As reported by Yle News, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo has stated that Finland must issue an apology to the Sami for the historical and ongoing discrimination that they have faced. The comments were made following the release of the final report by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which included 70 recommendations on how Finland can repair its relations with the Sami people. The prime minister also commented that he plans to set up a parliamentary working group to consider how and when to issue the apology and ensure that it is comprehensive and respectful. (Yle News)

The submission of the final report concludes the work of Finland’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, but it also marks the beginning of efforts to improve relations and build trust with the roughly 10,000 Sami who reside in the country. Like the Sami in Norway, Sweden, and Russia, the Sami in Finland faced aggressive policies of assimilation rooted in racism. Historical colonial practices included the establishment of residential schools, forced conversion to Christianity, the desecration of cultural sites, and the suppression of Indigenous languages.

While many of these traumatic policies have been abolished, discrimination and racism against the Sami remain pervasive in Finnish society. For instance, hate speech and harassment of the Sami continue to take place on social media, and tensions have intensified over the right to manage lands and resources.

Tasked with uncovering the truth about these past and present violations, the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission provides vital information to understand Sami experiences and to guide future efforts to redress the harm done to them. The government should consider the recommendations in the final report seriously and fully support their successful implementation. While an official apology is a meaningful measure that symbolizes that the state takes responsibility for the atrocities committed, Finland must also take concrete measures to eradicate the structural causes of discrimination and correct past injustices. (Arctic Today, CBC News, Non-Discrimination Ombudsman of Finland, United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights)

Source – https://www.thearcticinstitute.org/arctic-week-take-five-week-1-december-2025/