Metsähallitus, the Finnish state enterprise supplying wood to the Finnish forest industry, has decided to suspend felling in Nellim in the Inari area of Finnish Lapland. The move follows recommendations by the United Nations Human Rights Committee. The decision came on Wednesday after discussions with the ministries in question.
Metsähallitus also agreed to postpone felling planned for other locations in the area.
On Monday, the UN Human Rights Committee called on Metsähallitus to suspend felling in areas where it might interfere with reindeer herding by the indigenous Sámi, or Lapp population.
The Human Rights Committee’s decision was a temporary measure which remains in force until the Finnish government has responded to complaints submitted to the committee by three Sámi reindeer herders.
The complaint is linked with the question of Sámi land rights; a report on the matter is currently being prepared at the University of Oulu.
The report was originally scheduled to be ready in May last year, but sources close to the Ministry of Justice say that it will probably not be complete before January.
Reindeer herders in the Inari region want an area of 27,000 hectares to be declared off-limits to the timber industry. Metsähallitus says that its short-term felling plans in the area involve about 1,000 hectares.
Metsähallitus is now looking for alternate areas in Upper Lapland for felling.
The reindeer herders who issued their appeal say that the felling hurts the raising of reindeer, which is recognised by the UN as the basis of Sámi culture.
