Feedback The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (UN CERD) published its assessment of the situation of the Shor people in the Kemerovo region as part of continued review of the situation in Russia.
The Committee noted that despite the fact that the Russian government had previously reported on the provision of Rb 90 mln compensation to the Shors, who lived in the destroyed village of Kazas, not all the residents of the village had received their compensation yet. UN experts stated that the Russian government should provide adequate compensation to the Shors for the loss of their lands and houses and adopt a resettlement plan for them. In addition, the Committee noted that the Shors from Kazas still did not have access to their village and the local cemetery, stating that this was unacceptable and that access should be immediately provided.
UN CERD welcomed the report of Russia on the measures to comply with the principle of free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) of indigenous peoples in any actions regarding their traditional lands. The Committee asked the Russian government to provide information on specific measures for implementing the principle of FPIC regarding the Shors.
On January 8, 2020, Shor hunters announced that there had been violations of the rights of indigenous people in an open appeal to the governor of the Kemerovo region Sergey Tsivilev. They reported that coal companies operated in the region without the consent of indigenous peoples and that the coal industry caused serious damage to the environment, the health of residents and the traditional culture of indigenous peoples.
The situation of the Shor people was reported by the Anti-Discrimination Centre “Memorial” in its publications and reports prepared for the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (1) (2) (3).