Birgitta Dahl
Encyclopedia
Rut Birgitta Dahl is a Swedish
former politician
of the Social Democratic Party
.
, Västra Götaland County
. She earned a B.A.
at Uppsala University
in 1960. During her studies she was politically active in the Uppsala Student Union
. She worked as a senior administrative officer at the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency
from 1965 to 1982, as a course assistant at the Swedish North Africa Institute from 1964 to 1965, at the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation
from 1965 to 1967, and as chairman of the Swedish Committee for Vietnam from 1971 to 1977. From 1980 to 1981 she served as a Swedish delegate to the United Nations
.
Dahl was elected a Member of Parliament
from 1969 to 2002 (until 1970 as a member of the lower house
), Minister for Energy Affairs from 1982 to 1990, Minister for the Environment from 1986 to 1991, and Speaker of the Parliament from 1994 to 2002. Since 2005 she is chairman of the Swedish section of the United Nations Children's Fund
(UNICEF).
was ruled by the government of Pol Pot
and his Khmer Rouge
party, approximately 1.7 million Cambodians were killed through the combined result of political executions, starvation
, and forced labor (see Khmer Rouge period (1975–1979). In 1976, Dahl participated in a debate in Sveriges Radio
about the situation in Cambodia, where she said among other things:
Dahl reiterated these views in an article in the journal Vietnam Nu (published by the Swedish Committee for Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia) in 1977.
In 1997, Per Ahlmark
's book An Open Sore was published. In the book, Ahlmark among other things questioned Dahl's appropriateness as Speaker of the Parliament due to her past statements about the Khmer Rouge regime. In the debate that ensued, Dahl made a public apology in Dagens Nyheter
in which she wrote:
During a debate hosted by ABF
in Stockholm in 2005 about the revolutions in Cambodia and Vietnam, Dahl said, according to the author Peter Fröberg Idling: "The claim that we supported Pol Pot is a lie".
since 1986. She has three children. One of her daughters, Anna Kettner, is also a former Social Democratic politician.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
former politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
of the Social Democratic Party
Swedish Social Democratic Party
The Swedish Social Democratic Workers' Party, , contesting elections as 'the Workers' Party – the Social Democrats' , or sometimes referred to just as 'the Social Democrats' and most commonly as Sossarna ; is the oldest and largest political party in Sweden. The party was founded in 1889...
.
Education and career
Birgitta Dahl was born in Råda, Härryda MunicipalityHärryda Municipality
Härryda Municipality is a municipality in Västra Götaland County in western Sweden. Its seat is located in the town of Mölnlycke, with about 15,000 inhabitants....
, Västra Götaland County
Västra Götaland County
Västra Götaland County is a county or län on the western coast of Sweden.The county is the second largest of Sweden's counties and it is subdivided into 49 municipalities . Its population of 1,550,000 amounts to 17% of Sweden's population...
. She earned a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
at Uppsala University
Uppsala University
Uppsala University is a research university in Uppsala, Sweden, and is the oldest university in Scandinavia, founded in 1477. It consistently ranks among the best universities in Northern Europe in international rankings and is generally considered one of the most prestigious institutions of...
in 1960. During her studies she was politically active in the Uppsala Student Union
Uppsala Student Union
Uppsala Student Union is one of two students' unions at Uppsala University in Uppsala, Sweden.According to Swedish law, university students are no longer required to be members of a students' union since 2010...
. She worked as a senior administrative officer at the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency
Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency
The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency is a government agency of the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Sida is responsible for organization of the bulk of Sweden's official development assistance to developing countries....
from 1965 to 1982, as a course assistant at the Swedish North Africa Institute from 1964 to 1965, at the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation
Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation
The Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation was created in 1962 as Sweden’s national memorial to Dag Hammarskjöld, Secretary General of the United Nations from 1953 until his death in a plane crash on a mission to the Congo...
from 1965 to 1967, and as chairman of the Swedish Committee for Vietnam from 1971 to 1977. From 1980 to 1981 she served as a Swedish delegate to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
.
Dahl was elected a Member of Parliament
Parliament of Sweden
The Riksdag is the national legislative assembly of Sweden. The riksdag is a unicameral assembly with 349 members , who are elected on a proportional basis to serve fixed terms of four years...
from 1969 to 2002 (until 1970 as a member of the lower house
Lower house
A lower house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house.Despite its official position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide the lower house has come to wield more power...
), Minister for Energy Affairs from 1982 to 1990, Minister for the Environment from 1986 to 1991, and Speaker of the Parliament from 1994 to 2002. Since 2005 she is chairman of the Swedish section of the United Nations Children's Fund
United Nations Children's Fund
United Nations Children's Fund was created by the United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 1946, to provide emergency food and healthcare to children in countries that had been devastated by World War II...
(UNICEF).
Khmer Rouge controversy
From 1971 to 1977, while also serving as a Member of Parliament, Dahl was chairman of the Swedish Committee for Vietnam (from 1975 known as the Swedish Committee for Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia). During the period of 1975 to 1979, when CambodiaCambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
was ruled by the government of Pol Pot
Pol Pot
Saloth Sar , better known as Pol Pot, , was a Cambodian Maoist revolutionary who led the Khmer Rouge from 1963 until his death in 1998. From 1976 to 1979, he served as the Prime Minister of Democratic Kampuchea....
and his Khmer Rouge
Khmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge literally translated as Red Cambodians was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who were the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan...
party, approximately 1.7 million Cambodians were killed through the combined result of political executions, starvation
Starvation
Starvation is a severe deficiency in caloric energy, nutrient and vitamin intake. It is the most extreme form of malnutrition. In humans, prolonged starvation can cause permanent organ damage and eventually, death...
, and forced labor (see Khmer Rouge period (1975–1979). In 1976, Dahl participated in a debate in Sveriges Radio
Sveriges Radio
Sveriges Radio AB – Swedish Radio Ltd – is Sweden's national publicly funded radio broadcaster. The Swedish public-broadcasting system is in many respects modelled after the one used in the United Kingdom, and Sveriges Radio - like Sveriges Television - shares many characteristics with...
about the situation in Cambodia, where she said among other things:
Dahl reiterated these views in an article in the journal Vietnam Nu (published by the Swedish Committee for Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia) in 1977.
In 1997, Per Ahlmark
Per Ahlmark
Per Axel Ahlmark is a Swedish writer and former politician. He was the leader of the Liberal People's Party from 1975 to 1978, and Minister for Employment and Deputy Prime Minister in the Swedish government from 1976 to 1978...
's book An Open Sore was published. In the book, Ahlmark among other things questioned Dahl's appropriateness as Speaker of the Parliament due to her past statements about the Khmer Rouge regime. In the debate that ensued, Dahl made a public apology in Dagens Nyheter
Dagens Nyheter
is a daily newspaper in Sweden. It has the largest circulation of Swedish morning newspapers, followed by Göteborgs-Posten and Svenska Dagbladet, and is the only morning newspaper that is distributed to subscribers across the whole country. In 2009 DN had a circulation of 316,000, reaching 881...
in which she wrote:
During a debate hosted by ABF
Arbetarnas Bildningsförbund
Arbetarnas bildningsförbund is the educational section of the Swedish labour movement. ABF conducts seminars, classes and study circles on all kinds of subjects, including workshops, languages and music....
in Stockholm in 2005 about the revolutions in Cambodia and Vietnam, Dahl said, according to the author Peter Fröberg Idling: "The claim that we supported Pol Pot is a lie".
Personal life
Birgitta Dahl is married to Enn KokkEnn Kokk
Enn Kokk is a Swedish Social Democratic politician, journalist and writer....
since 1986. She has three children. One of her daughters, Anna Kettner, is also a former Social Democratic politician.