Alta controversy

The Alta conflict or Alta controversy refers to a series of protests in Norway in the late 1970s and early 1980s concerning the construction of a hydroelectric power plant in the Alta River in Finnmark, Northern Norway. Inhabitants of Máze rallied, and formed "Aksjonskomiteen mot neddemming av Masi", August 15, 1970 A group named "Altautvalget for bevaring av Alta-Kautokeinovassdraget", had been documenting the detrimental effects on salmon and "the nature" of the Alta-canyon, since 1973. (The group has been credited, in large, for influencing the municipal council of Alta's opposition to the construction project.) "Folkeaksjonen mot utbygging av Alta-Kautokeinovassdraget" was founded at the local highschool (Alta gymnas), by around 80 protesters, on July 12, 1978 The Detsika Camp was established in the summer of 1979. It received 6500 visitors from 20 nations—a number of the visitors were demonstrators. Later in 1979 the Stilla Camp was established, and the Detsika Camp (which was a cultural gathering and a political workshop) was disestablished. "Folkeaksjonen -" held an election at an "ekstaordinær" annual meeting in Alta on January 24, 1982, which concluded that the organization was to be disassembled. (One of the reasons for disassembling the organization, was to avoid being blamed for sabotage and criminal acts, such as the pyromanic acts that had taken place, in the previous Christmas holidays, against mobile constructions belonging to NVE.) "Folkeaksjonen -" had its last national conference, in May 1982. Proceedings in court (Alta herredsrett) against Alfred Nilsen, Bongo, Suhr and Flatberg, commence March 1, 1983. They are later sentenced to fines (10 000 to 20 000 Norwegian kroner) and suspended prison sentences (60–90 days). The background for the controversy was a published plan by the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) that called for the construction of a dam and hydroelectric power plant that would create an artificial lake and inundate the Sami village of Máze.