Activists protest new wind power plans in Fosen, Norway

Activists, including Sámi representatives, gathered on Friday in Fosen to protest new wind power plans, emphasizing the need to address perceived human rights violations. Ella Marie Hætta Isaksen, a prominent activist, expressed disbelief that they had to take action again after previous rights breaches were acknowledged.

The protest arises amid Nordic Wind’s exploration of new development opportunities in the grazing areas of the Saami reindeer herders in Sør-Fosen. This comes after the reindeer owners reached an agreement with the government and developers in late 2022 regarding the contentious Fosen wind power issue, which has been marked by ongoing legal battles over land use rights.

A letter was delivered to the local council members in Indre Fosen, urging them to oppose any new wind power developments. Activists are concerned that repeating past mistakes will further undermine Sámi rights. The council has maintained ambiguous communication regarding Nordic Wind’s proposals, neither outright rejecting nor explicitly supporting them.

Nordic Wind has held discussions with municipal councils and landowners but has not disclosed firm plans, referring to their efforts as preliminary assessments.

The activists’ actions also included a show of solidarity from the Palestine Committee, marking their protest against the partial Israeli ownership of Nordic Wind. They called for clear, decisive action from local governments to protect the rights and future of the Sámi community in the region.

Hætta Isaksen highlighted the urgency of the situation, underlining the promise of peace made to the Sámi, which remains unfulfilled amid new threats.