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February 4, 2025, Brussels
The European Parliament hosted a discussion “Exploitated Lands, oppressed peoples: discrimination and persecution of the Indigenous peoples of Siberia, the North and the Far East,“ co-organized by Anti–Discrimination Center Memorial Brussels and Rasa Jukneviciene, MEP from Lithuania. This meeting continued the cooperation between Ms. Yukneviciene‘s office and ADC Memorial, started on October 25, 2023, with the event in the EP “Opposition to Russian colonial pressure: voices of different peoples”. The discussion was led by Rasa Yukneviciene and Stefania Kulaeva (ADC Memorial). The speakers were activists of the movement for the protection of the rights of Indigenous peoples Vladislav Tannagashev, a founding member of the International Committee of Indigenous Peoples of Russia, and Mark Zdor, a native of Chukotka, a member of the ICIPR and an anti-war activist, as well as Dirk Schubel, Head of Russia division, EEAS, and Anastasia Crickley, an expert on minority rights (former Chair of the UN CERD and the EU Fundamental Rights Agency, the OSCE and Council of Europe expert on minority rights). Before the discussion, a part of the documentary “The Gold of Shoria“ was shown.
In their speeches, the representatives of the Indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East expressed their support for Ukraine and their protest against Russian aggression. They talked about how the Russian authorities are destroying the habitat of indigenous peoples, repressing those who dare to protest, and exterminating the male population of their native villages, mobilizing and turning residents into “cannon fodder.“ Both the main speakers and other participants of the discussion noted the discriminatory nature of Russia‘s national policy, the suppression of cultures, languages and religions of small nations. European Commission representative Dirk Schuebel also expressed support for Ukraine and all those, including activists from Russia, who oppose Russian aggression. He assured the audience of his readiness to support such initiatives. The MEP Rasa Jukneviciene spoke about the resolution of the European Parliament calling for remembering historical responsibility and the connection of history with modern problems. She shared her personal experience of overcoming Russia‘s imperial influence on the Baltic states, the struggle for the freedom of Lithuania, and thanked Ukraine for its courage in the struggle for independence and democracy currently taking place on the battlefields.
The ADC Memorial expert spoke about the protection of the rights of Indigenous peoples as part of anti-discrimination work, expressing support for activists of organizations (including the International Committee of Indigenous Peoples of Russia), who were included in the lists of “extremists” and “terrorists” in the Russian Federation only for peaceful demonstrations in support of their communities. ADC Memorial unequivocally condemns such forms of repression of Indigenous human rights defenders and defenders of minority rights, expressing solidarity and support for their principled human rights and anti-war positions.
Video of the discussion