The working group, led by the Lapland Hospital District, has published its recommendations on providing psychosocial support to Finnish Sámi during the forthcoming Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
The Commission is a body mandated by the Finnish Parliament, the Sámi Parliament and the Kolt Sámi Council to investigate atrocities committed against the Finnish Sámi.
The proposed service offers support in three Sámi languages tailored to individual cultures. The service would be available to all Sámi throughout Finland.
"The problem now is that there are very few, if any, Sámi-language psychosocial support services in Finland. According to our research, these services are hardly available in Inari and Skolt Sámi languages," said the Lapland Hospital District Johanna Erholtz.
"We will probably have to buy more demanding services and rehabilitation providers as well as interpretation," he added.
The commission is expected to last for years, and its aim is to correct the injustices experienced by the Sámi, to find out what happened to them and how it has affected them.
Psychosocial support was one of the conditions for the establishment of the TRC, as it deals with the traumatic experiences and sensitive issues experienced by the Sámi, the last indigenous peoples of Europe.
Inari Sámi speaks about 400 mother tongues and Skolt Sámi speaks about 300 mother tongues.
More emphasis is needed on collective support
Managing Director of the Sámi Social and Health Organization Ristenrauna Magga attended the last meetings of the working group.
He said that while the group’s report suggested providing collective support through third parties, it could have gone further.
"The proposal is based on the perspective and needs of the individual. I kept trying to point out that the need for collective support should be added to the proposal, because we Sámi have experienced difficult things as a people," Magga said.
The report of the working group was submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office and the Sámi Parliament in March.
Quelle: Die nordische Seite
