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Scandinavia: Trouble in paradise

August 26, 2013

Lapland, a region as large as Denmark in the far north of Europe, is home to only a few thousand people. But ever since half the world set its sights on Sweden's reserves of iron ore, the face of the north is changing.

https://p.dw.com/p/19WMF
Das Territorium der Saami erstreckt sich von von Norwegen bis in die Ukraine ------------------------------------------- Sami-Sieddlung beim Nordkapp an Norwegen(2006) indigene-voelker-nordamerika1.png: Indigene Völker gibt es auf der ganzen Welt Lizens: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en Quelle: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nordkappsami.jpg Fotograf: +++CC/ernmuhl+++ 28.06.2006
Image: CC/ernmuhl

A British mining company wants to build a mine west of Jokkmokk and recklessly promised its investors it was on unpopulated land. That has infuriated indigenous people such as the Sami. They fear the destruction of their forests, clean drinking water and grazing grounds for their half-tame reindeer. But the mining company wouldn't be the first that got its way at the Sami's expense.

SWE, 2009: Abraumhalden des Eisenerzbergwerks Kiruna, Schweden. [en] Dumps at the iron ore mines of Kiruna, Sweden. | SWE, 2009: Dumps at the iron ore mines of Kiruna, Sweden.
Image: picture-alliance/WILDLIFE