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<P align="justify"> The Saami Parlia … <P align="justify"> The Saami Parliament in Finland was established in 1996, and it has implemented Saami cultural autnomy since that time. However, Finland was the first Nordic country to establish in 1972 an elected Saami body, the Saami Delegation, which functioned until 1995.</p> <p> The framework for fundamental rights for the Saami people in matters regarding their own language and culture was created by a reform in fundamental rights in 1995. The Section 121.4. of the Constitution of Finland says: "Provisions on self-government in administrative areas larger than a municipality are laid down by an Act. In their native region, the Sami have linguistic and cultural self-government, as provided by an Act". The provision of cultural autonomy also influences the Saami Parliament's political mandate, since it is the Sámi Parliament that on behalf of the Saami (According to the Saami Act: § 1,2nd sentence) shall practice and protect Saami cultural autonomy. According to Section 1 of the Act on the Sámi Parliament. "The purpose of this Act is to guarantee the Sami as an indigenous people cultural autonomy in respect to their language and culture. For the tasks belonging to cultural autonomy the Sami shall choose a Sami Parliament from among themselves at an election. The Sami Parliament shall function under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice". In order to deal with matters pertaining to cultural self-determination, the Saami elect a Saami Parliament from among their own people which has 21 members and four deputy members elected for a term of four calendar years. There must be at least three members and one deputy member from each of the municipalities constituting the Saami Homeland. On the basis of the Saami parliamentary election results, the Council of State (Cabinet) appoints the members and deputy members of the Saami Parliament, and it also accepts their resignations. From among themselves, the members of the Saami Parliament elect a President, which is a full-time appointment. </p> <p>The mandate of the Saami Parliament according to The Finnish Saami Act: § 5 (974/95, effective 1st January 1996) is to take care of matters relating to language, culture and the position of the Saami as an indigenous people. It can put forward initiatives and proposals, issue statements on matters that come within its province, make decisions as provided for in this or any other law and decide on the distribution of funds allocated for the common use of the Saami. </p> <p> The Saami Act, in § 6, contains a provision that states the Parliament is a representative body for the Saami in Finland, while it also assigns the Saami Parliament the right and obligation of international representation: </p> <p><em>"The Saami parliament shall in the areas belonging to it represent the Saami in national and international relations."</em></p> <p>The Saami Parliament operates under the auspices of the Ministry of Justice. The organs of the Saami Parliament are the Plenum, the President and the Board/Government. In addition, the Saami Parliament has established a number of steering groups to deal with specific areas: committees for culture, education and educational materials, occupational matters, justice, social services and health, and a Language Bureau. The Committee for Cultural Affairs annually allocates grants (amounting to approx. 170,000 in 2001) to artists, organizations, etc. in the field of culture, while the Education and Educational Materials Committee administers an allocation amounting to about 250,000. The operations of the Saami Parliament are focused on the Saami Homeland. Because of its autonomous nature, the Saami Parliament is not an official organ of the state of Finland, nor is it part of the state administration; rather it has the status of an independent judicial person under public law with its own administrative organs, accounting and auditors. </p> <p>One more provision relating tothe rights of the Saami to be heard is contained in §37 of the Finnish Parliament s Standing Orders, according to which a special select committee must provide an opportunity for representatives of the Saami to be heard in respect of any bill or other matter specifically concerning the Saami unless particular circumstances dictate otherwise. The Saami Act also provides that the national authorities have an obligation to negotiate with the Saami Parliament (The Saami Act § 9). The state authorities must negotiate with the Saami Parliament and hear its opinions on matters which are related to the position of the Saami as an indigenous people within the Saami Homeland. Such matters pertain to community planning, legislative or administrative changes to an occupation that constitutes part of the culture of the Saami, the development of education in the Saami languages and the teaching of them and social and health services, as well as other matters affect the Saamis language, culture and status as an indigenous people. In Norway and Sweden, no legally binding provisions have been made for the Saami Parliaments to be heard generally, although in Norway the Saami Parliament must be given the opportunity to be heard in matters impinging on its sphere of activity.</p> <p>The Saami Parliament's role in Finland has been defined through these above mentioned legal amendments. This recent development in Finland is in accordance with the continuing international developments in relation to indigenous people's rights, where a guestion of self-autonomy is central. With this new legislation Finland has tried to fulfill the demands that the ILO-Convention n. 169 requires of the states in order to be able to ratify the Convention. Finland seems to be actively preparing the ratification of the Convention when it is harmonising Finland' s laws with requirements of the international Conventions. </P> the international Conventions. </P> +
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