Presidential candidates Svein Atle Somby (center) and Vibeke Larsen (right) belong to the minority that opposes special treatment of asylum applications from Russian Sámi. Sámi Parliament President Silje Karine Muotka (left) has the support of a majority backing the demand for a special procedure.
Statement from the Editorial Board of Indigenous Russia
Dear readers, we would like to inform you about changes that occurred in the original material published on the NRK Sápmi website.
On the morning of April 5, an article titled “Politicians in the Sámi Parliament are divided on the issue of Sámi asylum seekers from Russia” was published on the NRK Sápmi portal. In line with our editorial practice, we promptly republished this article on the Indigenous Russia website, in accordance with our commitment to covering key news related to the rights of Indigenous Peoples in Russia.
However, later that same day, the text of the original article was updated with the following note: “Artikkelen er oppdatert med riktig informasjon om Sp sitt standpunkt i saken!” (“The article has been updated with correct information regarding the Centre Party’s (Sp) position on the matter.”)
In response, the editorial board of Indigenous Russia has decided to: retain the original version of the article on our website — which you are reading now — as part of our archive, and also to publish the updated version so that our readers may access the most current information.
We believe it is important to provide our readers with the opportunity for independent analysis on such a sensitive topic as the rights of political refugees from Indigenous communities.
Sincerely, the Editorial Board of Indigenous Russia
The Sámi Parliament of Norway is divided. A recent proposal to grant special treatment to Russian Sámi asylum seekers has sparked both support and sharp opposition. At the heart of the debate lies a fundamental question: should Indigenous identity play a role in how asylum applications are handled?
The Sámi Parliamentary Council (SPR), a joint body representing the Sámi parliaments of Norway, Sweden, and Finland, recently issued a unanimous recommendation: that Russian Sámi be granted special consideration in the asylum systems of all Nordic countries. The Council consists of two representatives from each country. Norway is currently represented by members of the Norwegian Sámi Association (NSR).
Opposition: “All refugees deserve equal treatment”
Despite the SPR’s united stance, the Norwegian Sámi Parliament itself is deeply divided. According to an overview compiled by NRK, the vote would pass—barely—with a majority of just one.
Leading presidential candidates from the two largest opposition parties—Vibeke Larsen (Nordkalottfolket) and Svein Atle Somby (Labour)—have rejected the idea.
“All refugees deserve to be treated fairly. I don’t see the need for special procedures just because someone is Sámi,” said Larsen.
“If someone from Russia is facing persecution, they can apply for asylum in Norway—Sámi or not, added Somby.
A narrow majority supports the proposal
Sámi Parliament President Silje Karine Muotka (NSR), who also heads the SPR, strongly supports the Council’s recommendation.
“We Sámi are one people. Sápmi is our homeland, regardless of the state borders drawn around us. We didn’t choose those borders,” Muotka stated.
She has the backing of the Sámi People’s Party (SfP) and NSR’s coalition partner, the Nomadic Sámi List (Flyttsamelista).
“Of course our brothers and sisters from the Russian side should be allowed to come here. Their asylum claims deserve special attention,” said SfP leader Birger Nymo.
“Although we haven’t officially discussed this within our party or included it in our platform, it feels natural to support the SPR’s position. After all, we are one people across four countries,” said Berit Marie P. E. Eira of Flyttsamelista.
Skepticism from coalition partners and national parties
But not all members of the governing coalition agree. The Centre Party (Sp), which holds two seats in the Sámi Parliament, opposes the proposal.
“We have confidence in the fairness of the current asylum process,” said Nancy Charlotte Porsanger Anti, who chairs the party’s Sámi policy council.
The single representative from the Progress Party (FrP) is also opposed.
As a result, the political divide is clear: parties with a broader, Norwegian base oppose special treatment, while explicitly Sámi parties support the SPR’s demand.
The latest count shows 20 representatives in favor, 19 against.
Sámi media voice solidarity
The Sámi newspaper Ságat supports the SPR’s stance. Editor-in-chief Geir Wulff argues that the division of Sápmi was never a choice made by its Indigenous inhabitants.
“The Russian Sámi didn’t choose to live under Russian rule. That was decided by national borders, Wulff wrote.
In a recent editorial, he added:
“This is a reasonable and self-evident demand. If Norway, Sweden, and Finland fail to take responsibility for Indigenous people forced to flee Russia into Nordic Sápmi, they’re no better than Putin’s Russia.”
This is a literary translation of the original article published in Norwegian by NRK Sápmi.