Feedback The annual Conference on the Human Dimension took place in Warsaw from September 30 to October 11, 2024. WIthin the 10-day agenda, experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) and representatives of human rights organizations from 57 participating countries discussed the issues of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the OSCE region.
On October 8, 2024, at the plenary session “Tolerance and Non-discrimination”, on behalf of ADC Memorial and the International Committee of Indigenous Peoples of Russia Mark Zdor spoke on the situation of Indigenous peoples of Russia:
“Indigenous peoples have lived on our lands for centuries. But with the Russian colonisation, our peoples are being oppressed, we have become a minority on our land, our languages and religion are disappearing, the habitat is being destroyed by the extraction of coal and other minerals. This year, we were declared extremists – this threatens years in prison for anyone who advocates for the rights of Indigenous peoples and doesn’t support the government. Those who support the government for money betray their peoples, who suffer from discrimination.”
On the same day, ADC Memorial and Arctida held a joint side event “Indigenous Peoples in Russia: violations of their rights by the state and mining companies, destruction of traditional habitat, criminalization of human rights activities.”
Ilya Shumanov, head of Arctida and the Russian branch of Transparency International in exile, identified two issues that have an essential impact on the lives of the Indigenous peoples of the Arctic.
- The first problem is the substitution of the voices of real Indigenous activists and the promotion of the interests of the Russian government at the international level through pro–government NGOs of Indigenous peoples. First of all, it is RAIPON, funded by mining companies and lobbying for the interests of large industrial mining structures, including the lifting of international sanctions.
- The second problem is coal mining in the Arctic by international business: the Australian coal company Tigers Realm Coal continues to do business with Russian officials and oligarchs, bypassing sanctions and destroying the environment in Chukotka. In 2023, TIG produced a record 1.6 million tons of coal, showing an increase of 56% in comparison with 2021.
Ilya Shumanov stressed the need to include independent representatives of Indigenous peoples in the decision-making process and monitor the influence of Russian indigenous GONGO on international institutions regarding the lifting of sanctions against Russia.
Mark Zdor, a native of Chukotka, a member of the International Committee of the Indigenous Peoples of Russia, spoke about the current situation of the Indigenous peoples of Russia sharing his personal story. As a student, he joined the Youth Council of the RAIPON, but left the organization in 2021 due to his disagreement with the pro-government policy of the organization and threats towards him for his participation in protest demonstrations. Mark told how independent Indigenous organizations were destroyed in Chukotka, and appealed to support activists who continue their work from abroad:
“Today, the International Committee of the Indigenous Peoples of Russia is in fact the only alternative to the RAIPON, and this obliges us to continue protecting the rights of the Indigenous peoples of Russia. The purpose of our Committee is to contribute to the preservation of the identity of the indigenous peoples of Russia. Despite the difficulties, we are looking for new ways to interact and call for cooperation with Indigenous activists and environmentalists. We appeal to the international community to support us in this work.”
Dmitry Berezhkov, member of the International Committee of Indigenous Peoples of Russia and editor of the Indigenous Russia website, focused on three issues in his speech:
- The first is the war and the disproportionate number of dead soldiers belonging to ethnic minorities and Indigenous peoples, which is caused with a high level of poverty, and the inability to protect themselves from mobilization in places where Indigenous peoples live. At the same time, RAIPON supports the war, organizes the sending of products and drones to the front.
- The second problem is the deterioration of the environmental situation after the outbreak of the war due to a decrease in environmental standards, which also involves the structures of the RAIPON, since its representatives participate on behalf of Indigenous peoples in public hearings on business projects and support business.
- The third problem is the use of Indigenous peoples, including the RAIPON, as an instrument of influence on the international agenda: both at the UN and in the Arctic Council, representatives of Indigenous peoples from the RAIPON are calling for the lifting of sanctions against Russia. At the same time, independent representatives of Indigenous peoples now, after 55 organizations of different minorities were included in the “list of extremists”, it has become almost impossible to speak at the international level, because it can be recognized as “extremism”. Due to the criminalization of independent organizations, assistance and interaction with representatives of Indigenous peoples in Russia is difficult.
In conclusion, Olga Abramenko spoke about the experience of ADC Memorial in protecting Indigenous peoples living in Southern Siberia and suffering from coal mining and alluvial gold mining (see two reports, 2020 and 2021).
The expert noted that in these regions the mining business is affiliated with the government; the principle of informed prior consent is not respected, while the Indigenous inhabitants of the territory must consciously approve or not approve the business activity on their territory; and loyal activists from indigenous peoples actually act against the interests of Indigenous communities. Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in Ukraine, the situation in this territory has deteriorated even more: coal mining, despite its enormous environmental damage, continues, and the recognition of “extremist organizations” of indigenous peoples has actually criminalized human rights activities in this area.
Olga Abramenko gave an example of an environmental disaster staged by the industrial giant Norilsk Nickel in Taimyr (2020), which poisoned the territory of small Indigenous small peoples – Dolgan and Nganasan. It will take decades to restore the natural environment, which Indigenous peoples simply do not have: their lifestyle and culture bound with nature are rapidly disappearing and need protection here and now.