Taternes landsforening is demanding that Norway's Storting appoint a new truth and reconciliation commission for its policy toward Tatere. The organization says Tatere are not specifically included in the follow-up to abuses caused by assimilation policy, NRK reported, according to Aftonbladet.
Lillan Støen, secretary of Taternes landsforening, said a national competence center on Norwegianization and injustice is being set up without Tatere. "This population group has been subjected to the worst abuses through assimilation and Norwegianization," Støen said. The center follows a 2024 Storting decision with 17 concrete measures.
Støen wants an independent review. "We want to document experiences and consequences from those who have been and still are affected by that policy," she said.
Iris Holm Haug and Terje Karlsen support the demand. NRK met the couple on a farm they rent at Ramnes outside Tønsberg. "There is no doubt that Tatere have been persecuted by the state and subjected to deportation and forced sterilization through several generations. We who are of Tater descent still experience everyday racism," Karlsen said.
His wife said: "We are proud of our background, but feel that we are still being opposed by the state. If no steps are taken now, I fear that our culture will disappear."
Gyrid Gunnes, a researcher at VID University College in Oslo, said the church has responsibility. "The church and Christian actors played a completely central role in forced assimilation, and in that way the forced assimilation of Tatere is different from that of Sami and Kven," she said. Harald Hegstad, leader of the Church Council in the Church of Norway, said it usually doesn't sign appeals it didn't initiate.
"That doesn't mean we aren't positive about the theme of the appeal, or the demand made there," Hegstad said. Mads Andenæs, professor at the University of Oslo, said it's well documented that a policy was pursued for generations to erase Tater culture. "There was considerable success for this policy in bringing population groups to an end," Andenæs said.
"Like other groups, they must get a program to strengthen their culture and cultural activities. Tatere are entitled to equivalent treatment," he said. UiT The Arctic University of Norway has been commissioned by the Ministry of Education to investigate a national competence center, with work to finish by 15 November.