Sven speaks again11 Feb 2022 20:36
The government received a letter from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, which was raised quite large in the media. Large black headlines under the theme "UN experts call on Sweden's government: "Say no to the Kallak mine"".
Well, it's not really like that. The two "experts" are so s k Special Reporturs, i.e. unpaid people who are not employed by the UN or the High Commissioner but who are appointed to move different areas on a voluntary basis.
The two, who are oddly not mentioned in the article, are David R Boyd, a Canadian eco activist who, among other things, has been the CEO of an organization called Ecojustice, and Carl Tzay, a human rights activist from Guatemala.
As far as I know, none of them have visited Sweden. None of them seem to know that the environmental testing happens after a concession is granted. None of them has any special insight into how cleaning is done, where the mine is supposed to be, how the clean-up leaders are supposed to be pulled. None of them have spoken to us or anyone who can give them a different perspective on the issue than the one they have brought to life by those who are against the mine. None of them can Swedish legislation, none of them takes any responsibility for investments, jobs and development in Jokkmokk.
It should also be said that the system of reporters itself has received a lot of criticism. The fact that they are not paid by the UN system has raised suspicions about **** and other things, because no one knows how their operations are financed.
The European Centre for Law and Justice just last year did a stinging recount on such reporters because it cannot be excluded that companies, or for that matter activist groups, can buy themselves into conclusions and criticism as then delivered under the flag of the UN system.
Therefore, the letter of these reporters has no legal effect on a Swedish administrative case. But is rather an illustrative example of how opinion education and impact campaigns can be designed.