance’s nuclear planning and support operation, but prohibited the use of nuclear weapons on Finnish soil.
The Finnish Nuclear Weapons Monitoring Group, which was established earlier this year, is a collaboration of cooperation organizations such as Pugwash, the Finnish Peace Alliance, ICAN Finland, Social Responsibility doctors and Life Finland. The group’s goal is to examine matters concerning nuclear weapons and NATO. Its members include individuals such as anti-nuclear activists and military researchers from the National Defense University. The group also includes former foreign minister Erkki Tuomioja.
The original story was published by Euractiv.com on 18.05.2023 and can be found here.
Finland’s “visionary” fight against disinformation teaches citizens to question what they see online
This article, which discusses Finland’s proactive approach to combating disinformation and teaching citizens to question online content, was published in Canadian National Observer May 16. The article examines the effectiveness of Finns in identifying fake news and disinformation with the help of the country’s consistent media literacy.
The article examines an example of disinformation in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Finland experienced a wave of coordinated messages on social media criticizing its bid to join NATO. However, the viral slogan used grammatically incorrect language, which raised doubts among the Finnish public. Many believed it was a disinformation war orchestrated by pro-Kremlin operatives using bots and influencers relying on Google Translate. The incident did not cause panic, but became a source of amusement and memes in Finland, demonstrating the public’s ability to recognize foreign influences. The article emphasizes that this flexibility is due to Finland’s long-term integration of media literacy education into the national curriculum.
Experts argue that this emphasis on media literacy has helped inoculate the population against fake news and disinformation campaigns. By teaching citizens to critically evaluate online content, Finland aims to give individuals the opportunity to distinguish credible information from manipulative narratives.
“Every teacher, whether teaching kindergarten or 12th grade, math, geography or physical education…, needs to think about how to incorporate them into their subject matter and teaching.” Leo PekkalaThe director of the Finnish Audiovisual Institute (KAVI) told.
The original story was published by Canada’s National Observer on May 16, 2023 and can be found here here.
Finland’s ambassador to Japan calls the security of Asia and Europe “inseparable”
The request of the Finnish ambassador to Tokyo, Tanja Jaaskelainen, for closer relations between Japan and Finland after Finland’s accession to NATO was discussed in an article published in Kyodo news May 15th. Jaaskelainen emphasized the mutual connection between the security of Europe and Asia in the face of geopolitical challenges.
The article highlights Jaaskelainen’s view that Europe can learn from Japan’s experiences with the Pacific region and stated that Japan is in an excellent position in the region. “It is clear that the security environments of Europe and Asia are inseparable,” Tanja Jaaskelainen said in an interview with Kyodo News.
Jaaskelainen also mentioned the importance of building resilience based on knowledge. Finland joined NATO in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and renounced its previous military neutrality. NATO has expanded its focus from Russia to the Indo-Pacific region due to China’s military expansion. NATO’s plan to open a liaison office in Tokyo has drawn criticism in China.
The original story was published in Kyodo News on May 15, 2023 and can be found here.
HT
Source: The Nordic Page
