Legislation

“Sweden may have new official languages”

Criticism against Southern Sami not being included in a preliminary decision by the Minority Language Commission.

Kiruna and Gällivare are two cities in Norrbotten, which may have three official languages in the future: Swedish, Finnish and Sami. Five other cities in Norrbotten may get two official languages. The citizens of these cities will be able to demand to use Finnish or Sami in their contacts with state or local authorities in the exercise of public authorities. On the other hand, the citizens will not have the right to demand replies in the Finnish and Sami languages.

The proposal, which has been produced by a State Commission, may be seen as the first step for Sweden to develop a minority policy. “So far Sweden has not had any particular policy towards minorities who have been here for a considerable length of time - only a immigrant policy,” says Carin Lundmark - MP and Social Democrat and Chairman of the Committee.

“May refuse the Convention”

The Minority Language Commission is working on a proposal on how Sweden should adopt to the Convention of regional and minority languages. The Committee has put forward proposals of how the demands in the convention can be fulfilled, but no decision has been made so far.

“We may still arrive at the conclusion that Sweden should not sign the convention,” says Carin Lundberg.

The Convention does not concern immigrant languages, only languages that “by tradition” have been spoken in the country. The convention talks about two types of minority languages with different levels of protection. Minority languages, which have regional roots, will have the most profound protection. In order to adopt the convention the state must pledge to fulfill at least 35 measures from the convention menu. For a language without a regional foundation the rules are a bit more vague.

“A step in the right direction”

The Swedish Commission has made the preliminary determination that a possible adaptation of the convention would result in the Sami Language being a regional language in the cities of Arjeplog, Gällivare, Kiruna and Jokkmokk. “It is a step in the right direction, but we are of the opinion that all three Sami-language regions should be included. But the Southern Sami communities are missing in the proposal,” says Ingwar Åhén - Chairman of the Sami Ting (Parliament).

He is also critical to the proposal, since it does not stipulate that the authorities are obliged to give answers in the minority language. “It is not logical. One should strive for having employees who have the ability to both speak and write in the Finnish and Sami languages,” he says. The Commission is also of the opinion that the only demarcated geographic territory where Finnish has been spoken up to the present day is Tornedalen. The extended regional rights for the language is therefore proposed to concern only the communities (cities) of Pajala, Övertorneå, Haparanda, Kiruna and Gällivare. Nor is any distinction between Finnish and Tornedal Finnish made in the proposal. Representatives of the Finnish speaking Finns in Sweden have demand an official recognition for their language in all of Sweden, similar to the position of Swedish in Finland.

In addition to the regional regulations a number of supporting activities are proposed for Finnish and Sami, particularly in the area of education and culture.

“Support for Romany weakened”

The language of the Roma will, according to the proposal, have the status as non-territorial minority language. It does not give the same distinct level of support.

“In addition to what is already been done we have discussed additional support activities for the Romany language,” says Carin Lundmark. The committee also discusses the possibility of giving the Jewish language Yiddish status as a non-territorial minority language. The commission is not permitted to propose anything that may cause any additional costs for the State.

“The proposal may cost money, but that is because Sweden has to pay for old sins. If we the Sami had been allowed to use our languages all the time there would have been people in the administrations able to both speak and write Sami,” says Ingwar Åhrén.

(Article published in the Svenska Dagbladet, June 13, 1997)

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