Truth and Reconciliation Commission (Norway)
The Commission to Investigate the Norwegianisation Policy and Injustice Against the Sámi and Kven/Norwegian Finnish Peoples (The Truth and Reconciliation Commission) was a Norwegian state commission established by the Storting in 2018. It was led by Dagfinn Høybråten and with a committee consisting of eleven other professionals.
The purpose of the investigation was to lay the foundation for recognition of the experiences of Sámi and Kven (Norwegian Finns) subject to Norwegian authorities' policies of Norwegianization, and the consequences these experiences have had for them as groups and individuals. On 9 May 2019, the commission's mandate was extended to include the Forest Finns.
The commission completed its work and submitted the report to the Storting's Presidency on 1 June 2023.
Mandate
[edit]The commission had a three-part mandate:[1]
- To produce a historical survey Norwegian authorities' policy and activities towards Sámi and Kvens / Norwegian Finns both locally, regionally and nationally.
- To investigate the effects of the Norwegianization policy, including how it has affected the majority population's views of Sami, Kvens / Norwegian Finns, and the significance of Norwegianization to this day.
- To suggest measures further reconciliation.
On 9 May 2019, the commission decided to include the Forest Finns in its mandate.
Structure
[edit]
A secretariat for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, headed by Liss-Ellen Ramstad, was established at University of Tromsø – The Arctic University of Norway.[2]
Membership
[edit]- Secretary General Dagfinn Høybråten[3]
- Professor Ivar Bjørklund
- Fellow Håkon Hermanstrand
- Bishop Emeritus Per Oskar Kjølaas
- Professor Pia Lane
- Senior advisor Anne Kalstad Mikkelsen
- Museum director Marit Myrvoll
- Professor Emeritus Einar Niemi
- Professor Anne Julie Semb
- College lecturer Liv Inger Somby
- Professor Emeritus Aslak Syse
- Associate Professor Ketil Zachariassen
