Comments from the Kveni Minority in Norway To

Oslo , 27th of January 2011

Til

;

Comments from the Kveni minority in Norway to

The Report of the special Representative of the Secretary – General on the issue of human rights and transnational Corporations and other business John Ruggie

Background

The kveni peoples are a registered old national minority in Norway and live basically in the same areas as the sami minority whom have got the status as Indigenous People.

So fare the Kveni are accept and hold the status as an old national minority, bur are, concerning rights, basically ignored including their right to land and waters. The State of Norway practices exhibit substantial legal and policy incoherence and gaps concerning the Kveni minority compared with our status as national minority. The State duty to protect against human rights abuses by third parties including business through appropriate policy and regulation are not including the kveni people. We are therefore more afraid of the national policy than the business initiatives.

Comments to the Guiding Principles and Commentaries.

The comments refer to numbered Guiding Principles (capitals ) in the document and should be added to the Commentaries.

4. The State or States should when entering in to such agreements always be able to document or ensure, not only general protect of human rights, but also that the rights of all national minority groups in the areas concerned.

5. There are a significant lack concerning the Norwegian states procedures to follow national and international lows concerning national minority rights for the kveni people in North Norway. To avoid bringing business in unlawful situations, state contracts (in the state) should always be able to document that the national minority groups concerned are consulted.

6. The State should ensure that state owned or controlled enterprises are orientated on national minority human rights in areas of their concern.

7. The State should ensure that business enterprises are aware of all national minority rights in actual areas.

8. The state should secure that agencies linked formally or informally to the State may be aware of the national minority groups rights in area concerned.

11. States, when acting as members of multilateral institutions that deal with business – related issues should seek to ensure that also national minority rights are focused when operating in areas of their concern.

12. Business enterprises should secure that the state have documented possible abuse of national minority rights when engaged.

13. Business enterprises should have in place policies and processes appropriate to their size to secure that also national minority rights in actual area are known.

14. There should be added: “Their responsibility to respect human rights; Including all national minority rights in areas concerned”.

18. Add: Business enterprises should also track their human rights performance with regard to the rights of national minorities in area of their concern.

19. In order to account for their human rights performance business enterprises should be prepared to communicate publicly also with national minorities in concern.

Ystävällisin tervheisin • Vennlig hilsen * Best wishes

In authority/ For NKF/RK

______

Ivar Dervo (s)

The Foreign Committee

of the Norwegian Kveni Association

Adress: Røahagan 40, 0744 Oslo, Norway,

Phone: 0047 916 55108