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Busch, Biltema, and the hate storm against the Sámi
🇸🇪 Sweden /Culture & Society

Busch, Biltema, and the hate storm against the Sámi

From Dagens Nyheter · (37m ago) Swedish Critical tone

Translated from Swedish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Swedish Minister of Enterprise Ebba Busch has proposed re-evaluating the status of reindeer herding as a national interest.
  • This proposal has coincided with a surge of online hate and racist rhetoric directed at the Sámi people, particularly reindeer herders.
  • Critics argue that the current discourse, fueled by politicians and online platforms, perpetuates harmful myths and contributes to discrimination against the Sámi minority.

Dagens Nyheter's editorial board is deeply concerned by the escalating racist rhetoric targeting the Sámi people, particularly reindeer herders, in Sweden. The recent proposal by Minister of Enterprise Ebba Busch to review the national interest status of reindeer herding has unfortunately become a catalyst for a disturbing wave of online hate.

Detta är en opinionstext i Dagens Nyheter. Skribenten svarar för åsikter i artikeln.

— Dagens NyheterEditorial note indicating the opinion nature of the article.

This is not merely a debate about land use or economic interests; it is a manifestation of deeply ingrained racism. The narrative portraying Sámi reindeer herders as a privileged elite with undue influence echoes classic racist tropes. Such characterizations are not only false but dangerous, serving to justify the erosion of their rights and fueling animosity in their daily lives. The vitriol seen on platforms like Reddit, Jodel, and Facebook, ranging from conspiracy theories to outright threats, is unacceptable.

Näringsminister Ebba Busch (KD) vill utreda rennäringens status som riksintresse. I sina utspel har hon målat upp samiska renskötare som en privilegierad grupp med orättvist mycket inflytande.

— Dagens NyheterSummarizing Minister Ebba Busch's stance on reindeer herding.

We must recognize that this hatred is not spontaneous. It is amplified by political discourse that often relies on and perpetuates harmful myths. The comparison of a legal victory for the Gabna Sámi community to an "apartheid state" by a local politician, or the anonymous threats spewed online, demonstrate the severity of the problem. Sweden has a long and painful history of colonialism and forced assimilation against the Sámi people, and we have yet to fully reckon with this past.

Just nu stormar hatet mot renskötare på online-plattformar som Reddit, Jodel och Facebook. Hot mot medlemmar i Gabna sameby samsas där med hat mot hela det samiska folket och världsfrånvända konspiratoriska idéer.

— Dagens NyheterDescribing the online hate directed at reindeer herders.

As a Swedish publication, Dagens Nyheter feels a particular responsibility to call out this racism. The current climate risks normalizing prejudice and further marginalizing an indigenous minority. It is crucial that we, as a society, confront these racist undercurrents, challenge the myths being propagated, and uphold the rights and dignity of the Sámi people. This is not just a matter of political debate; it is a matter of fundamental human rights and historical justice.

Att placeringen av ett bilvaruhus sporrar sådant hat kan förbrylla – om man inte är bekant med den starka rasismen mot samer vill säga.

— Dagens NyheterExplaining the connection between the Biltema store and the hate speech.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dagens Nyheter in Swedish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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